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
As a superintendent in the Heartland AEA service area, you are a member of the Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA). This association is designed to provide you with monthly superintendent meetings that will offer opportunities for networking and learning. We will be sharing about the supports offered by the AEA system, as well as hearing from colleagues and partner organizations. All of the superintendent meetings will take place on the first Tuesday of the month and will follow the same basic format:
- 8 - 9 a.m. Superintendent Advisory Council (currently scheduled for Sept., Nov., Jan., April and May)
- 9 - 10 a.m. Regular HAA Business Meeting and Partner Updates from Heartland AEA, DE, SAI, IASB, BOEE and DMACC
- 10 - 11:30 a.m. Superintendent Session with Guest Presenter
The first HAA meeting will be held on Sept. 3 at DMACC in Ankeny. This will also be the kickoff to the 2019-20 Heartland AEA Social, Emotional, Behavioral, Mental Health Speaker Series and will be led by Frances Stetson, Ph.D. Dr. Stetson will lead learning on quality standards for inclusive practices for superintendents and administrators in the morning. Her afternoon session on effective staff utilization is designed for all educators. This is a great opportunity for you to bring administrators in the morning and teacher leaders and teams for collaborative learning in the afternoon!
Registration for Frances Stetson, Ph.D. - Sept. 3
Morning Session Registration Link Course #180602
Afternoon Session Registration Link Course #180603
*Allow extra time for parking on the DMACC campus
*Lunch is on your own
SEBMH Series - Oct. and Dec. Events
The SEBMH series continues on Oct. 1 with Clayton Cook, Ph.D. and Dec. 10 with Shannon Suldo, Ph.D. See the SEBMH series webpage for more information and links to register. These are no cost events!
Save the dates for these nationally distinguished education leaders coming in 2020!
- Hamish Brewer, March 3, 2020 at DMACC, Ankeny
- Anthony Muhammad, April 23, 2020 at Hilton Garden Inn, Johnston
Bookmark the HAA Google Site to stay informed of all HAA events, agendas and materials.
The Heartland AEA Curriculum Network meets from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the first Friday of every month, Sept. through May, at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive). A Zoom option is also available for those who can't attend in person.
2019-20 Meeting Dates
- Sept. 6, 2019
- Oct. 4, 2019
- Nov. 1, 2019
- Dec. 6, 2019
- Jan. 3, 2020
- Feb. 7, 2020
- March 6, 2020
- April 3, 2020
- May 1, 2020
For meeting agendas, handouts and other important documents, visit the Curriculum Network Google Site. For more information or questions, contact the Regional Director who serves your district or Kevin Fangman, Chief Academic Officer, at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14374.
Nine EdCamp-style workshops will be held throughout the 2019-20 school year to provide additional learning, collaboration and conversation for those interested in Standards-Based Learning (SBL) including Grading and Reporting. The workshops coincide with specific strands of the Standards-Based Learning Framework developed by Heartland AEA. These workshops will be participatory, hands-on, collaborative sessions. Participants will walk away with ideas, information, articles, activities and videos that can be used immediately with an SBL guiding team or building team. You can attend whatever sessions are of interest to you; you do not need to attend all nine. Curriculum directors, principals, TLC leaders, Professional Learning leaders and members of SBL guiding teams can benefit from attending these sessions.
Framework Friday Dates
(All sessions 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.)
- Sept. 6, 2019
- Oct. 4, 2019
- Nov. 1, 2019
- Dec. 6, 2019
- Jan. 3, 2020
- Feb. 7, 2020
- March 6, 2020
- April 3, 2020
- May 1, 2020
Learn more about the learning opportunities and register at Heartland AEA Framework Fridays.
Beginning in Sept. 2019, Cognitive Coaching I at Heartland AEA has been approved as meeting the requirement for Evaluator Approval. Register now with Course #180453 as spots are filling quickly! For questions, contact Sue Schirmer, Heartland AEA Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant.
Heartland AEA’s Instructional Coaching Academy is a year-long course for new instructional coaches to explore the foundations of effective instructional coaching. The Academy begins Sept. 12, 2019, and will meet face-to-face six days throughout the year at Heartland AEA in Johnston. Additional online activities will also be required.
