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
The Superintendents' Advisory Council (SAC) and Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meetings scheduled on May 5 are cancelled. Superintendents will continue to meet via Zoom as scheduled.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced on April 17 that all school districts and nonpublic schools will be closed for the remainder of the academic school year and will continue to offer continuous learning to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Following the Governor’s directive, the Agency will continue to keep its offices closed until further notice. We want staff to remain at home and follow CDC guidelines. This also means that any face-to-face workshops, classes or meetings that were scheduled in the offices during the month of May have been canceled.
As you may know, AEA Learning Online has an annual opt-in fee for districts to help support many programs and services they provide. This fee is reviewed annually and is based on the operational expenses for the programs and services they offer. For years, AEA Learning Online has been able to maintain the same low cost for districts, in large part through revenue from required Mandatory Reporter trainings. By charging individual employees for completing this required training, AEA Learning Online was able to lower costs to districts.
In the summer of 2019, legislation was passed requiring the use of one Mandatory Reporter curriculum from the Iowa Department of Human Services. While this has the advantage of lowering the cost for educators to renew their own licenses, it also meant AEA Learning Online would not be able to rely on that revenue to lower costs for districts. As a result, the opt-in fee will be going to $1 per enrolled student in the 2020-21 school year.
Heartland AEA has always paid the opt in fee for districts in our area. For 2020-2021, the agency will continue our current funding level of support for our districts of .$50 per enrolled student, and the remaining $.50 will be invoiced to districts by AEA Learning Online.
Starting July 1, 2020, AEA Learning Online is pleased to offer Mandatory Reporter trainings for Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse at no cost for district employees in the AEA Learning Online Training System. Teachers will no longer need to go to the DHS site to complete their training, meaning: 1) they will now have the active phone and help-ticket support that the AEAs provide, and 2) districts will have access to their records of completion.
For questions about the changes for the upcoming school year, please contact Evan Abbey.
Heartland AEA is dedicated to supporting our district partners during these unprecedented times. We are using this page on our website as an information hub to archive resources, information and guidance related to our collective response to COVID-19.
Heartland AEA has created some ebook reading guides that can be used at school or home,
Each guide includes book covers so students can browse the titles and choose the ones that jump off the shelf! There is a thumbs-up and down feature for each book. The guide can be downloaded and printed. Or, keep it as a download and then click the thumbs-up and down—it’s a fillable PDF.
And, there’s a book review form linked to the elementary guides so students can practice their writing. Download to print or download and use as a fillable PDF. There is a message for parents to sit with their child to choose the titles that best meet the child’s interest, reading level and subject.
Choose your adventure! (elementary)
It’s a mystery! (elementary)
Graphic Novels (middle school)
Sports and Recreation #1 (middle school)
Sports and Recreation #2 (middle school)
Please share this information with your colleagues and families.
Temporary Childcare and Respite Information details contact information for families seeking temporary childcare and respite services/support. It is important to note that a variety of changes have occurred regarding respite services during this unprecedented time to allow for more flexibility to meet family needs (i.e., respite being able to be provided in the family's home while the parent is working from home).
UnityPoint Health DSM Behavioral Health Urgent Care announces the opening of UnityPoint’s new Behavioral Health Urgent Care. This clinic is located adjacent to the Iowa Lutheran campus located at 1250 East 9th Street. UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, along with Eyerly Ball Community Mental Health Services and Orchard Place/Child Guidance Center, will work to provide mental health, psychiatric evaluation and assessment, addiction medicine, crisis services and community resources to patients of all ages, both pediatric and adult. The clinic will be open to patients from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days a week. This is a walk-in site of care, no appointments available at this time.
The Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Consultants have updated their virtual office hours, webinars and courses and are here to help you! Check out the wide array of offerings and supports available to districts and contact the team with any questions or requests.
In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.
Check out the Wellness Weekly site every week for well-being resources, tips and fun and share with colleagues and families!
This week features:
- Staying Resilient During COVID-19
- It's Okay Not to be Okay
- Structure Your Day with Points
- Need Someone to Talk To?
- Zoom Exhaustion!
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Sleep Patterns
- Elmo's Dad Sends a PSA to Overwhelmed Parents at Home
ASCD if offering a free download of their Ed Leadership Special Report on remote learning. Two articles of particular interest are, Accommodations, Modifications & Intervention at a Distance and Maintaining Connections, Reducing Anxiety While School is Closed.
