Friday, November 5, 2010

Contribute to the First National Study of Social Studies Teachers

The University of Iowa Social Studies Education Program has asked Heartland AEA to help them in the first ever national study of social studies teachers. Their role in this study is to collect survey data from as many Iowa social studies teachers as possible to assess the state of social studies at this time in our history. As a result, we’ve been asked to request your help in contacting elementary teachers and secondary social studies teachers in the Heartland area.

A consent form can be found here and includes a description of the study and a link to the survey. All responses are anonymous, and the aggregate Iowa data will be made available after completion of the study. This study will not only be the first of its kind for the nation, but also the first of its kind for our state.


Please take a few moments to read the attached consent form and forward the information to appropriate teachers in your building so that they can take the survey. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Iowa Dept. of Education in need of Updated School Boundaries

NOTE: Paula Vincent, Heartland Chief Administrator, forwarded the below DE request to Heartland area superintendents earlier this week.

The Iowa Department of Education needs to know whether any district in the Heartland area has had a legal boundary change since 2000. The DE is aware of major changes such as dissolutions and mergers; however, land swaps are not always communicated as they are not required to be reported to the DE. The DE now maintains electronic maps of the districts for multiple reasons: spatial analysis, reorganization studies, etc. If your district has had a minor boundary change after 2000, report it to the DE via Jim Addy at jim.addy@iowa.gov or Marcia Krieger at marcia.krieger@iowa.gov; also report to Heartland AEA to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.

VNS Community Resources Directory & Call for Local Listings

During the November HAA meeting, superintendents received a Community Resources Directory that had been compiled by the Visiting Nurse Services in collaboration with the Drake University Law School. The directory provides a comprehensive listing of resources and organizations that can help students, families and educators in the following areas:
  • Addiction services
  • Counseling and mental health services
  • ESL classes
  • Housing programs
  • Parenting programs
  • Support groups
  • Transportation services
As some of your colleagues have requested, we are pleased to provide you a link to the VNS website, http://www.vnsdm.org/ for you to access at your convenience. The website lists all the information presented in the directory with the most up-to-date information.

The directory and website are targeted at services in the Des Moines metro area. We hope to compile a list/resource guide for the other communities we serve. If you have information on local contacts that your district partners with, we would like to know their information and the areas they serve. If you have referrals, please contact Jenny Ugolini, Heartland Board Secretary, at jugolini@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.

Google Apps for Education Professional Development Webinar Series

Google will be offering a series of webinars on Tuesday evenings (6:30 CT) for educators. These are very similar to what the Iowa Area Education Agencies have been offering; however, unlike the Iowa AEA’s webinars, you must preregister for these webinars. The webinars will be lead by Google Apps Certified Trainers and will focus on a variety of topics. The first of these webinars will be held next Tuesday, November 9 and will cover Using Google Sites. The webinar will be lead by Andy Crozier of Grant Wood AEA. The webinar can be accessed at http://goo.gl/gEqJr.

The Iowa AEA’s webinar series will continue the following day. There have been many questions on how to transition from public accounts to Google Apps accounts and the next webinar will address those concerns. If you have questions or would like to know the proper steps of merging accounts, attend the webinar, Transitioning to Google Apps, next Wednesday, November 10. The previously scheduled webinar for November 11 on Using Gmail will be rescheduled.


If you have not already done so, please consider signing up for Iowa Teachers Google Apps User Group Listserv. The listserv is designed for teachers and administrators using Google Apps everyday with students and staff. Visit http://groups.google.com/group/IA-Teach-GApps-UserGroup to sign up and receive important updates on opportunities.

Celebrate MLK Day with a Day of Service

The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS), Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and Governor’s Office are encouraging agencies and nonprofits to celebrate the 25th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday (MLK Day) by participating in a Day of Service on January 17, 2011.

The MLK Day of Service helps create a greater impact within Iowa’s communities by increasing the number of service projects and expanding community engagement to all ages.


Some examples of service projects include collection drives for winter coats, food or blankets; shoveling sidewalks of disabled or elderly citizens; mentoring, painting, reorganizing or cleaning a shelter; or helping children with homework after school. Additional project ideas and resources can be found at www.mlkday.gov.


If you or your district is interested in planning a day of service but not sure where to start, a downloadable tool kit is available at www.mlkday.gov, or you can contact the CNCS Iowa Office, Jancy LaFollette will be able to direct you appropriately. She can be reach at jafollette@cns.gov or (515) 284-4817.

Projects that need the assistance of community volunteers need to be registered by January 3, 2011. You can post your project(s) on www.volunteeriowa.org or through your local volunteer center’s volunteer posting system. For more detailed instructions, contact daysofservice@iowa.gov to request access to a recorded webinar with step-by-step instructions on how to post your project online.

If you have a project that is scheduled but you are not seeking the assistance of community volunteers, please send those projects details to daysofservice@iowa.gov.