Register at bit.ly/2WazxWk with Course #180520. This course is offered for 2 credits (license renewal or Drake graduate credit). Download the Academy flyer for more information.
For the past two years, Heartland AEA has offered a Counselor Academy to help schools build, refine and maintain their K-12 school counseling program. The 2019-20 school year will be the last year that the Counselor Academy will be offered at Heartland AEA. If you are interested, please be sure to enroll your counselors as soon as possible. Because the academy addresses barriers and systemic issues, it is strongly recommended that an administrator attend with the K-12 school counseling team. This year is especially important as the new 4th Edition of the ASCA National Model is in place. To register, or learn more visit: Counselor Academy: Refining and Revising your School Counseling Program 4.0. For questions, contact Sue Schirmer, Heartland AEA Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant.
With the changes to the ASCA National Model, a one-day workshop is planned for school counselors to learn about the changes and make appropriate refinements to their school counseling program. To register, visit School Counselor Update - 4th Edition ASCA National Model. For questions, contact Sue Schirmer, Heartland AEA Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant.
The Statewide AEA Special Education Procedures Manual and Release Notes have both been updated as of July 1, 2019.
They are now posted on the Iowa IDEA website; currently on the front page of the website, in addition to their permanent location under the IEP drop-down menu > Statewide Special Education Procedures > Manual. They are also posted on the Heartland AEA website under Special Education Services > Guidance Documents.
If you have any questions regarding the content, contact the Heartland AEA Regional Director who serves your district.
If you have a new special education teacher or a special education teacher who is new to Iowa, Heartland AEA offers a professional learning course on IEP Processes & Development. Contact your Heartland AEA Regional Director to obtain registration information for the training session in your area.
The Heartland AEA Social, Emotional, Behavior, Mental Health (SEBMH) Fall 2019 Leadership Series is presented by some of today’s most intriguing, innovative and influential leaders from around the country who will share their experiences, discuss challenges that have impacted their work and provide a unique opportunity for you to learn from their hands-on experiences.
Explore how to control special education costs, establish mental health supports within a Multi-Tiered System of Support, and enhance inclusive practices.
SEPT. 3, 2019
Frances Stetson, Ph.D.
Frances Stetson, Ph.D., works with schools with a focus on inclusive practices, closing the achievement gap, differentiated instruction and quality standards for instruction and leadership.
Morning Session for Superintendents and Administrators:
Quality Standards for Inclusive Practices: A Working Session for Assessing Your Current Status and Identifying Your Next Improvement Targets
Dr. Stetson will lead participants through an inclusive school assessment guide. For each standard, participants will learn cutting-edge strategies for achieving it and receive practical tools and resources to make the journey easier. Standards such as a commonly-held belief system and vocabulary, an objective, individualized process for deciding the most appropriate services for each student, effective staffing options, scheduling techniques and many more topics will be presented. Bring a team!
Registration
Morning Session Registration Link (Course #180602)
Afternoon Session for All Educators:
Reviewing Effective Staff Utilization: New Lessons for Doing More with Less!
Dr. Stetson brings her extensive experience from staffing studies, program evaluations, and on-site technical assistance to a practical working session to demonstrate that doing more with less can actually mean just that! Such challenges as making certain that in-class support in inclusive classrooms truly results in benefits that reflect two adults versus a ‘visitor on the side of the room’; making decisions regarding the need for paraeducator services on the basis of student needs versus adult preference; using an objective process for staffing and scheduling that results in improved student outcomes and other related issues will be discussed.
Registration
Afternoon Session Registration Link (Course #180603)
Location
Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Student Center, Bldg 5 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny
*Allow extra time for parking on the DMACC campus
*Lunch is on your own
Note: Prior to Dr. Stetson's presentation in the morning, the regular Heartland Administrators' Association business meeting with partner updates will be held from 9 - 10 a.m.
In this issue of the August 2019 BoEE Newsletter: Renewal Tips, Mandatory Reporter Training Changes, New Licensing System, Temporary Initial Teaching License, Substitute Teaching, Conditional Licensure, College and Career Readiness, Helpful Hints for Administrators, Ethics – Cybertraps, Recent Cases.
The August issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