The Iowa Department of Education COVID-19 Guidance: Family School Engagement Resources, Best Practices, and Considerations provides educators with ideas and resources for positively and proactively engaging students and their families/caregivers during times of prolonged school closure due to a large-scale emergency, such as the current coronavirus pandemic. These situations can put additional pressure on already-vulnerable children, youth and families, making meaningful connections with others all the more important. All current guidance and past PowerPoint presentations from the Department of Education are included on their COVID-19 Guidance and Information webpage. In addition, recordings of previous Zoom sessions can be found on their YouTube channel.
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
Heartland AEA is dedicated to supporting our district partners during these unprecedented times. We are using this page on our website as an information hub to archive resources, information and guidance related to our collective response to COVID-19.
With the COVID-19 pandemic closing schools, Heartland AEA has had to update its plans for CTE program review kick-off. This spring and the fall, the CTE programs of Construction, STEM/Engineering, & Health Sciences will be able to work on their RPP CTE Review. This link lists programs by district that are mandated for review. The RPP Review team will review programs from Oct. - Dec. 2020. Teachers must complete program review forms by October.
In order to allow those teachers, who have programs that will be reviewed in the fall, to start working if they wish, a zoom meeting was held on April 15. Here is a link to the recording of that zoom. Our intent is to hold a face-to-face meeting this summer if the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it is safe to meet. If you have questions, contact Heartland AEA Regional Director T.J. Jumper.
This might be the issue to bookmark so you can refer back to the tools/resources to support and lead staff with continuous learning.
The Heartland AEA Library & Digital Resources Library & Digital Resources newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues! In this issue…
- Coming Soon: Ebooks Project for Families and Teachers
- Annotated and Sortable List of Ebooks and Audiobooks
- Copyright Owner's Exclusive Rights
- Crash Course in Copyright (for continuous learning)
- More Copyright Info
- Ebooks Coming Soon
- Instructional Technology Supports
Heartland AEA Creative Services Department is starting to provide essential printing for Heartland AEA schools and districts in support of voluntary and required educational services. Here are some general guidelines for ordering print:
- Essential printing includes basic black/white and color printing. Lamination or special printing such as banners will not be done at this time.
- Place orders through Creative Services Online.
- Requesters will log in using the email and password that they use to take AEA Learning Online courses including Mandatory Reporter and Bloodborne Pathogens training.
- Creative Services staff will reach out to the requester to determine the preferred deadline and delivery option for each request.
- Delivery of print materials will be provided to schools on an as-needed, as-scheduled basis.
Note: Heartland AEA graphic design services are also available through Creative Services Online. AEA designers can enhance black/white and color printing pieces as well as create custom design instructional materials.
If you have any questions, contact the Creative Services team at creativeservices@heartlandaea.org.
Heartland AEA is hosting virtual meetings with district tech directors on Fridays through this current pandemic situation. These meetings provide an opportunity for technology directors and coordinators to share challenges and experiences they are facing during these challenging times. The virtual check-ins include a wide range of topics brought up by the tech directors such as:
- How district tech teams are handling tech support for their staff and families
- How they are working with MiFi suppliers to provide hotspots to families and how they identify need
- Rumors regarding possible CARES Act funding
- Potential future COVID-19 legislation that could result in additional EdTech funding, and more
Typically, during the school year there are 5-6, day-long meetings for tech coordinators and directors in the Heartland AEA service area. We anticipate these shorter, less structured check-in meetings, to be weekly during the current situation. The next meeting is April 24 at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Heartland AEA Technology Director Jeff S. Weinberg.
As school districts are deciding if they will offer voluntary or required continuous learning options for students, you might be getting some questions related to online delivery for those options. The instructional technology team at Heartland AEA will continue to support schools on this journey. Please read their newsletter and learn about the large array of support and resources they are offering schools. Share this with your colleagues as they reach out to you.
Their newsletter references the Online Learning in Emergency Situations module created by AEA Learning Online. The outcomes of this 2-hour module are to:
- Understand the context of emergency learning, and how it intersects with online learning
- Analyze the key components of successfully implementing emergency learning, at grade-appropriate levels
- Identify the key components of online learning
- Connect to additional resources to go in-depth on those key components more
AEA Learning Online also publishes a Learning System Administrator Newsletter. They have been posting new information and resources several times a week. If you are interested, this would be another learning source for you in this area.
