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

  

Mark Your Calendars for April 5 HAA Meeting

The next Heartland Administrator Associations' (HAA) meeting will be held on April 5. The agenda features two guest speakers: Jeff Weld, Ph.D., the Executive Director of the Iowa STEM Council and Joan Bessman Taylor, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for School Library Studies from the University of Northern Iowa. The meeting will be held from 9:00 -11:30 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston and via Zoom.

April 7 Future Ready Network Meeting to be Offered in Blended Format

The April Heartland AEA Future Ready Network meeting will be a blended format held in person at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, and via Zoom for those who prefer to join virtually on April 7, 2022, from 8:30-11 a.m. (note the earlier start time). 

Our topic next month is Post-Secondary Transition for Students with Special Needs, and we are excited to share that we have several guest speakers with lots of experience in this area. 

The Zoom Link for all of our network meetings is the same.

Streaming Video Taking Place of DVDs; Teachers May Keep DVDs for Their Classrooms

Technology is changing—again! 

Usage data are showing that educators in the Heartland AEA service area now rely on streaming video rather than DVDs. The Agency’s DVD usage has dropped from 7,927 checkouts in 2011-12 to 156 in 2020-21. The streaming video (from just Learn 360) usage ranges from 53,000 to 64,000 views each school year.

As a result, Heartland AEA is weeding its DVD collection. We are offering the DVDs to educators to use in their classrooms. Educators can go through the usual checkout process in the library catalog and just keep the DVDs once they’re delivered.

Heartland AEA Literacy Newsletter - April 2022

The Heartland AEA Literacy Newsletter is now available. In this issue:

• Science of Reading Podcast
• Intervention Intensification Strategy Checklist
• Scaffolding the Explainer
• Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk: 10 Key Practices
• Instructional Strategies that Push Students to Own Thinking
• Understanding and Using Spring Screening Data

UNI Leadership Camp Approved for Evaluator Renewal

The University of Northern Iowa Institute for Educational Leadership received a grant called Leading and Learning with Character through the Kern Family Foundation. As part of the grant, UNI continues to host Leadership Camps which are approved for evaluator renewal. The course focuses on the three pillars of an effective evaluation process (standards, aligned evidence and coaching conversations).

Participants consider the evaluation process through the lens of the New Iowa Leadership Standards as they collaborate with colleagues to consider how to implement the evaluation process in an authentic, meaningful manner to most fully support those they serve. The class is very engaging and interactive. Heartland AEA has hosted Leadership Camps in the past, and the feedback from participants has been exceptional.

Opportunity 1
June 8-9, 2022
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
40 participants
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, Room 152B

Opportunity 2
June 23-24, 2022
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
40 participants
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, Room 107A

Cost and Credit

• One graduate credit needed to renew Evaluator Approval license
• $75 includes one graduate credit, all materials and lunches

Registration
Contact Denise Schares to sign up. Indicate your choice of dates in your email.