Some Heartland AEA leaders would like to recommend a book that has influencing some of their thinking – One Word That Will Change Your Life by Dan Britton. Five ebook copies are now available at through Heartland AEA’s Mackin VIA access at www.mackinvia.com. It’s a quick read with only 82 pages. Log in with your school’s online database username/password to access the book. If you do not know the login, ask your school librarian or contact the Heartland AEA Library at info@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 15799.
There are three other ebooks that may also be of interest:
• Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip Heath
• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath
For an iPAD
Here’s the one-time step to create a personal account to read any Mackin ebook on your iPad.
Go to www.mackinvia.com on your laptop or iPad
Log in with your school’s username and password
Click the Backpack and choose any of the four options
You’ll see the option to Register. Create your account.
Log out of Mackin VIA.
Go to your iPad. If you have the latest Mackin VIA app the office pushed out in the last few months, you’re all set. If not, you’ll need to download the app from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id558020762?mt=8
Once the app is loaded, start typing your school’s name and select it when it comes up.
Enter your personal username and password you created above.
Taking Notes
Now that you have created a personal account, your iPad (and laptop) will remember any underlines, highlights and annotations you add to the ebooks. Here’s a four-minute overview video.
If you have questions or would like to suggest other ebooks for purchase, please contact Susan Schrader, Director of Resources and Library Services, at sschrader@heartlandaea.org.
We
have fielded many questions on when registration will be open for the
2014 Our Kids Summer Institute. Well, wait no more! Click here to register for this year’s event happening June 24 and 25.
Participants
will have the opportunity to network with other educational
professionals and to discover new strategies for working with English
Language Learners throughout Iowa. It is important to note that if your
school had to write a CAP (Corrective Action Plan) you must attend with a
team from your district. Heartland AEA will provide a $200 stipend for
area school staff members who attend both days. Districts are encouraged
to send teams of classroom teachers, administrators and ESL teachers.
Registration is open for those districts that have chosen to meet Early Literacy Implementation (Iowa Code section 279.68) requirements using Iowa TIER and FAST. Training dates and locations have been established and registration links are available on the Department of Education ELI site. For additional guidance and information related to Iowa Code section 279.68, please see the those sections also available at the above link. Training registration is scheduled to close on May 2.
Beginning this fall, Iowa’s Adequate Yearly Progress alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities will be the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) English/language arts and math for grades 3-8, 10 & 11 and the Iowa Alternate Assessment Science (IAAS) for grades 5, 8, and 11.
The DLM assessment is supported by the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation, University of Kansas, and is a computer delivered, computer adapted assessment. DLM integrates student assistive technology and is a year long instructionally embedded assessment that includes a year-end summative assessment.
The IAAS (Iowa’s current science alternate assessment) will have no changes in assessment administration. Teacher training is required to administer both the DLM and IAAS assessments. District staff who manage and have oversight of the alternate assessment also will require training. The Significant Disabilities State Leadership Team is developing a fall statewide training plan.
The Iowa Department of Education will host a series of informational webinars in May that outline training content and requirements, roles and responsibilities of districts, including tech support, and DLM/Department supports. For more information, contact the Department’s Emily Thatcher at emily.thatcher@iowa.gov or (515) 281-3500.
Each year, the Iowa Character Awards are presented to Iowans who consistently demonstrate good character. Since 2005, more than 100 individuals and organizations from across the state have received an Iowa Character Award. Students, teachers, administrators can all be nominated. Click here for more information and the online nomination form.
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.