In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.
Check out the Wellness Weekly site every week for well-being resources, tips and fun!
This week features:
- Mental Health Resources: 9 ways to relax without spending a cent
- Remote Working Resources: How to stay focused and productive when working from home
- Funnies: Strut your pup challenge
- Apps & Other Stuff: 23 relatable tweets from parents about quarantine
The University of Northern Iowa understands that Iowa school districts are facing unprecedented challenges. UNI students in the Department of Communication Studies are also facing a crisis as their internship opportunities dwindle away. They would like to help you!
As UNI students are home until fall, they could be a valuable resource to K-12 schools as they get back to a new normal. These students are required to have internships prior to graduation and most are unpaid experiences. Organizations only have to sign-off on hours and fill out a midterm and final evaluation for their intern. They encompass majors in Public Relations, Digital Media, General Communication and Political Communication. The internship could include work in the following areas and more:
- Help districts navigate messages to audiences (faculty, staff and public)
- Develop and manage social media plans
- Develop and update content for websites, website design
- Help in design and dissemination of crisis and emergency communication
- Video and audio production and editing
- Write press releases
- Photography
- Update promotional materials
- Write for digital, magazines, newspapers or special event publications
To learn more, email UNI Director of Internships Nikki Zumbach Harken or call (319) 273-3707.
The Iowa Department of Education is looking to connect individuals and businesses to schools that need technology, materials and supplies in light of COVID-19’s impact on education delivery.
A new resource on the Iowa Department of Education's website makes it easier for school districts in need of technology, materials and supplies to connect with individuals and businesses who want to help. The information and map on the page is regularly updated as more schools report their needs.
As schools across Iowa identify and implement new continuous learning strategies with their students, many have pinpointed areas of need ranging from internet-access hotspots and devices to white boards and printer paper.
Please share this information with individuals, organizations and businesses who want to make a difference by supporting their local schools during this unprecedented crisis.
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
In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.
Check out the Wellness Weekly site for well-being resources, tips and fun!
This week features:
- Mental Health Resources: My 5 Parenting Rules for Letting Go and Getting Through the Coronavirus Crisis
- Remote Working Resources: LifeWorks newsletter
- Funnies: Bust a Move!
- Apps & Other Stuff: Talking to Your Child About COVID-19
Orders are due May 22, 2020
Complete ordering information (including order forms) for AEA Purchasing's Summer 2020 Paper Buy are now available online. Go to: "Paper Buy-AEA Purchasing".
To avoid unanticipated delivery delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, early ordering is strongly recommended.
NOTE: Printed order forms will NOT be delivered. Access to the order forms can be found online on our website using the direct link above.
Bid Features Include:
- Wide variety of paper weights, colors and sizes
- Additional discounts for orders of 840+ cartons of white
- Letter and catalog envelopes
April 22 via Zoom
Heartland AEA is excited to bring back Jessica Minahan to lead a unique professional learning opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heartland AEA staff*, LEA and community partners are invited to participate in this 2-hour REPEAT webinar meeting with Minahan from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on April 22, 2020.
This is a repeat of Minahan's webinar on April 10. If you attended on April 10, know that there will not be any new information presented on April 22. Please allow others to attend who may have missed Minahan's earlier webinar.
Session Description: With up to one in three children struggling with anxiety in this country, overwhelmed adults require a new approach as well as a practical and easy-to-implement toolkit of strategies that work. In the time of COVID19, and the subsequent societal changes, anxiety has become ever present in students of all ages.
Through the use of case studies, humorous stories and examples of everyday challenging situations, participants will learn easy-to-implement preventive tools, strategies and interventions for reducing anxiety, increasing self regulation, accurate thinking and self-monitoring in students. Virtual classroom and traditional classroom examples will be shared.
Registration
Register at this link: https://bit.ly/2USYwde
Course #189671
Participants will receive Zoom meeting connection information via the email address used during registration.
