Our Mission
- To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities.
Our Goals
- Increase learning growth for students
- Decrease the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Superintendents' Advisory Council (SAC)The Superintendents' Advisory Council will meet prior to the HAA meeting, from 8:00 -8:45 a.m. at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Conference Room 109. An agenda will be emailed to council members soon.
Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA)The HAA meeting will be held from 9:00 -11:30 a.m. at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, in Conference Rooms 107A/B. This is the final spring meeting.
Click this link for the May 7 HAA Meeting Agenda
This year Iowa’s AEAs again will be subsidizing the costs for schools to upgrade their DE-provided FAST subscriptions to include math and behavior assessments for the 2019-20 school year, and are expanding the potential grades available for schools. This year schools will have the option to use the expanded assessment suite in math and behavior for K-6, and will have the additional option to include grades 7 and 8. This option is available both to schools that purchased the expanded assessment suite in 2018-19 and those that want to use for the first time in 2019-20. Please refer to this FASTBridge program document for more information about pricing, registration, billing, training and ordering materials.
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce the hiring of staff member Kristin Orton as a regional director for Region 7. Kristin will replace Kristi Upah on July 1, 2019, as Kristi assumes the new Chief Student Services Officer position within the agency.
Kristin will work closely with the Ames, Ballard, Collins-Maxwell, Gilbert and Roland-Story districts, as well as Ames Christian and St. Cecilia non-public schools.
Kristin’s 15-year Heartland AEA career has centered on serving students and educators in our service area. Since 2004, she has served as a:
- School Psychologist, 2004 – 2007
- Special Education Trainer, 2005 – 2007
- Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, 2007 – 2014
- Instructional Coach, 2013 – present
In 2018 she also took on roles as a school psychology internship supervisor and as a member of the state Dyslexia Task Force, which will make recommendations to the Iowa legislature in Nov. 2019 regarding potential legislation related to dyslexia.
In June, Kristin will earn her PK-12 Principal/Special Education Director license from Drake University.
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce the hiring of Heartland AEA staff member Amy Hanken as the Supervisor of Special Education: Early ACCESS, Early Childhood and Related Services, a position new to the Agency. Amy will join the agency’s leadership team on July 1, 2019, and will lead and coordinate our work related to Early ACCESS, early childhood and that of our related services groups (i.e., occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language, hearing and vision). She will also be a member of the Special Education Leadership Team.
Amy brings nine years of experience in education as a special education teacher and an AEA consultant. Her previous experience includes:
- Special Education Teacher, Hansen Elementary, Cedar Falls, 2010 - 2012
- Special Education Teacher, Denison Elementary, Denison, 2012 - 2015
- Early Childhood Special Education Consultant, Heartland AEA, 2015 - present
In her time at the Agency, Amy has also been a member of the Child Find Cadre Team, implementing professional learning with team members around best practices in the Child Find process; early childhood PBIS coach, delivering early childhood PBIS training to districts; Teacher Quality instructor; and a mentor to a student in the University of Northern Iowa’s special education consultant program, meeting with the student weekly and providing ongoing mentorship.
In July 2019 Amy will earn her PK-12 Principal/Special Education Supervisor certificate from the University of Northern Iowa. She earned her special education consultant endorsement from Morningside College, her master’s degree in special education and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, both from the University of Northern Iowa.
Iowa’s AEA system is pleased to continue providing consistency with their preschool programs for the 2019-20 school year for districts and community partners in the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) for 4-year-old children.
The AEA system will continue to cover the full cost ($3 per child) to access to the online data system and iPAD app for preschool programs that are currently using or are interested in starting to use the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (myIGDIs) for literacy screening for preschool learners during the 2019-20 school year.
Learn more about the options for administering myIGDIs at this link: myIGDIs Enrollment Communication.
AEA PREP is excited to host a 2-day workshop for district teams in partnership with the National Postsecondary Strategy Institute (NPSI) from Chicago, to be held at Des Moines Area Community College on Sept. 23-24, 2019. The goal of this workshop is to help school districts develop their internal capacity to support every student toward attaining a successful postsecondary pathway. This will be done through a hands-on, action-oriented workshop focused on the integration of three critical components: a district postsecondary framework and strategy; a data strategy; and engagement of school counselors as leaders. Up to 27 district teams (approximately three per AEA) will be selected from across the state following the application period that is open May 3-31.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
NPSI - Iowa program overview and application instructions
NPSI - Iowa Online application link
NPSI is led by Greg Darneider, Joyce Brown, Ph.D. and Kelly Sparks. Darneider served as Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education on the College Access Initiative, serving under President Obama's 2020 Goal and was the U.S. Department of Education representative on First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher Initiative. Dr. Brown is president of Joyce V. Brown Consulting, a group of expert practitioner counselor leaders who specialize in training and coaching counselors and non-profit organizations working on the front lines of schools. Dr. Brown also provided technical support and served as a consultant to Reach Higher. Ms. Sparks is CEO of Maple Grove Objective, which helps organizations strategically use data to improve outcomes for youth and communities. She has over 20 years of experience in education, and is a national expert and innovator in data strategy.
On July 28-29, 2019 The Center is hosting an annual convening where you will have the opportunity to visit the Waukee Innovation and Learning Center to learn about mastery learning, deeper learning, authentic assessment, and anytime/anywhere learning. The featured speaker at Learners at the Center: Are We Future-Ready? will be Anthony Kim who will speak about transforming education to increase community collaboration and increasing learner agency while moving beyond brick-and-mortar schools. This event is open to any PK-20 (teacher prep and admin prep) learner/educator/leader looking for ways to create learner-centered environments. Teams are encouraged to attend together! To register, click here: http://bit.ly/2Olowdy. If you are interested in presenting at the Summer Convening, click on this link for the Call for Proposals, and there are instructions and tips to make this process easier. The deadline for submission is May 17.
Parents and caregivers of students with special needs: join us for “Conversation & Coffee,” our morning coffee group! Learn about community resources and upcoming events and network with parents who have similar experiences and challenges.
Conversation & Coffee
May 16, 2019
9:30 - 11 a.m.100th Street Corner Café in Urbandale
RSVP appreciated but not necessary: Kari Paulsen, Family & Educator Coordinator, Heartland AEA, at kpaulsen@heartlandaea.org or (515) 270-9030 ext. 14493.
DMACC Ankeny campus has the following surplus tables available:
- Qty of 9 - 59 1/2in x 23 1/2 tables
- Qty of 1 – 71 1/2in x 23 1/2 table
Contact jaklocke1@dmacc.edu if your school is interested.
The May 2019 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
