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

 

Happy Holidays to You and Yours!

Heartland AEA Holiday Office Closing & Van Delivery Schedule

In celebration of Winter Break, Heartland AEA offices will be closed to the public Dec. 24, 2021 - Jan. 2, 2021. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

• Regular van delivery: through Dec. 23, 2021
• No van delivery: Dec. 24 -Jan. 2
• Regular van delivery resumes: Jan. 3, 2022

ELL Winter Newsletter is Now Available

The Heartland AEA ELL Winter Newsletter is now available. In this issue, we highlight some of the winter holidays, festivals or celebrations that take place this time of year so that you may gain a deeper understanding of students and families who arrive from other parts of the world and make Iowa their home. We wish you a wonderful winter break at the end of this month, and look forward to celebrating a new year with you in January!

Interested in Future Ready Topics? ​​Join the Heartland AEA Future Ready Network on Jan. 6

Join your local colleagues at the next Heartland AEA Future Ready Network meeting on Jan. 6 from 8:30 -11:30 a.m. on at this Zoom link or in person at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston. Some participants asked to have it in person so there would be work time with coaching. If you would like to attend in person, please complete this google form so that we are sure we have enough space.

The focus of the meeting will be on the District Plan for Career Guidance (District Plan) and the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). This is important because this spring it is required for the first time from the Iowa Department of Education that each district submit their ICAP to the CTE RPP and receive feedback.

For more information, contact Sue Schirmer.

Are Your Teachers Using Pear Deck? Now’s the Time!

Pear Deck Delights: an AEA Webinar Series Beginning Dec. 16

Through Iowa’s AEAs, all Iowa educators and students have access to the premium version of Pear Deck, a communication platform that lets teachers create interactive assessments and presentations that students can follow from their personal devices.

Educators like Nicole DeGidio and Stefanie Throndson are impressed with the engagement of students when they use Pear Deck.

“My students love that they get to practice as we proceed through a lesson. They love the brain breaks I’ve created using Pear Deck. Flashcard Factory gets them up and moving and working with a peer. Pear Deck is my students’ (and my) favorite tool!” – Nicole DeGidio, teacher/instructional and technology coach, Clayton Ridge Schools

“My students and I love the interactivity provided by Pear Deck. I especially appreciate being able to view student responses in real-time.” – Stefanie Throndson, teacher librarian, New Hampton Schools

Sign Up Today for Pear Deck Webinar Series
To help educators learn more about the great features available to them with Pear Deck, Iowa's AEAs are partnering with classroom teachers to facilitate a series of webinars in Dec. 2021 and Jan. 2022.

The Pear Deck Delights Webinar Series will be kicking off on Dec. 16, 2021, with Pear Deck 101 offered by a member of the Pear Deck team.

• Pear Deck 101 -- Dec. 16, 2021
• My Favorite Pear Deck Things -- Jan. 5, 2022
• Pear Deck Tips for Teachers -- Jan. 12, 2022
• Pear Deck Hidden Gems -- Jan. 19, 2022

Read more about Pear Deck and register for the webinar series by visiting the Pear Deck page on the Iowa's AEAs website.

Mark Your Calendars for New Alternate Assessment Courses

Heartland AEA has new course offerings for teachers of students on alternate assessment. These courses focus on literacy.

Emergent Literacy Strategies for Students on Alternate Assessment, course #182335
April 4, 12 and 22, 2022
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Heartland AEA, Johnston REC, 6500 Corporate Drive


Conventional Literacy Strategies for Students on Alternate Assessment, course #182326
April 4 and 26 and May 19, 2022
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Heartland AEA, Johnston REC, 6500 Corporate Drive
**Includes the book Comprehensive Literacy for All, 2020, by Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver