Friday, August 16, 2013

Message from the Chief Administrator

Greetings!

On behalf of Heartland Area Education Agency, I’d like to extend a warm 'welcome back' to the new school year to all of you. I hope you join us in our excitement for the start of another school year. We look forward to the opportunity to partner with you as we continue to focus on services that impact student learning and well-being.

Many of you recently participated in the PLC Institute and/or SAI Pre-conference which were valuable learning opportunities. Whether or not you were able to join in these activities, we are committed to supporting on-going work with you in your district as you strengthen collaborative learning structures for educators in implementing a continuum of academic and behavioral supports for students.

One of the changes we have made to assist in our communication is a new website at its new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. We would appreciate being linked to your district/school website(s) or having the link redirected to our new web address if it is already in place.

I also invite you to make use of the Heartland AEA Administrator Connection blog. The Administrator Connection is updated every Friday (excluding holidays and summer vacation) to inform area superintendents, principals, curriculum directors and other school leaders of important announcements, agency news and professional development opportunities. The Administrator Connection provides you with a way to share ideas, provide feedback and exchange information with each other.

Please do not hesitate to contact your regional director or me with questions, comments and suggestions at any time.  Let's make this the best year ever!

Take care,

Paula Vincent
Chief Administrator
(800) 255-0405 ext. 14314
pvincent@aea11.k12.ia.us

Special Education Procedures Manual, Release Notes & Parental Rights Summary Available

The new Special Education Procedures Manual, Release Notes and Parental Rights Summary are now posted on the Iowa IDEA website at www.iowaideainfo.org. These documents are currently posted on the front page of the IDEA website in addition to their permanent location under the IEP dropdown menu > Statewide Special Education Procedures > Manual.

Schedules for Heartland AEA Leadership Networks

Most of this information can be found on our website under Instructional Services > Leadership Development & Supports > Leadership Networks or by clicking here.

Curriculum Network
The Curriculum Network meets from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the first Friday of every month, September through June. Meetings are held in Room 13A & B at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive).


September 6, 2013
October 4, 2013
November 1, 2013
December 6, 2013
January 3, 2014
February 7, 2014
March 7, 2014
April 4, 2014
May 2, 2014

Go to the Curriculum Network Google Site for meeting agendas, handouts and other important documents.

For more information about the Curriculum Network, contact your regional director or Kevin Fangman, Executive Director of Learning & Leadership, at kfangman@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14374.

Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA)

The Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) meets from 9:00 to 11:50 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month, September through May, in Rooms 13A/B of Heartland AEA’s Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive). The agenda items are both informational and professional learning driven for superintendents. The meetings are jointly planned by the Superintendent Advisory Committee and Heartland AEA personnel, including the chief administrator. The meeting dates for 2013-14 are the following:

September 3, 2013
October 1, 2013
November 5, 2013
December 3, 2013
January 7, 2014
February 4, 2014
March 4, 2014
April 1, 2014
May 6, 2014

Go to the HAA Google Site for meeting agendas, handouts and other important documents.

For more information about HAA meetings, contact your regional director or Paula Vincent, Chief Administrator at pvincent@aea11.k12.ia.us or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14314.

Superintendent Advisory Council (SAC)
The Superintendent Advisory Council (SAC) members help advise agenda items for HAA meetings and serve as a liaison for Heartland AEA regions. SAC meets quarterly from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. in Room 14 of the Johnston Regional Education Center. The meeting dates for 2013-14 are the following:


September 3, 2013
December 3, 2013
March 4, 2014
May 6, 2014

SAC Members
Region 1    Kathy Elliott, Panorama, Chair
Region 2    Lynn Ubben, Perry
Region 3    Delane Galvin, Melcher-Dallas & Southeast Warren

Region 4    Thomas Ahart, Des Moines
Region 5    Clay Guthmiller, Johnston
Region 6    Doug Stilwell, Urbandale
Region 7    Jason Ellingson, Collins-Maxwell
Region 8    Peggy Vint, Bondurant-Farrar
Non-public schools    Robert Stouffer, Des Moines Christian   
Community Colleges    Rob Denson, DMACC   

Superintendent Network
The Superintendent Network is a professional learning opportunity available to all Heartland area superintendents. The network meets monthly to engage in learning and preparation for site visits. Heartland AEA facilitators work with the host superintendent to identify a problem of practice. The network members observe for the problem of practice in classrooms and then meet to debrief the observations leaving the host superintendent suggestions for the next level of work.

For more information, contact your regional director or or Kevin Fangman at kfangman@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14374.

Upcoming Training to Focus on Cognitive Coaching Model

The mission of Cognitive Coaching is to produce self-directed persons with the cognitive capacity for excellence both independently and as members of a community. Research indicates that teaching is a complex intellectual activity and that teachers who think at higher levels produce students who are higher achieving, more cooperative and better problem solvers. It is the invisible skills of teaching and the thinking processes that underlie instructional decisions, which produce superior instruction. Cognitive Coaching is a research-based model that capitalizes upon and enhances teachers’ cognitive processes.

The Agency offers training for educators using this model. The first four days of this eight-day training will be offered at Heartland AEA for administrators, instructional coaches and teachers beginning September 24. Click here to register. If you have any questions, contact Sue Schirmer, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Iowa’s AEAs Launch Website Redesign

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies launched a new website redesign at www.iowaaea.org this summer.
 

