Thursday, April 19, 2018

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

Student Planners: Help Keep Your Students Organized and Engaged!

Quality and affordable student planners are available for your school through Heartland AEA’s Creative Services Department. Planners can help some students feel more engaged and aware of school events, activities and projects. Visit our website to choose your planner style from the many options we offer. Place your order by May 1, 2018 to ensure delivery by the beginning of the next school year. For more information, contact the Heartland AEA Creative Services Department at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368 or creativeservices@heartlandaea.org.

SAC and HAA Meeting Agendas are Available for May 1; Drake University to Host

Drake University has graciously offered to the host the May 1 SAC and HAA meetings in Collier-Scripps Hall on campus. This is a new building located closer to Forest Avenue than University. Due to campus construction, you'll want to allow extra time for parking.

Superintendents' Advisory Council (SAC)
May 1, 2018
8:00 - 8:45 a.m.
Drake University (Campus Map)
2507 University Avenue, Des Moines
Collier-Scripps Hall, Room 235
Agenda

Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA)
May 1, 2018
9:00 -11:30 a.m.
Drake University (Campus Map)
2507 University Avenue, Des Moines
Collier-Scripps Hall, Room 235
Agenda
Zoom link: https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/j/963780423

Meeting Cancellation: Special Education Network Meeting, May 11

Heartland AEA’s Special Education Network originally scheduled for May 11, 2018, is being cancelled at this time. We look forward to meeting with you again in the fall when we resume these sessions. Dates of fall network sessions will be provided as soon as they are available. If you have further questions regarding the Special Education Network, please contact your Regional Director.

FastBridge Math Materials are Ready to be Shipped to Your District

This information was shared with District Managers and should also be shared with appropriate district and building administrators.
As you’re aware, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies are subsidizing costs for districts to upgrade their DE provided FastBridge (FAST) subscriptions to include additional functionality in the areas of mathematics and behavior. Your district indicated its interest in participating in a pilot of this subscription program, beginning in Spring 2018.

Iowa’s AEA system has had many requests to produce FastBridge Math materials that include K-1 EarlyMath student materials and CBMMath Process student materials and teacher forms for grades 2-6. Grant Wood AEA has agreed to handle all the printing and shipping of these materials. Progress Monitoring student materials will be available in late summer.

If your school or district is interested in these materials, you may place an order using this order form. Please complete the top section, select the items and quantities needed and place the order using one of the methods listed at the bottom of the form. Orders will be shipped to you through FedEx.

For questions regarding ordering, printing and distribution, contact Tara Johannsen at Grant Wood AEA at tjohannsen@gwaea.org.

Register Now, Then Tell Your ESL/ELL Colleagues About the 14th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute for Educators and Administrators of English Learners

“Speaking for All Learners” will be held on June 12-13, 2018 at North Polk High School. PK-12 educators will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement.

Conference topics include:
  • Strategies for addressing barriers to academic and language learning for English Learners in the classroom
  • Best practices for supporting early childhood language acquisition for preschool English Learners
  • Instructional leadership strategies for English language learning programs
  • Connecting and collaborating with other educators responsible for the success of English Learners
  • And many more learning opportunities and topics from experts in educating English Learners!
Featured Speakers
Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D
ELL specialist with extensive and diverse experience teaching educators how to enhance instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

David Edward Garcia
Grew up on the Mexican border in Texas, two worlds-linguistically and culturally. Successful speaker of five languages, teacher, entrepreneur, comedian.

Anita Pandey, Ph.D.Professor of Linguistics and Coordinator of Professional Development and Communication at Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Ryan Wise, Ed.D.
Director of the Iowa Department of education

Plus, our amazing local experts and students!

Information and Registration
Learn more at the conference website and register at this link by June 5.

Incentive
Heartland AEA Title III will refund the cost of registration ($150), plus provide an honorarium of $200 to off-contract public and non-public educators for full attendance and participation. This funding is not available to public or non-public districts served by the Des Moines Public Schools.

New Course Options Have Been Added for Evaluator License Renewal

Iowa administrators and/or evaluators who are wanting to renew an evaluator license may choose from the following course options, including one new course and the Collaborative Leadership Institute with Peter Dewitt, offered through Heartland AEA. To learn more about these courses or to register, you may search by the course title at this page on our website.

Fierce Conversations (2 credits)
June 6, 8, 27 & 29, 2018
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center

Assessing Academic Rigor (2 credits)
June 13, 14, 22 & 27, 2018
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center

Collaborative Leadership Institute with Dr. Peter DeWitt (2 credits)
June 28-29, Oct. 12 & Dec. 13, 2018
Adel AEA Office

NEW COURSE - Fierce Conversations 2: Generations and Feedback (1 credit)
Prerequisite: Fierce Conversations
July 19 & 26, 2018
Ankeny Northview Middle School

NEW COURSE - Fierce Conversations 2: Generations and Feedback (1 credit)
Prerequisite: Fierce Conversations
Sept. 25 & Oct. 9, 2018
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center