As the school year winds down, so do our weekly Administrator Connection updates. Today is our last planned weekly update. We will communicate any important information via email during the summer. The blog will start up again around the middle of August.
If you are leaving your district, please contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us with your successor's name and e-mail address (if known). We won't take your e-mail address out of our e-mail distribution list until after July 1.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Reminder: Heartland AEA to Get New Website and Emails
We are very excited to announce new agency website which will go live in early June. Based on customer survey feedback and our usage data, the Agency decided to build a new website. Our communications department has done their best to make the new site more user-friendly with improved navigation and updated information. We appreciate your patience as we continue to add content in our new site throughout the summer.
With this new website, we will also get a new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. Users who try to access our old site (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) will be redirected to our new front page. If your district/school links to our website, thank you for your support and please redirect your link to www.heartlandaea.org before school starts in the fall.
We are also excited to announce that our staff email will also change over the summer to end with "@heartlandaea.org." Our current email addresses will continue to work for another year. We will have more information in the fall about the impact of our email changes for area schools.
We are committed to excellent service and believe our new website will help keep you aware of our services and activities. Please contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions about the new website or agency emails.
With this new website, we will also get a new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. Users who try to access our old site (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) will be redirected to our new front page. If your district/school links to our website, thank you for your support and please redirect your link to www.heartlandaea.org before school starts in the fall.
We are also excited to announce that our staff email will also change over the summer to end with "@heartlandaea.org." Our current email addresses will continue to work for another year. We will have more information in the fall about the impact of our email changes for area schools.
We are committed to excellent service and believe our new website will help keep you aware of our services and activities. Please contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions about the new website or agency emails.
Reminder: Paraeducator Updates
The paraeducator competency re-write
is in progress, and the updated competencies for the paraeducator
generalist and concentration areas such as special needs and early
childhood will be going to the state board for review sometime in this
fall. The online program for paras currently employed by Heartland area
districts and schools will continue for 2013-14. Please make
arrangements with your regional director if you need this training
offered in your area.
As you consider the needs for paraeducators in your district and building, please be reminded of the Iowa Code requirement for cultivating diversity:
For questions regarding the paraeducator program at Heartland AEA, please contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea.k12.ia.us.
As you consider the needs for paraeducators in your district and building, please be reminded of the Iowa Code requirement for cultivating diversity:
281—80.10(272) Diversity.
80.10(1) Efforts toward racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among paraeducator candidates and unit faculty shall be documented. In addition, diversity efforts shall include persons with disabilities, persons from different language and socioeconomic backgrounds, and persons from different regions of the country and world.
80.10(2) Unit efforts in increasing or maintaining diversity shall be reflected in plans, monitoring of plans, and results.
For questions regarding the paraeducator program at Heartland AEA, please contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea.k12.ia.us.
Title III Stipends for Our Kids Summer Institute
STEM Inquiry - IMPACT Summer Workshop
The University of Northern Iowa has again received funding to work with PreK-12 teachers to advance math and science instruction through a professional development program called IMPACT (IMPacting Achievement with Collaborations and Technology). This Title II program follows the Iowa Professional Development Model with a two week Summer Institute at UNI and ongoing education and support throughout the school year. Science and math teachers will be brought together with scientists through the GLOBE and STORM programs. Teachers will also integrate educational technology in their classroom units.
Participants are paid for their time and implementation. The workshop is free and housing/meals are provided. There is a credit option, including an earth science endorsement credits option from UNI and reaccreditation credits from the AEA. Click here for more information.
Participants are paid for their time and implementation. The workshop is free and housing/meals are provided. There is a credit option, including an earth science endorsement credits option from UNI and reaccreditation credits from the AEA. Click here for more information.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Transition from Mandt to CPI Training
Starting this summer, the Agency will begin the transition from Mandt to Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) for management training of disruptive behaviors. The decision was based on several factors including:
- High district interest in training for de-escalation, safety and restraint
- Increasingly tight resources for districts which impact sub time and travel
- Shifting AEA resources related to Mandt
- Continue to offer Mandt recertification for the next few years, but will no longer bring on any new cohorts
- Begin to offer CPI as an alternative
- Train at least one AEA staff member per region to be a CPI trainer
- Develop a course around de-escalation strategies
Ordering DIBELS for Next Fall
We have had some questions from districts about ordering DIBELS materials for next year. We sent out the DIBELS order form to those who were identified as facilitating the assessments. For your reference, click here for the order form. Completed forms should be sent to Rick Bingaman at printcenter@aea11.k12.ia.us or send it to the Print Center at the Johnston Regional Education Center.
