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
Jim Verlengia, Ed.D., who recently retired from Heartland AEA after 23 years, is available to assist districts with a variety of leadership services and supports, namely:
Individual and Team Coaching
Administrative Team and School Board Effectiveness Training
Leadership Development
Strategic Planning and Needs Assessment Facilitation
Culture Development
Systems Thinking Approach
Motivational Presentations
Special Assignments
For more information or to inquire about a specific district need, contact: Jim Verlengia, Ed.D. at (515) 499-6490 or Jon Sheldahl, Chief Administrator, at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14314.
Be sure to register for the 2020 Legislative Education Advocacy Event on Feb. 10-11, sponsored by Iowa's Area Education Agencies. This event will bring together school administrators from across Iowa to learn the most up-to-date legislative insight, and meet with legislators face-to-face at the Capitol. Check out the event plans and register at this link: https://www.smore.com/qe4y5.
Do you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to education and Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs)? Please take a few minutes to nominate this person for recognition! Iowa’s AEAs bestow three awards annually to outstanding candidates for their contributions to education and the work of Iowa’s AEAs. To submit a nomination, complete this application by Feb. 14, 2020. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination. Awards will be presented during the annual Iowa’s AEAs Boards of Directors’ Conference and the ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 26, 2020 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston. The three awards and criteria can be found in this document. Each nomination should include examples of why your nominee should receive the award.
This professional learning will focus on teaching strategies and content knowledge that are universal across science instruction: facilitating instructional routines, building background knowledge, and helping teachers shift their instructional practices toward three-dimensional learning and student sense-making. The teaching and learning experiences will utilize a free curriculum piloted and vetted in Iowa called OpenSciEd, but the adoption of this curriculum is not necessary to attend the PD. Additional details are listed below and in the attached flyer. Please contact a Heartland AEA Science Consultant if you have any questions. The lessons and standards in this professional learning opportunity are specific to middle school. However, the content knowledge and pedagogical strategies would be useful for teachers from late elementary to early high school. We are looking to adopt middle school science materials. OpenSciEd materials are:
designed and aligned to the Framework and NGSS
based on research regarding how students learn, what motivates learning, and the implications for teaching;
developed with educators and extensively tested by teachers and schools
designed to be used with low-cost, standard laboratory equipment and materials amenable to large-scale deployment
We’ve already adopted curriculum materials but we want to improve instruction in our classrooms. Professional development helps teachers to:
support coherence from the student perspective
support equitable and just science instruction for ALL students
develop and use DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs in meaningful ways to build understanding of phenomena
support student sensemaking
use instructional routines (anchoring phenomena, navigation/connected investigations, putting the pieces together, problematizing) to support coherent student learning
When it comes to turning around high poverty, low performing schools, Hamish Brewer accepts no excuses. This unconventional visionary and nationally recognized principal utilizes his ALL IN, relentless attitude and passion to motivate his students to succeed, no matter the circumstances in their lives. Hamish will share how he improves student outcomes with innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, pushing boundaries and challenging archaic processes and practices. His personal stories and challenges will make you rethink your practices, disrupt the norm and take your school or organization to the next level. Be Relentless March 3, 2020 Des Moines Area Community College, Student Center, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd. Ankeny, IA 9:00-10:00 a.m. Keynote Message 10:00-10:30 a.m. Q&A 10:30-11:00 a.m. Book Signing with Hamish Brewer** (Books will not be available for purchase at the event. See note below) Registration Register for this event at bit.ly/2VLliHt using Course #180607 This is a no cost event! Bring your administrative team! If you missed him at IASB, see him here! **SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT BOOK SIGNING: Mr. Brewer will be personally autographing his book, Relentless: Changing Lives by Disrupting the Educational Norm. Be sure to purchase the book in advance, bring it with you, meet the author and get your copy signed! Books will not be available for purchase at the event.
While IEP teams are not required to use agendas for IEP meetings, there are many reasons why using a shared agenda would be useful, including:
Helping the facilitator prepare for the meeting
Ensuring all required topics are covered
Encouraging attendee participation
Helping with the flow of conversation to keep meetings efficient and timely
To that end, a new IEP meeting agenda tool has been created that follows the flow of the Iowa IEP and addresses the required components of an IEP. Two different agenda samples are being provided. Agenda 1: Is a customized agenda for the IEP meeting facilitator. The facilitator’s agenda includes specific discussion points such as setting the meeting purpose given the type of meeting occurring and actions to occur at the conclusion of the meeting. Agenda 2: Is a team agenda for use by all members. It is important the facilitator consider the priorities of the team and age of the student when setting the order of agenda items. While the use of an agenda at IEP meetings is encouraged, we want to remind you that this tool is optional for use. If you have any questions, contact Sara Mercer, Heartland AEA Special Education Supervisor.
