AASA Learning Supports Webinar and Collaborative

The mission of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. The AASA will host two learning support development opportunities that are described below.

For more information on becoming a member of AASA, go to http://www.aasa.org/join-additional-info.aspx?id=2154.

Webinar: Strengthening School Improvement by Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching

Date: October 29, 2009 Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT

Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor (educators, researchers and national leaders from UCLA) will talk about why a system of learning supports is imperative for schools to succeed and what forward-thinking states and districts are doing to implement such systems in order to do the following:

• Reduce student dropout rates
• Reduce teacher dropout rates
• Narrow achievement gaps
• Re-engage students in classroom learning
• Eliminate the ““plateau effect”” related to student achievement
• Support schools in crisis

To register, go to http://scholastic.webex.com/scholastic/k2/j.php?ED=127595687&UID=127473567&FM=1 Session Number: 359 033 400. and click "Registration" by Session Status. Once approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.

Collaborative: School Improvement Opportunity to Develop Comprehensive Systems of Learning Supports
This collaborative is an effort aimed at expanding leaders’ knowledge, capacity and implementation of comprehensive systems of learning supports. This effort supports AASA’s flagship initiative, Educating the Total Child, which is aimed at advocating for an education approach designed to affect real change by addressing key factors that determine children’s academic achievement.

There will only be four districts selected throughout the nation to participate in the collaborative. They will be provided with valuable supports to help them move forward toward developing comprehensive systems of learning supports that are integrated into school improvement planning and implementation that involves the following:

• Building understanding about comprehensive systems of learning supports and how such systems transform public education
• Creating policy and practice framework documents that can be shared among critical stakeholder groups
• Working to design and implement learning support system

Districts will be guided in their work by Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor. The application deadline is November 1, 2009. To register, go to: http://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Resources/Leadership_Development/Professional_Development_Programs/AASAScholasticUCLARFAFinal.pdf.

For more information on the project, please feel free to contact Dr. MaryAnn Jobe at mjobe@aasa.org or Cyndy Erickson at Cyndy.Erickson@iowa.gov.

Iowa DE Guidance Letter for 8th Grade Plans

Kevin Fangman of the Iowa Department of Education recently sent a letter of guidance for 8th Grade Plans to all district superintendents and area education agencies. For a copy of his letter, click here.

October 20th Administrator Networking Session Canceled

The Administrator Networking Session scheduled for October 20th at Fuddruckers in West Des Moines has been canceled due to low number of registrations.

The next networking opportunity is in Carroll on November 11 at the Carrollton Inn, Oakland Room from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. To register, go to the Heartland Professional Development catalog on the Web site and enter the item registration number, AD013099991001. Superintendent Rob Cordes and team will be sharing their story, "Applying Balanced Leadership".