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

AEA Purchasing is Here for All Your Purchasing Needs!

AEA Purchasing is here for all your purchasing needs!

COVID-19 Supplies 

AEA Purchasing has a number of vendor partners who carry COVID-19 mitigation and cleaning supplies. To keep you up-to-date on the latest product availability and ordering details, be sure to reference our "COVID-19 Supplies" blog post. The post is updated on a regular basis as we receive updates from our vendor partners.   

Schoology 

Schoology puts collaboration at the heart of the learning experience with an easy-to-use LMS that connects the people, content, and systems that fuel education.    

School Messenger 

SchoolMessenger provides K-12 communications and school safety solutions, from notifications and websites to complete digital safety and crisis response management.    

Britannica Digital Learning 

In addition to what is provided via Iowa AEA Online, Britannica Digital Learning is offering discounts on other supplemental products to help build your digital resource library.   

SHI 

SHI provides information technology products, services and custom IT solutions to academic customers.   

Busch Systems 

Busch Systems offers a large, comprehensive variety of recycling and waste containers that can be used as they are, or ordered personalized, and customized. All of their products are proudly manufactured in North America with recycled content and are 100% recyclable. Waste solutions include anti-microbial and PPE disposal systems.   

Purchasing Program: Health & Special Needs 

Our Health program covers everything your school might need to keep your students, faculty and staff stay healthy as well supply your special education efforts.

Over 100 Ebooks Added to MackinVIA Collection in June

We added over 100 ebooks in June to MackinVIA!  

Preschool - 1st Grade 

About 70 are geared for preschool to 1st grade. You’ll find books on counting, letters and science. We think you’ll also be pleased to see titles about kindness, sharing, accepting differences and our big world. Here’s a title list that includes reading level, interest level and annotation that you are welcome to share with staff.  

Diversity & Anti-racism for Elementary & Secondary 

The remainder of the June ebook additions are fiction and non-fiction on diversity and anti-racism for elementary and secondary students. Take a look at titles, grade levels and annotations in this title list.  

Heartland AEA is also starting some new lists that we hope will help guide reading and learning regarding diversity and Black Lives Matter. Here's a sample: Picture Books   

Comprehensive Literacy for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Course Begins Oct. 1

This course is based on the book, Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities to Read and Write by Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver. The class will consist of 15 interactive Zoom meetings, during which we will discuss chapters of the book and applications to classroom instruction. Participants will be expected to purchase the book and read chapters ahead of the meetings.  

• Participants will learn routines to teach students with significant cognitive disabilities how to read and write. 
 
• Participants will explore emergent literacy routines (shared reading, predictable chart writing, alphabet and phonological awareness, self-selected reading and independent writing) as well as conventional literacy routines (guided reading, writing, word work and self-selected reading). 
 
• Participants will have the opportunity to apply the strategies in their own classrooms and share/troubleshoot in a learning community.
 

Comprehensive Literacy for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities 

Oct. 1, 2020 - May 27, 2021 

Via Zoom 

Register at this link: https://bit.ly/2BaHscG  

Graduate credit is being offered for this course. Check with your partnering institution of higher education to be certain it will be accepted towards a master's degree or endorsement.

Instructional Technology Professional Development and Learning Opportunities Announced for Summer and 2020-21

Heartland AEA Educators, are you looking for virtual learning opportunities over the summer or this Fall? Check out our new Instructional Technology Virtual Learning/Hybrid Learning Guide.  

Personalizing Your Professional Learning with Digital Connections Featuring a webinar with Sarah Thomas, Ph.D., Regional Technology Coordinator, Loyola University Begins July 5. 

Register at this link: https://bit.ly/2NmIjKi  

Check out all of the summer courses! 

Need help? 

Contact our Instructional Tech team!

Iowa Department of Education Releases FAQ for Reopening Guidance for Schools

The Iowa Department of Education is releasing a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that provides further clarification on the Reopening Guidance for Schools that was written in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and released last Thursday. The FAQ includes explanations and examples regarding support documents and resources for schools, considerations and potential implications regarding the use of face coverings, the ability to maintain social distancing, temperature screenings and what to do if an outbreak occurs in a school, among others. 

The document may be updated with additional questions or if IDPH releases new recommendations in the future, so make sure to look for the most recent publication date. 

The DE will continue to keep you informed of any new updates. All current guidance is included on the COVID-19 Guidance and Information page on their website. In addition, recordings of previous Zoom sessions can be found on their YouTube channel or on their COVID-19 Webinar Recordings for PK-12 School Administrators in Iowa webpage (along with PowerPoint slides as applicable). Return-to-Learn supports can be found on their Return-to-Learn Google site.

Wellness Weekly, a Shareable Resource for Districts

In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.  

Check out the Wellness Weekly site every week for well-being resources, tips and fun and share with colleagues and families! 

This week features:  

• 7 Trustworthy Tips on How to Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy Right Now
 
• 8 Best Hikes to Experience in Iowa
 
• Funnies: Hello Summer!
 

We hope you've enjoyed and benefited from Wellness Weekly during this unpredictable time of working and learning from home and navigating living through a pandemic. This is our last Wellness Weekly of the 2019-20 academic year.