Our Mission
To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities.

Our Goals

• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success

Mark Your Calendars: Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) Meetings Resume in September

The monthly HAA meetings will resume Sept. 5, 2017, with the first meeting being held at the Ankeny DMACC Campus. DMACC has offered to sponsor the first meeting and superintendents are invited to stay for lunch immediately following the meeting. For those wishing to participate electronically, a Zoom option will be made available.

Look for an agenda and Zoom details soon!

Heartland Administrators' Association

Date: Sept. 5, 2017
Time: 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., with lunch to follow

Location:
DMACC Ankeny Campus
2006 South Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny
Building 5, Student Center
Room 1240D
Campus Map

Northwest Iowa AEA Leadership Academy with Will Richardson is Aug. 18 - Registration is Still Open!

Kick off the school year with Will Richardson at Moving from Old Schools to Bold Schools: Making the Jump from Traditional to Modern Learning. Participants will spend the day discussing the paths that a number of “bold schools” are taking to fundamentally redefine their value as places of learning, not of content and teachers, including:

• The challenges of remaining an “old” school
• The main characteristics of “bold” schools
• Schools that are already bridging the gap
• Relevant “bold” conversations around real change in our own schools and communities

Who Should Attend?
School board members, superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, innovation directors, technology coordinators/integrationists, instructional coaches, teachers, parents, students, postsecondary educators, and business and community members

Learn more about the event at this link.

Moving from Old Schools to Bold Schools: Making the Jump from Traditional to Modern Learning

Date: Aug. 18, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Emmetsburg High School, 205 King Street, Emmetsburg

Registration
$75 per person
Register at this link

Have You Registered for This English Learner Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers of English Learners?

Join presenter Fern Westernoff Ed.D., M.H.Sc., Reg. CASLPO, in exploring compelling reasons for incorporating culturally and linguistically relevant practices into your work in education, whether you are a teacher, administrator or school support staff. Using Jim Cummin’s model for an intercultural orientation to education, participants will explore positive and sensible strategies regarding educational practices, pedagogy, parent involvement and assessment. Key research, helpful tips and useful resources will be highlighted.

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Practices in Education: Preventative, Practical, Positive!

Date: Aug. 17, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Includes 1-hour lunch and two 15-min. breaks)
Location: FFA Enrichment Center, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny

Registration
Register at this link
District teams are encouraged to attend.

EL Bridge Online Workshop is Going Live Aug. 30

Superintendents: Please distribute this information widely among all teachers who have ELs in their classrooms.

The EL Bridge Online Workshop, offered by the College of Education at the University of Iowa, is designed to help math, science, ELL or special education teachers develop skills in addressing the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). This completely online, 15-week professional development workshop begins Aug. 30 and ends Dec. 12. Earn one license renewal credit. View the complete course details in this flyer. To register, contact the EL Bridge Online Workshop team at el-bridge@uiowa.edu or (319) 335-5261.

Districts are Invited to Attend the 2017-18 Heartland AEA ESOL Advisory Network Meetings

All Heartland AEA area districts are invited to send a representative(s) to the quarterly ESL Advisory Networking meetings. Participants identify professional development needs and provide input on Title III support for the school year. They also find out firsthand about mini grant opportunities for implementation in their districts. Meetings are held from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive). The 2017-18 schedule is the following:

• Sept. 26, 2017: Room 107B
• Dec. 11, 2017: Room 129
• Feb. 13, 2018: Room 109
• May 1, 2018: Room 107A

For more information, contact Janet Eichenberger Hiatt at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14022 or Stephaney Jones-Vo at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14680.

Send Your District Team to The Fall 2017 Level I Section 504 Training for Public School Staff

Heartland AEA is offering one, Level I Section 504 training in the fall of 2017 at its Regional Education Center in Johnston. The training is open to all schools within the Heartland AEA service area, but the primary standard taught will be free and appropriate public education. Districts are encouraged to send teams consisting of counselors, administrators and school nurses and to bring their district 504 manual (plan). The course is designed for those who are new to the role of coordinator, building representative or evaluator under Section 504.

Topics to be covered include:

• Changes to the interpretation of Section 504 since the ADAA 2008
• How to review and update your district-wide Section 504 Plan
• The interaction of a Section 504 plan and an Individual Health Plan
• Review of obligations under the Child Find and grievance procedures
• Evaluation requirements
• Eligibility determination and eligible but not in need of a plan
• Section 504 vs. IDEA 2004, understanding the distinction
• Resources available to assist districts including, access to a Section 504 Google Site not accessible from Heartland AEA’s website

Date: Sept. 25, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

Registration
Register at this link

August 2017 Iowa Board of Educational Examiners Newsletter Now Available

The August 2017 issue of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners newsletter is now available.

UPDATED - CANCELLED Collaborating for Iowa's Kids, Educator Quality Conference is Next Month - Take a Team!

Update: This event is cancelled due to low registration numbers.
Join teachers, teacher leaders and administrators from across the state to learn and plan for students' future success and achievement. This conference will engage and unite educators from superintendents to the classroom teacher. Teachers in their first or second year, TLC leaders and EL leaders/teachers are encouraged to attend.

Date: Sept. 11, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Simpson College, 701 North C Street, Indianola

Registration
Register at this link by Sept. 1, 2017
Registration includes a t-shirt and lunch

August 2017 School Leader Update Now Available

The August 2017 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

Reminder: FASTBridge K-6 Literacy Training is Underway

The Iowa Department of Education is transitioning to a new statewide data system for K-6 literacy through FASTBridge Learning. To help school districts with this transition, comprehensive training via webinars and regional face-to-face meetings are being offered now through the end of October. These training slots are limited and information needed to register for the training is being distributed to district participants by their principals or superintendents.

Here are a few key answers to recent questions the DE has received about the training and the transition:

• The DE has the capacity to train a few people from each school or district, and the expectation is that the people who receive training will use the available resources to help train others in their building.
• The DE is still considering how to collect screening data from schools not using the FAST system.
• The screening windows for 2017-2018 for all schools (other than the three Iowa year-round schools) are defined by the IDOE and shall not be changed by the district:

Fall: Sept. 11 to Oct. 6
Winter: Jan. 15 to Feb. 9
Spring: April 23 to May 18

The Department will provide ongoing communication and support throughout this important transition. District staff who are interested in more frequent updates can sign up to receive regular Early Warning System email updates.