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
The Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) will have its first meeting of the 2019-20 school year 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. Register for the sessions at this link.
All of the HAA 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
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.
As you kick off your school year, Iowa’s AEAs want to ensure that buildings and administrators that requested the expanded FAST assessment suite have access as expected and understand the billing structure for the suite. Please refer to this document for more information about FASTbridge billing, training, ordering and more!
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.
As the school year begins, and we plan all of those IEP meetings, here's a document that describes the roles and responsibilities of each member of the IEP team to ensure we develop the needed programming and supports for each student with a disability. If you have questions, contact the Heartland AEA Regional Director who serves your district.
The new Heartland AEA SEBMH Fall 2019 Leadership Series for superintendents and education leaders begins on Sept. 3 with guest speaker Frances Stetson, Ph.D.. Dr. Stetson works with schools with a focus on inclusive practices, closing the achievement gap, differentiated instruction and quality standards for instruction and leadership. Superintendents and administrators are invited to the morning session on quality standards, and all educators are invited to attend the afternoon session on effective staff utilization.
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.
Register at no cost at this link with 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.
Register at no cost at this link with course #180603.
AGENDA
9 - 10 a.m. Regular Heartland Administrators' Association Business Meeting and Partner Updates
10 - 11:30 a.m. Superintendent Session with Frances Stetson, Ph.D.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch on your own
12:30 - 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Session for all Educators
LOCATION
Des Moines Area Community College Student Center, Bldg 5 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny
*Allow extra time for parking on the DMACC campus
The vision of the Drake University Continual Improvement Network is to transform education in Iowa in order to restore joy in learning, teaching and leading in Iowa’s schools. The network provides opportunities to learn and work together to solve real problems of practice through the process of systemic continual improvement. The network provides a way of supporting others to increase knowledge and skils so that education leaders can continue to meet the ever growing demands of K-12 education, and exceed expectations.
The network will meet throughout the 2019-20 school year via face-to-face meetings, virtual learning opportunities and podcasts, all at no cost to participants. License renewal credit is available.
Please consider sending the Drake University Continual Improvement Network flyer to your administrative team members and any teachers who may be interested, for the concepts apply at the classroom, building and district levels.
Interested? Contact:
Dr. Doug Stilwell
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Drake University
doug.stilwell@drake.edu
515-271-1993 (Office)
515-418-5363 (Cell)
Who is a school leader?
Anyone who leads a system (classroom, program, department, school, district, etc.).
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, in partnership with Kemin Industries in Des Moines, has launched the sixth year of the I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Award and will be accepting nominations through Oct. 4. The award recognizes one full-time, licensed PK-12 teacher from each of the state’s six STEM regions for their passion in motivating students to develop a lasting interest in science, technology, engineering and math both in and out of the classroom. Each of the six teachers selected will receive an award of $1,500 for personal use, and an additional $1,500 for their classrooms. Once nominated, each teacher will fill out an application to be assessed by a panel of judges who will select the six award recipients. Honorees will be announced in January 2020. To nominate a teacher, click here.