Heartland AEA to Get New Website and Emails
We are very excited to announce new agency website which will go live in early June. Based on customer survey feedback and our usage data, the Agency decided to build a new website. Our communications department has done their best to make the new site more user-friendly with improved navigation and updated information. We appreciate your patience as we continue to add content in our new site throughout the summer.
With this new website, we will also get a new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. Users who try to access our old site (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) will be redirected to our new front page. If your district/school links to our website, thank you for your support and please redirect your link to www.heartlandaea.org before school starts in the fall.
We are also excited to announce that our staff email will also change over the summer to end with "@heartlandaea.org." Our current email addresses will continue to work for another year. We will have more information in the fall about the impact of our email changes for area schools.
We are committed to excellent service and believe our new website will help keep you aware of our services and activities. Please contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions about the new website or agency emails.
With this new website, we will also get a new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. Users who try to access our old site (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) will be redirected to our new front page. If your district/school links to our website, thank you for your support and please redirect your link to www.heartlandaea.org before school starts in the fall.
We are also excited to announce that our staff email will also change over the summer to end with "@heartlandaea.org." Our current email addresses will continue to work for another year. We will have more information in the fall about the impact of our email changes for area schools.
We are committed to excellent service and believe our new website will help keep you aware of our services and activities. Please contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions about the new website or agency emails.
Reminder: Heartland AEA 2013 Summer Van Delivery
Heartland AEA is in the process of scheduling summer van delivery. We will deliver twice a week to each district administration building. If you have summer school, professional development programs or intercessions and you would like regularly scheduled deliveries to additional buildings, please email Sherise Ahlers at sahlers@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Schedule-to-date:
Schedule-to-date:
- Twice-a-week delivery to each district administration building runs June 11 to August 8.
- Twice-a-week delivery will automatically continue to each building that has an extended year calendar.
- Regular fall van delivery resumes August 12.
- Heartland AEA will contact the district to arrange for special delivery of large printing orders during the summer.
Paraeducator Updates
The paraeducator competency re-write is in progress, and the updated competencies for the paraeducator generalist and concentration areas such as special needs and early childhood will be going to the state board for review sometime in this fall. The online program for paras currently employed by Heartland area districts and schools will continue for 2013-14. Please make arrangements with your regional director if you need this training offered in your area.
As you consider the needs for paraeducators in your district and building, please be reminded of the Iowa Code requirement for cultivating diversity:
For questions regarding the paraeducator program at Heartland AEA, please contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea.k12.ia.us.
As you consider the needs for paraeducators in your district and building, please be reminded of the Iowa Code requirement for cultivating diversity:
281—80.10(272) Diversity.
80.10(1) Efforts toward racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among paraeducator candidates and unit faculty shall be documented. In addition, diversity efforts shall include persons with disabilities, persons from different language and socioeconomic backgrounds, and persons from different regions of the country and world.
80.10(2) Unit efforts in increasing or maintaining diversity shall be reflected in plans, monitoring of plans, and results.
For questions regarding the paraeducator program at Heartland AEA, please contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea.k12.ia.us.
June Edition of Each and Every Child Newsletter
Click here to find a link to the June 2013 edition of "Each and Every Child" brought to you by the Iowa Department of Education’s Bureau of Student and Family Support Services. This issue has a story on dispels some myths about special education.
Additionally, below are links for summer math and reading programs:
Additionally, below are links for summer math and reading programs:
Students Encouraged to Give Input on School Redesign
Adults spend a lot of time talking about improving education. However, the students whose very future depends on the direction that America’s education system takes are often unaware and uninvolved in these conversations. So after attending an edcamp Iowa conference back in February, we decided to do something about it. We are planning a student education conference this fall called the Iowa Student Learning Institute (ISLI) with the theme “How should schools be redesigned for learning in the 21st century?”
ISLI will be held at Waukee High School on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (with registration opening at 8:00 a.m.). The day will consist of two basic parts. The morning will feature speakers including Dr. Scott McLeod, administrator at Prairie Lakes AEA, to set the tone of the day and spark transformative thinking. Then in the afternoon students will work with each other in student-led breakout sessions to build upon the ideas introduced in the morning and explore an answer to the day’s overarching question.
