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 AEA Instructional Technology consultants have a ton of great stuff planned for you this school year! Webinars, networking, coaching, collaboration and learning opportunities galore! The primary role of the tech team is to provide consultative services to the schools served by Heartland AEA related to planning, professional development and integration of appropriate instructional technologies to improve instruction and outcomes for students. The Instructional Technology newsletter is a good starting point to see what’s available, view past training and plan for the school year!
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 sessions. 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.)
- 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.
Parents and caregivers of students with special needs: join us for “Conversation & Coffee,” our monthly morning coffee group! Learn about community resources and upcoming events and network with parents who have similar experiences and challenges.
Mark your calendar for these 2019-20 meeting dates!
- Sept. 19, 2019
- Oct. 17, 2019
- Nov. 21, 2019
- Dec. 19, 2019
- Jan. 16, 2020
- Feb. 20, 2020
- March 12, 2020 (due to Spring Break)
- April 16, 2020
- May 21, 2020
Conversation & Coffee meets the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 - 11 a.m. at the 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.
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing is now available for infants at each of the Agency’s hearing testing locations.
ABR is an objective test that allows an audiologist to get information about a baby’s hearing without needing a response from the child. This testing is typically done when a child has not passed their hearing screening test at birth or at their two-week follow-up screening. A parent, primary care physician or ENT specialist can contact Heartland AEA to make an appointment to have ABR testing done.
The test is done by sending a sound into the child’s ear and measuring whether or not the cochlea, or hearing organ, passes the sound to the baby’s brain. Typically, a child is sleeping during the test and does not feel anything. The audiologist will put a few pads on the child’s forehead and near their ears to make the measurements while the sound goes into the child’s ears with soft earphones. After the testing is complete, the audiologist will talk through the results with parents/caregivers.
Heartland AEA is happy to partner with the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Office of the Iowa Department of Public Health and the University of Iowa’s Center for Development and Disabilities to bring this new tool to infants and families to detect hearing issues as soon as possible.
- For infants birth to 7 months of age
- No cost to parents/caregivers
- Testing available at Heartland AEA offices in Ames, Carroll, Indianola, Johnston and Knoxville
- Call (515) 289-2611 or (800) 362-2720 to schedule an appointment
In the coming weeks, districts will be getting the results of the first ISASP. The new state assessment results will provide the opportunity for reflecting how well instruction is aligned to the Iowa Core and for identifying changes that will ensure instruction is aligned. At the MISIC: Members Impacting Students; Improving Curriculum Conference, attendees will learn how to move to a more tightly aligned system of curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Shifting Classroom Practice for the ISASP and Beyond Conference
Oct. 1, 2019
Courtyard by Marriott, 2405 SE Creekview Dr, Ankeny
Learn more about the conference and register at http://misiciowa.org/.
Joe Sanfelippo, Ph.D., will headline the Iowa School Public Relations Association 2019 Fall Conference on Oct. 25, 2019, at Central Rivers AEA in Cedar Falls, IA. Register now for this great opportunity to learn, grow and walk away with tools to engage parents and staff in a way that will improve support for your district and your mission!
Superintendent Dr. Joe Sanfelippo started the #1minwalk2work Leadership Challenge, and co-authored The Power of Branding-Telling Your School's Story. Sanfelippo was named one of five K-12 administrators to watch in 2018 by Education Dive. He has been a featured speaker in multiple states in the areas of Advancing the Use of Social Media for School Leaders, Telling Your School Story, Creating a Culture of Yes, and Personalized Professional Growth for Staff. Sanfelippo is the Superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Fall Creek, WI.
Featured Speakers
- Jane Colacecchi is a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contractor and Iowa School Safety Alliance Board member who has smart ways to share your school's safety plan with parents and the community without compromising student and staff safety. She will also provide a foundation for helping your families prepare for any school emergency.
- Ahlers and Cooney, P.C., the law firm representing many of Iowa's largest school districts, will offer copyright law basics every school employee should know to avoid annoying demand letters and costly lawsuits.
Registration
Continental breakfast and lunch are included in the conference fee. Registration must be completed by Oct. 18. Due to scheduling of space and resources, no refunds will be offered.
For more information, contact Amanda Lewis, Des Moines Public Schools Communications Officer and ISPRA Vice President, at (515) 242-8162 or amanda.lewis@dmschools.org.
The Iowa Department of Education provided an ESSA update at the Heartland AEA Curriculum Network meeting on Sept. 6. The following documents were shared:
Public ESSA School Improvement Training Calendar
ESSA Regional Training Sessions
ESSA School Improvement Timeline
*Note: The first ESSA Regional Training Sessions are on the new MTSS Data System (Panorama Student Success) and they will be held in October.