Professional Development Workshop intended for:
K-12 Classroom Teachers, Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, Guidance Counselors, Department Heads, Team Leaders, Curriculum Coordinators, Administrators
About the Presenter
Jessica Minahan, MEd, BCBA, is a licensed and board-certified behavior analyst, special educator, as well as a consultant to schools internationally. Jessica has over 17 years of experience supporting students who exhibit challenging behavior in urban public-school systems. She is the co-author of The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students (Harvard Education Press, 2012), and author of The Behavior Code Companion: Strategies, Tools, and Interventions for Supporting Students with Anxiety-Related or Oppositional Behaviors (Harvard Education Press, 2014).
*Heartland AEA staff who participated in a full day of learning with Jessica during the 2018-19 school year are welcome to participate in this 2-hour session, however should know the session will likely have similar content and areas of focus.
Questions: Contact Jadie Boens, Director of Special Programs or Martha Condon, Director of Professional Learning with Heartland AEA.
Digital Learning Activities From Heartland AEA
Heartland AEA staff have created and will facilitate digital learning activities for educators, paraprofessional and administrators. Check back as additional offerings may be added. Most offerings will be hosted by staff via live or recorded Zoom. If school districts or partners have specific requests, reach out to the Heartland AEA Regional Director who supports your work.
Webinar and Digital Learning from State and National Organizations
Heartland AEA staff have pulled together a wide array of free learning opportunities hosted by a variety of national and state-level organizations, including AEA Learning Online. These free webinars and digital learning resources can be filtered by session title, area of focus or targeted audience.
Digital Content for Teaching and Learning
For those of you looking for digital content to integrate into your teaching and learning, check out the listing of short webinars and videos for the online databases (BookFLIX, MackinVIA, Gale, Teen Health & Wellness, TeachingBooks, PebbleGo, Britannica, netTrekker, Defined Learning, Tales2Go, Mystery Science). If you would like an introduction to AEA Scout and how it may be used with secondary students (single sign-on, one search and interface, persistent links to individual resources), contact sschrader@heartlandaea.org.
As school districts are deciding if they will offer voluntary or required continuous learning options for students, you might be getting some questions related to online delivery for those options. The instructional technology team at Heartland AEA will continue to support schools on this journey. Please read their newsletter and learn about the large array of support and resources they are offering schools. Share this with your colleagues as they reach out to you.
Their newsletter references the Online Learning in Emergency Situations module created by AEA Learning Online. The outcomes of this 2-hour module are to:
- Understand the context of emergency learning, and how it intersects with online learning
- Analyze the key components of successfully implementing emergency learning, at grade-appropriate levels
- Identify the key components of online learning
- Connect to additional resources to go in-depth on those key components more
AEA Learning Online also publishes a Learning System Administrator Newsletter. They have been posting new information and resources several times a week. If you are interested, this would be another learning source for you in this area.
The Health Well Foundation is providing up to $250 assistance to families for delivered food, medication, diagnostics, transportation and telehealth as a result of COVID-19 risk or incidence. The COVID-19 Ancillary Fund is available to those with incomes under 500% of the federal poverty level. Applications are done by calling (800) 675-8416. Share with anyone who may need this resource.
To qualify for assistance through the COVID-19 Ancillary Fund, the following eligibility requirements must be met:
- You or a member of your household have a positive diagnosis for COVID-19 OR
- You or a member of your household are part of a high-risk group that should be especially mindful of contact with COVID-19 (including, but not limited to, immunocompromised patients, the elderly, infants) OR
- You reside in a geographic area within the United States or one of its territories where COVID-19 is prevalent OR
- You or a member of your household had a physician or health care provider, or any other official recommend self-quarantine regarding exposure to COVID-19 AND
- Your income falls within 500% of the Federal Poverty Level
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
The Superintendents' Advisory Council (SAC) and Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meetings scheduled on April 7 are cancelled. Superintendents will continue to meet via Zoom as scheduled.
The Heartland AEA Library & Digital Resources Library & Digital Resources newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues! In this issue…
- Ebooks: Unlimited and Multiple Copies
- TeachingBooks.net Webinar
- Digital Content and Family Message
- Zoom Help Sheets
- A copyright attorney says...
Reducing Anxiety in Students
Featuring Jessica Minahan
April 10 via Zoom
Heartland AEA is excited to announce a unique professional learning opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heartland AEA staff*, LEA and community partners are invited to participate in a 2-hour webinar meeting with Jessica Minahan from 9-11 a.m. on April 10, 2020.