Our goal is to bring a diverse group of 200 students of all ages from across the state to ISLI. Registration for students and their adult chaperones is free and will open soon. We are compiling a contact list, so if you are interested in receiving more information and updates throughout the summer and fall, or if you have any questions or comments, please respond to Jack or Ian (see info below). You can also check out the details on the ISLI smore page.
Thanks so much for your interest in ISLI! Hope to see you there!
Ian Coon
Freshman, Waukee High School
@IanCoon
Ian.Coon97@gmail.com
(515) 978-1497
Jack Hostager
Sophomore, Hempstead High School
@jackhostager
straightfromthedesk@gmail.com
(563) 845-9198
PS: Please forward this on to anyone else who might be interested. Thanks!
ISLI will be held at Waukee High School on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (with registration opening at 8:00 a.m.). The day will consist of two basic parts. The morning will feature speakers including Dr. Scott McLeod, administrator at Prairie Lakes AEA, to set the tone of the day and spark transformative thinking. Then in the afternoon students will work with each other in student-led breakout sessions to build upon the ideas introduced in the morning and explore an answer to the day’s overarching question.
Our goal is to bring a diverse group of 200 students of all ages from across the state to ISLI. Registration for students and their adult chaperones is free and will open soon. We are compiling a contact list, so if you are interested in receiving more information and updates throughout the summer and fall, or if you have any questions or comments, please respond to Jack or Ian (see info below). You can also check out the details on the ISLI smore page.
Thanks so much for your interest in ISLI! Hope to see you there!
Ian Coon
Freshman, Waukee High School
@IanCoon
Ian.Coon97@gmail.com
(515) 978-1497
Jack Hostager
Sophomore, Hempstead High School
@jackhostager
straightfromthedesk@gmail.com
(563) 845-9198
PS: Please forward this on to anyone else who might be interested. Thanks!
Friday, May 17, 2013
2013-2014 Student Planners Still Available
We are still taking orders for 2013-2014 student planners until May 31. The planners include a full-year calendar to accommodate extended year schedules.
We have two available sizes (5.5” x 8.5” and 8.5” x 11”). Choose your preferred cover, intro pages, planner pages, note pages and calendars from our set styles for basic planners. Optional pages can be added for an additional fee (student handbook, activities calendars, etc.). Order quantities must be a minimum of 50 planners.
Click here to see the standard styles you can choose from and here for the order form. Please complete and return the order form to Creative Services at creativeservices@aea11.k12.ia.us.
For more information or to personalize your school's planners, contact Jill in Creative Services directly at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368.
We have two available sizes (5.5” x 8.5” and 8.5” x 11”). Choose your preferred cover, intro pages, planner pages, note pages and calendars from our set styles for basic planners. Optional pages can be added for an additional fee (student handbook, activities calendars, etc.). Order quantities must be a minimum of 50 planners.
Click here to see the standard styles you can choose from and here for the order form. Please complete and return the order form to Creative Services at creativeservices@aea11.k12.ia.us.
For more information or to personalize your school's planners, contact Jill in Creative Services directly at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368.
May 2013 Edition of AEA Impacting Lives Update
May 2013 AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online Blog Updates
The AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online May blog updates are now available. For real time updates, follow AEA PD Online on Twitter @aeapdonline or on your mobile device by accessing our app at myapp.is/aeapdonline.
AEA PD Online's issue includes:
AEA PD Online's issue includes:
- Tool of the Month: Seeing Reason
- AEA PD Online Instructors: Moodle Transition
- AEA PD Online: Live!
- 2013 Summer OLLIE and MOLLIE Schedule
- Preparations for 2013 Back-to-School Online Training
- Upcoming Courses
- External Partner Webinars
- AEA PD Online Course Participants: Moodle Transition
- 2013 Summer Blended Learning Seminar Series
- Blended Learning: How do You Blend Your Instruction?
Reminder: Spring Title I Meeting, May 21
The annual spring Title I meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 form 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Room 13B of the Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston). The Iowa Department of Education will be sharing the latest updates and requirements concerning Title I programs and funding.
If this date doesn't work for you, contact Susan Selby, Title I Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, at susan.selby@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4732 for additional dates.
If this date doesn't work for you, contact Susan Selby, Title I Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, at susan.selby@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4732 for additional dates.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Title III Stipends for Our Kids Summer Institute
Spring Title I Meeting, May 21
The annual spring Title I meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 form 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Room 13B of the Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston). The Iowa Department of Education will be sharing the latest updates and requirements concerning Title I programs and funding.
If this date doesn't work for you, contact Susan Selby, Title I Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, at susan.selby@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4732 for additional dates.
