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

April 6 HAA Meeting Reminder & In-Person Attendance Option

The next HAA meeting will be held on April 6 from 9 - 11:30 a.m. (Agenda) The meeting will be held via Zoom with an in-person option at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, Rooms 107A/B. Covid mitigation efforts are in place, including masks and social distancing. If you wish to attend in-person, add your name to this list, so we can ensure room capacity.

The meeting will feature guest speaker Kristin Anderson, who is an educator, researcher, and founder and CEO of The Brilliance Project. Through her research and consultancy over her 20-plus-year career, Kristin has helped thousands of educators, leaders and aspiring world-changers transform their potential and unleash their personal power through the lens of education. She is the author of Data Teams Success Stories Volume 1, Real Time Decisions, Getting Started with Rigorous Curriculum Design, and soon to be published book on Educator Wellbeing.

Anderson's April 6 presentation will focus on emotional wellbeing. If we are to navigate the storm that has been brewing for the past several years, retain our educators and leaders, and cause human flourishing, then focusing on emotional wellbeing is critical.

New Student Planners are Here! Order Your School’s Today!

Quality, affordable and beautifully-designed student planners are available for your school through Heartland AEA. Planners can support student engagement and awareness of school events, activities and projects. Visit Creative Services Online to choose your planner style from the many options we offer. Place your order by May 1 to ensure delivery by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.

Connect Students to Great Career Exploration Opportunities on this Website

The Iowa Intermediary Network https://www.iowain.org is a great resource that can be used to connect secondary school students to career exploration opportunities. The site includes links for educators, students, parents and businesses/organizations. We would like to make a special note of the student link that highlights speakers from a variety of CTE fields. Students can register and watch these free live events or they can watch recorded versions of the events at their convenience at https://www.iowain.org/live-events.

Iowa’s AEAs Continue Pear Deck Funding for 2021-22 + News on Seesaw, ClassLink OneClick and BrightBytes

Learn more about all of these opportunities in this March AEA Update for Districts!

Pear Deck
Thanks to the overwhelming use and positive feedback from educators across the state, Iowa’s AEAs are planning to continue to fund district access to the Pear Deck platform for the 2021-22 school year. AEAs will monitor usage, future costs and factors to determine AEA involvement in the purchase of Pear Deck beyond 2021-22. Future funding options will be communicated in early 2022.

Seesaw
To support the high usage of Seesaw for Schools across the state, Iowa’s AEAs are negotiating a statewide pricing model to reduce the costs for districts interested in utilizing Seesaw for Schools during the 2021-22 school year. By aggregating Iowa districts under one contract, Seesaw for Schools can offer their service for significant per student savings.

Districts new to Seesaw for Schools or whose contracts expire before Dec. 2021 can opt in and be eligible for consortium pricing that includes a significant discount off of the standard $5.50 per student rate. (Districts who have prepaid subscriptions and are under contract past 2021 can transition their agreement and opt into the statewide pricing per student when their contracts are up for renewal. This can be coordinated through your AEA contact when they reach out to you.)

ClassLink OneClick
The AEA system has purchased AEA ClassLink OneClick for Iowa districts. AEA ClassLink OneClick is a launchpad that provides district teachers and students single sign-on access to AEA resources, such as the Professional Learning System, AEA Learning Online, Online Resources and more. AEA ClassLink OneClick is managed entirely by Iowa AEAs, this resource is a low maintenance solution for school administrators—no on-site district support is required to use this high-impact resource.

Teachers and students around the state have started using this intuitive interface to organize and display the online applications and resources they use. The AEAs are working on an implementation plan that includes access for ALL districts by early fall 2021.

BrightBytes
For several years Iowa AEAs, in partnership with BrightBytes, have provided tools to assist districts with collecting actionable data to aid in decision making. Districts currently have access to several BrightBytes modules including Technology & Learning, Modern Learning Solution and Digital Privacy, Safety & Security.

The AEAs want to help ensure districts do not miss out on the opportunity to collect this important data as AEA financial support for these BrightBytes tools will end June 30, 2021. This spring is the last opportunity for Iowa districts to collect data for FREE.
Learn more about all of these opportunities in this March AEA Update for Districts!

Take Our Science Needs Survey!

Please take 2-3 minutes to complete this short survey to provide information about needs related to science education in your setting. We’d like your responses by April 9.

Iowa Mobile Crisis Outreach Map: Find Help For Anyone Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis

Mobile Response is an on-site, face-to-face mental health service for individuals experiencing a crisis. Mobile response staff is able to intervene wherever the crisis is occurring. With Mobile Crisis Outreach, mental health counselors are dispatched to homes, schools, emergency rooms or public places where a mental health crisis is occurring. Response time is within 60 minutes of dispatch. Anyone who is experiencing or is concerned about someone experiencing a mental health crisis can call. View the Mobile Crisis Outreach Map here.

A New Way to Think About Work-Life Balance

We're constantly told that we need to make sure we have a good work-life balance and that we need to embrace self-care, but these ideas are not one size fits all. In this article, a school leader shares how he came to understand that work-life balance looks different for different people and there's no need to feel guilty about that.

Check Out Our Wellness Inspiration Site: Shareable Resource For Educators, Families and Students

In an effort to support the well-being of districts, students, educators and families, we're pleased to bring you "Wellness Inspiration," a resource dedicated to well-being. Check out the Wellness Inspiration site for well-being resources, tips and fun and share with colleagues and families! This issue features:

• New Website Designed to Help Iowans with Mental Health Needs
• Self-Care Coloring & Activity Books Available for Students

NEW! Resource for Special Education Practitioners for Writing Quality Prior Written Notices

Parents are afforded procedural protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), one of which is the right to "Prior Written Notice." Heartland has recently created a resource document to support special education practitioners with tips and recommendations for writing quality Prior Written Notices. We hope both AEA and LEA practitioners find this resource helpful in documenting IEP team discussions and decisions through the writing of the PWN.

Join Us for the “Digital Equity Cycle: Anti-Racist, Diverse and Inclusive Digital Education” Webinar on April 8

Featuring Desiree Alexander, Ed.S.

In education, we love hot new buzz words. And recently, digital equity has become very popular with not many understanding what it entails or how to unpack it. In this session, let’s start an authentic conversation on how to unpack anti-racist, anti-bias, diverse and inclusive digital education.

Desiree Alexander, Ed.S., is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator. Dr. Alexander is Founder CEO of Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC. She holds various teaching, administrative and technology certifications, including IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, Apple Teacher, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer and Expert.

Register at no cost at this link: 

bit.ly/31mQptq

Heart of Innovation Summer Summit is Back and it’s Going to be Totally Rad!

Heartland AEA Presents: Saved by the Summer Summit

June 15-16, 2021
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Click here to register for your free access to the Summer Summit! The first 50 people will receive Summit Swag mailed to them!

Join us for two mornings of free, virtual learning featuring John Spencer, Ed.D. and Nadine Gilkison

Call for presenters!
Submit a session proposal

We are also excited to offer graduate credit this year! Click here for more information.

Iowa State University Wants to Hear from You! Please Complete Their Survey By April 23

Iowa State University is surveying superintendents and teachers to understand the current use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in K-12 classrooms. This confidential survey will provide a snapshot of GIS in K-12 public education in Iowa as well as identify barriers and opportunities for the use of GIS technology among non-users. ISU will use the information collected to create new resources for promoting future K-12 education throughout the state. This survey is a small – but very significant way – to make a difference in your community!

Superintendent Survey: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0jQblWlFieMMubj

K-12 Teacher Survey: tinyurl.com/IAK12GIS

Survey deadline is April 23, 2021.