Join the Learning School Alliance!

Consider applying for membership in the National Staff Development Council's (NSDC) Learning School Alliance, a network of 100 model schools committed to professional development practices that promote student achievement. Currently, there is a need for representatives from Iowa. Joining the Alliance would be a fantastic opportunity to showcase Iowa's successes in education and to collaborate with other schools in the nation. Visit the NSDC Web site at http://www.nsdc.org/alliance/ for more information. If you are interested in applying, please email NSDC at lsa@nsdc.org.

Take Part and Be Heard: Cyber Summit on 21st Century Skills

As a participant in the Cyber Summit on 21st Century Skills, you could contribute your voice to a unique online event being held June 1-12, 2009 and in conjunction with the National Summit on 21st Century Skills in Washington, D.C. on June 12, 2009. The summit is a series of webinars and ongoing live discussions around different subjects dealing with 21st Century skills.

Your participation will make a difference. All the information and input gathered through each of these events will be used to create and refine documents and reference materials that will then be shared with you—the people who helped shape them—as well as our leadership in Washington, D.C. and the entire nation.

You can sign up at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/cybersummit.

There is no charge for this online event.

Three Summer ELL Professional Devleopment Opportunities

Title III will support the following three professional development opportunities this summer. You can register for these classes by going to the professional development catalog on Heartland AEA's home page or by clicking here.

June 26, 2009--Day 1 “A Continuum of Interventions for English Language Learners (ELLs)

• Activity Number: ES005099991001
• Description: An inquiry-based problem-solving process to address specific difficulties” with Theresa Young and Cristina Sanchez-Lopez.

June 27, 2009--Day 2 “A Continuum of Interventions for English Language Learners (ELLs)

• Activity Number: ES005099991002
  
• Description: An inquiry-based problem-solving process to address specific difficulties” with Theresa Young and Cristina Sanchez-Lopez. You must have attended Day 1 either September 27, 2008 or June 26, 2009 to attend this class.

August 4-5, 2009--"Engaging ELLs Through Sheltered Instructional Strategies"

• Activity Number: ES005499991001 (This is a new listing so please let your staff know.)
• Description: How can academic content be delivered in the classroom so that English Language Learners succeed in learning language and content simultaneously? Dr. Martinez emphasizes theory into practice by offering hands-on activities with the content, grade level and specials teacher in mind. Energize your lesson plans with games, foldables, new Web sites and activities used by other great teachers! Through demonstrations, classroom observations, anecdotal examples and interviews with students and educators, participants learn to apply what they have learned immediately.

Thank you for all the support you give us in your district. It is your administrative support and direction that teachers are able to provide meaningful instruction for all students and, especially, the English Language Learners in their classrooms.

Please direct your questions to Stephaney Jones-Vo, ESL/Diversity Consultant (515) 270-0405, ext. 14680 or Pat Latham, ESL/Diversity Consultant (515) 270-0405, ext. 14681.

Be a Visitor to Planet Orange

If your elementary teachers are looking for financial literacy resources for their classrooms, ING Direct, a branchless direct bank with operations in nine countries including the United States, has created a free K-6 educational site called Planet Orange that fits the bill. Teachers can find resources and activities to help explain basic money skills such as earning, spending, saving and investing. They can also find educational materials including lesson plans and quizzes to help students learn the value and good use of money. Find out more about Planet Orange at http://www.orangekids.com/teacher/.