If this date doesn't work for you, contact Susan Selby, Title I Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, at susan.selby@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4732 for additional dates.
Character Counts Professional Development Workshops
Character Counts in Iowa has recently scheduled their summer professional development courses. Click here for the listing of classes. Please distribute the link to any and all interested teachers in your district/school.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
Save the Date: IHAPI Conference, August 5-6
Click here for a save the date card for the I Have A Plan Iowa conference on August 5-6, 2013. Teachers and administrators may come to learn about career development in the 21st century. Follow IHAPI on Twitter at @IHaveaPlanIowa for more updates this summer.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
Friday, May 3, 2013
State Response to Intervention (RtI) Readiness Survey
Last week the Iowa Department of Education sent out a statewide Response to Intervention (RtI) survey. The Department asks that you please send a reminder to your elementary and district staff encouraging those educators to take the survey. Below is a message you may use.
You are asked to complete an important survey to determine our state’s readiness to support the new Response to Intervention (RtI) data system, assessments and early literacy supports.
Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K)—the partnership between the Iowa Department of Education, AEAs and local schools—is conducting this survey.
C4K’s initial priority focus, collective efforts and resources are on early literacy. All elementary schools, districts and AEAs are being asked to complete the survey for the scale up of RtI in Iowa as part of a statewide effort to improve early literacy results. This survey will help identify the first group of schools that will have free access to the RtI data system, assessments, training, support and coaching. The survey also will also help guide development of statewide, regional and local resources and supports.
If you haven’t done so already, please complete the survey by the end of the day today.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RtI-AEA-DE
Heartland AEA 2013 Summer Van Delivery
Heartland AEA is in the process of scheduling summer van delivery. We will deliver twice a week to each district administration building. If you have summer school, professional development programs or intercessions and you would like regularly scheduled deliveries to additional buildings, please e-mail Sherise Ahlers at sahlers@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Schedule-to-date:
Schedule-to-date:
- Twice-a-week delivery to each district administration building runs June 11 to August 8.
- Twice-a-week delivery will automatically continue to each building that has an extended year calendar.
- Regular fall van delivery resumes August 12.
- Heartland AEA will contact the district to arrange for special delivery of large printing orders during the summer.
Beginning Date Changed for Fall AAR Course
We realized that the first day of the fall Assessing Academic Rigor class that we posted last week conflicted with our PLC conference on August 1. The August 1 date has been changed to July 29. The corrected dates for Assessing Academic Rigor class July 29, August 2, September 24 & October 8. Click here to register.
Online Trainings available through AEA PD Online
AEA PD Online staff are busy adding content to the online training system. Several trainings have been added this spring and a few more will be available in the next couple weeks. The trainings can be found at https://training.aeapdonline.org/.
New online trainings:
Bullying Prevention
Audience: This course is intended for all school employees.
Description: This training identifies what constitutes student bullying, what are some of the warning signs, and how to prevent or respond to bullying. The intended audience is all educators who work in proximity of students, including teachers, paraeducators, and other support staff.
Digital Publishing for the Classroom - Mac
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: With the advent of mobile technology, including tablets, the need for teachers to be develop their own e-curricular resources for mobile technology is higher than ever. This training introduces teachers to the legal ramifications of creating e-curriculum for mobile devices, and shows teachers how to create e-curriculum using the .epub or .ibook format using a Mac computer.
Digital Publishing for the Classroom - Windows
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: With the advent of mobile technology, including tablets, the need for teachers to be develop their own e-curricular resources for mobile technology is higher than ever. This training introduces teachers to the legal ramifications of creating e-curriculum for mobile devices, and shows teachers how to create e-curriculum using the .epub format using a Windows computer.
Other available trainings:
Harassment in the Workplace: Recognition and Your Responsibilities
Audience: This course is intended for all school employees.
Description: This course looks at what harassment in the workplace looks like, focusing specifically on both sexual harassment and workplace bullying. This training will help individuals identify, prevent, and respond appropriately to harassment.
Health Information Privacy (HIPAA) Compliance
Audience: The intended audience for this course is any educator, nurse or school employee who might come in contact with student health information or records.
Description: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996, and yet, many school employees do not understand how HIPAA applies to student health information that is maintained by schools. You may not know when, or if, student health records are exempt from HIPAA regulations, or what steps to take if HIPAA does apply to your school. This training will give you an overview of the law and a practical understanding of how that applies to your work.
