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
At the Jan. 31 Tech Director’s meeting at Heartland AEA in Johnston, Evan Abbey, the Program Director for AEA Learning Online, will provide a learning session on ClassLink. He will stay after his presentation for a working lunch to answer questions about ClassLink and its implementation in your district. He can even assist you in getting your district connected with ClassLink if you are not currently setup (you will need the Google Administration for your district if you wish to do this).
Please contact Colleen Miller on or before Jan. 28 at Noon if you plan to attend the working lunch, so that we can get a complete order in to Panera. This is your opportunity to get your questions answered by Evan so be sure to sign up today by letting Colleen know that you will be there for the working lunch! We hope to see you next week!
It’s only three weeks until the AEA 2020 Legislative Education Advocacy Event. Have you registered? On Feb. 10-11 Iowa’s AEAs 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.
The Heartland AEA Library & Digital Resources newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues! In this issue...
- New Ebooks & Digital Audiobooks
- Highlighting, Annotating, Notetaking and AEA Scout
- In the National News: Citing Your Source
- Joint IASL / IRA Conference Registration
- HS Media Literacy Lessons
- 20 New Math Flash Cards
- Civic Online Reasoning--Lessons & Assessments
This workshop is designed for beginning gifted and talented teachers, K-12 general education teachers, instructional coaches and administrators who are interested in gaining background knowledge about Gifted and Talented (GT) programming in Iowa. Topics covered will include:
- Iowa Code requirements for GT programs
- Characteristics of gifted students
- Best practices and resources for educators, including an overview of the new MTSS Advanced Learner Facilitation Guide
Gifted & Talented 101: Gifted Students, Programming & MTSS for Advanced Learners
March 6, 2020
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register at this link: http://bit.ly/2TLAmCO using Course #182218. There is no registration fee for this workshop.
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.
Join this special event with Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D., to explore the dynamics of school culture from a sociological, psychological, anthropological, political, historical and economic lens, using the Transforming School Culture framework. The framework helps educators and simplifies the work of transforming school culture by understanding patterns of behavior that either support or undermine the development of school culture.
Dr. Muhammad is recognized as one of the field’s leading experts in the areas of school culture and organizational climate. He has served as a middle school teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal and high school principal.
Transforming School Culture: Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Necessary Change Featuring Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D.
April 23, 2020
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn
8600 Northpark Drive Johnston, IA
Registration
Register by April 20, 2020 at this link: http://bit.ly/2MEyMyA using course #181933
$50 per person. Lunch included.
Registration is limited to 125. There is no waiting list for this event.
All educators are invited!
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is offering 13 exemplary STEM programs to provide high-quality STEM education offerings to schools, afterschool programs and other settings for grades pre-K through 12 throughout the state.
The 2020-21 STEM Scale-Up Programs range from building robots and coding programs to conducting agricultural field experiences and learning about STEM careers. All went through a rigorous review process at both the national and state level, demonstrating an appeal to diverse youth, success in improving academic performance, evidence of integrating STEM concepts, development of school-business-community partnerships and sustainability beyond STEM Council financial support.