The redesign includes technological and aesthetic enhancements which provide improved navigation, better organization of content, and utilize current web technologies. Iowa’s AEAs intends for the new design to better meet the needs of Iowa educators and families by making the site more functional, intuitive and appealing.
  • Enhancements to the website include:
  • Clean, fresh look with easy-to-navigate layout
  • Streamlined services and resources
  • New features including the new “Map this” for AEA Locations
  • Quick links for social media
  • Search capability

Iowa’s AEAs Launch Statewide Pinterest Site

According to Edutopia.org, a website with evidence-based strategies to prepare students, over half a million education pins are made to Pinterest daily by 48.7 million users. This social media site is quickly becoming a go-to site for busy educators in search of lesson plans, book recommendations, classroom organization ideas and more.

To assist Iowa educators, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) have developed a statewide Pinterest site at http://pinterest.com/iowaaea/.

The Iowa’s AEAs Pinterest site is a collaborative project of the state’s nine AEAs. The site is maintained by AEA consultants from all over the state who specialize in different curriculum and instructional areas. The 35 pinning boards provide a visual, dynamic forum which informs parents, educators and school administrators about AEA programs and resources, as well as other quality, credible ideas and resources relating to education.

Not yet using Pinterest? Click here for a helpful guide on creating an account and using the social media site.

For more information, contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Buck Named New Director of Iowa Department of Education

Last week Gov. Terry Branstad named Dr. Brad Buck the next director of the Iowa Department of Education, calling him a visionary leader with the right skills to implement the landmark education reform package passed by the 2013 Iowa legislature. Buck has served as superintendent of the 1,300-student Saydel school district since July 2011. He previously worked as a school administrator in the Waukee, Hudson and North Mahaska school districts from 1997 to 2011. Buck began his education career in 1992 as a science teacher at Parkview Middle School in Ankeny. He is also a past president of School Administrators of Iowa.

August 2013 School Leader Update

Click here to download the August 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.

August 2013 Each & Every Child Newsletter

Click here to for a link to the August 2013 edition of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education. The e-newsletter is designed to enhance communication between parents and teachers. Please forward it to your parents in your district and use the stories as opportunities for discussion.

Iowa BOEE August 2013 Newsletter

Click here for the link to the Iowa BOEE's August newsletter which has information about the new TeachIowa job posting and applicant site, temporary permits, counseling, substitute teachers and many additional topics.

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.

Drake University and Extension Education Updates

Although the Extension Education staff has not changed, the School of Education has a number of new professors and staff members. One of these new staff members is Jamie Steen. Jamie is the new Graduate Admissions Coordinator. Jamie is the point of contact for any questions one might have related to the School of Education admissions process. If you know anyone with Drake School of Education graduate admissions questions, please direct them to Jamie. Her contact information is below:

Jamie B. Steen
School of Education Graduate Admissions Coordinator
jamie.steen@drake.edu
(515) 271-2552

The School of Education continues to offer the Talented and Gifted and Reading Endorsements online. It also offers the Master of Science in Literacy Education in a blended format (See http://www.drake.edu/literacy/).  The school continues to have two Master of Science in Educational Leadership (Principal Licensure) Cohorts in Cedar Rapids. One starts every year. If you know somebody who is interested in this program, please have them contact: Randal (Randy) E. Peters at: randal.peters@drake.edu or (515) 271-2082.

Also, below are the fall and spring dates for Human Relations, Anti-Bullying: Where to Start, and Teacher Leadership Strategies (online). Please note, Anti-Bullying or Teacher Leadership Strategies are spring courses.

Human Relations (EDMA 204)
Fall: September 30
November 24, 2013
Spring: February 3 – March 30, 2014

Anti-Bullying: Where to Start (EDMA 205)
Spring: March 17 – May 11, 2014.

Teacher Leadership Strategies (EDMA 206)
Spring: February 24 – April 20, 2014.

Also, please recognize two new coaching courses to our series of courses for coaches and physical educators have been added.
 

Real Coaching II: Honing the Competitive Edge (EDMA 277)
3 Semester Hours Graduate Credit
Cost: $395

Rev-Up the Revolution: Your Middle School Physical Education Game Plan (EDMA 278)
3 Semester Hours Graduate Credit
Cost: $395


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. 

Kirkwood College Paraeducator Certification Courses

Attached are flyers for two Area of Concentration courses offered by Kirkwood Community College during the Fall 2013 semester
  • Click here for Cultural & Linguistic Diversity (ESL Area of Concentration)
  • Click here for Vision Impairment Support (Vision Impairment Area of Concentration)
Please share the flyers with principals, paraeducators and any others who may be interested.

Each course is conveniently offered over the ICN statewide, and Kirkwood staff will work to locate the nearest ICN room available for any student interested. It’s rare that a student will have to drive more than 20 minutes to their ICN classroom.

Please contact Doug Van Oort at doug.van.oort@kirkwood.edu or (319) 398-4936 if you have questions.


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.

DMACC Surplus at Carroll Campus

Des Moines Area Community College has surplus available at the Carroll Campus. The surplus items are free and will be available for pick up after August 26, 2013. If you are interested in any of the below items, please contact Julie Klocke, DMACC Purchasing, at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu.
58 - Burgundy sled based desks

11 - 30 x 60 tables
 



















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.