TPACK - Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Integration
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework to help understand the importance of aligning good technology integration with the curriculum and important student strategies. This course provides an overview of TPACK, including focus on developing lessons with a Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge focus.
Interviewing and Hiring Practices
Audience: District employees who are either hiring managers or participating in the interviewing and hiring process
Description: This training helps participants understand steps in the interviewing and hiring practice, as well as legal requirements regarding protected EEOC classes. It is intended for individuals involved in the hiring process who do not have specialization in human resources. This includes both hiring managers (e.g. building principals or supervisors looking to fill an opening) as well as interview committee members.
Part of this training will focus on aspects in the hiring process that might not directly relate to these individuals (that is, aspects that will be overseen by human resource specialists), but that serve as important background for their role.
Other trainings currently in development for this summer: FERPA, Cyberbullying and Online Safety, Ethics for Educators (updated for 2013), Level 1 Investigator, Instructional Coaching, Digital Publishing: Soft Chalk, Crisis Response: School Disasters, Crisis Response: Student Violence, Vision Screening and Media Relations.
New online trainings:
Bullying Prevention
Audience: This course is intended for all school employees.
Description: This training identifies what constitutes student bullying, what are some of the warning signs, and how to prevent or respond to bullying. The intended audience is all educators who work in proximity of students, including teachers, paraeducators, and other support staff.
Digital Publishing for the Classroom - Mac
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: With the advent of mobile technology, including tablets, the need for teachers to be develop their own e-curricular resources for mobile technology is higher than ever. This training introduces teachers to the legal ramifications of creating e-curriculum for mobile devices, and shows teachers how to create e-curriculum using the .epub or .ibook format using a Mac computer.
Digital Publishing for the Classroom - Windows
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: With the advent of mobile technology, including tablets, the need for teachers to be develop their own e-curricular resources for mobile technology is higher than ever. This training introduces teachers to the legal ramifications of creating e-curriculum for mobile devices, and shows teachers how to create e-curriculum using the .epub format using a Windows computer.
Other available trainings:
Harassment in the Workplace: Recognition and Your Responsibilities
Audience: This course is intended for all school employees.
Description: This course looks at what harassment in the workplace looks like, focusing specifically on both sexual harassment and workplace bullying. This training will help individuals identify, prevent, and respond appropriately to harassment.
Health Information Privacy (HIPAA) Compliance
Audience: The intended audience for this course is any educator, nurse or school employee who might come in contact with student health information or records.
Description: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996, and yet, many school employees do not understand how HIPAA applies to student health information that is maintained by schools. You may not know when, or if, student health records are exempt from HIPAA regulations, or what steps to take if HIPAA does apply to your school. This training will give you an overview of the law and a practical understanding of how that applies to your work.
TPACK - Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Integration
Audience: Inservice PreK-12 teachers and AEA course developers
Description: Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework to help understand the importance of aligning good technology integration with the curriculum and important student strategies. This course provides an overview of TPACK, including focus on developing lessons with a Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge focus.
Interviewing and Hiring Practices
Audience: District employees who are either hiring managers or participating in the interviewing and hiring process
Description: This training helps participants understand steps in the interviewing and hiring practice, as well as legal requirements regarding protected EEOC classes. It is intended for individuals involved in the hiring process who do not have specialization in human resources. This includes both hiring managers (e.g. building principals or supervisors looking to fill an opening) as well as interview committee members.
Part of this training will focus on aspects in the hiring process that might not directly relate to these individuals (that is, aspects that will be overseen by human resource specialists), but that serve as important background for their role.
Other trainings currently in development for this summer: FERPA, Cyberbullying and Online Safety, Ethics for Educators (updated for 2013), Level 1 Investigator, Instructional Coaching, Digital Publishing: Soft Chalk, Crisis Response: School Disasters, Crisis Response: Student Violence, Vision Screening and Media Relations.
May 2013 School Leader Update
Click here to download the May 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education. This edition includes news about the Smarter Balanced assessment pilot (p. 1), a note from Director Glass about the next phase of Iowa’s work on the Next Generation Science Standards (p. 1), and a schedule of professional development activities to help you incorporate the universal constructs of the Iowa Core into fine arts instruction (p. 4).
Muscatine Superintendent Position
Ray and Associates, Inc. has been asked to assist Muscatine Community School District, Iowa in conducting their search for a new superintendent. Muscatine Community School District is located in Muscatine, Iowa and has 5,470 students. The salary for the position will be $190,000 plus an excellent comprehensive benefits package. The deadline for applications is May 8, 2013. Click here for more information.
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