Session Description: With up to one in three children struggling with anxiety in this country, overwhelmed adults require a new approach as well as a practical and easy-to-implement toolkit of strategies that work. In the time of COVID19, and the subsequent societal changes, anxiety has become ever present in students of all ages.
Through the use of case studies, humorous stories and examples of everyday challenging situations, participants will learn easy-to-implement preventive tools, strategies and interventions for reducing anxiety, increasing self regulation, accurate thinking and self-monitoring in students. Virtual classroom and traditional classroom examples will be shared.
Registration
Register at this link: https://bit.ly/2USYwde using Course #189671
Participants will receive Zoom meeting connection information via the email address used during registration.
Professional Development Workshop intended for:
K-12 Classroom Teachers, Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, Guidance Counselors, Department Heads, Team Leaders, Curriculum Coordinators, Administrators
About the Presenter
Jessica Minahan, MEd, BCBA, is a licensed and board-certified behavior analyst, special educator, as well as a consultant to schools internationally. Jessica has over 17 years of experience supporting students who exhibit challenging behavior in urban public-school systems. She is the co-author of The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students (Harvard Education Press, 2012), and author of The Behavior Code Companion: Strategies, Tools, and Interventions for Supporting Students with Anxiety-Related or Oppositional Behaviors (Harvard Education Press, 2014).
*Heartland AEA staff who participated in a full day of learning with Jessica during the 2018-19 school year are welcome to participate in this 2-hour session, however should know the session will likely have similar content and areas of focus.
Questions: Contact Jadie Boens, Director of Special Programs or Martha Condon, Director of Professional Learning with Heartland AEA.
If you have questions about courses in your district/school that are currently in place for credit renewal from Heartland AEA or if you are wanting to set up learning opportunities for credit, email the Heartland AEA Professional Learning team.
Digital Learning Activities From Heartland AEA
Heartland AEA staff have created and will facilitate digital learning activities for educators, paraprofessional and administrators. Check back as additional offerings may be added. Most offerings will be hosted by staff via live or recorded Zoom. If school districts or partners have specific requests, reach out to the Heartland AEA Regional Director who supports your work.
Webinar and Digital Learning from State and National Organizations
Heartland AEA staff have pulled together a wide array of free learning opportunities hosted by a variety of national and state-level organizations, including AEA Learning Online. These free webinars and digital learning resources can be filtered by session title, area of focus or targeted audience.
Digital Content for Teaching and Learning
For those of you looking for digital content to integrate into your teaching and learning, check out the listing of short webinars and videos for the online databases (BookFLIX, MackinVIA, Gale, Teen Health & Wellness, TeachingBooks, PebbleGo, Britannica, netTrekker, Defined Learning, Tales2Go, Mystery Science). If you would like an introduction to AEA Scout and how it may be used with secondary students (single sign-on, one search and interface, persistent links to individual resources), contact sschrader@heartlandaea.org.
The Iowa Department of Education is issuing new guidance for Iowa districts and nonpublic schools addressing an optional federal waiver for the 2019-20 school year that allows Iowa to waive several ESSA requirements, including those related to assessment, accountability and school identification as well as certain reporting requirements related to assessments and accountability.
Iowa submitted this waiver to the U.S. Department of Education on March 30, and received approval on April 1. Public comment on the approved waiver can be provided via email to ESSA@iowa.gov through April 30.
This guidance will be added to the COVID-19 Guidance and Information page on the Dept. website. All current guidance from the Iowa Department of Education can be found on this page. Please know that we will continue to keep you informed of any future updates to the guidance we have issued.
The Iowa Department of Education released a host of optional resources for families and educators to use as they support student learning during school closures due to COVID-19. The resources are available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website and include interactive games, virtual field trips, coding activities and e-books.
The learning resources for students in PK-12 do not replace what they have learned at school, but instead help students practice or enrich the skills and strategies taught by their teachers.
The Iowa Department of Education partnered with AEA Learning Online, the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, Iowa PBS and the Iowa Reading Research Center to provide a variety of resources. The resources cover multiple subject areas, such as literacy, computer science, fine arts and career and technical education. The resources also address mental health and emotional well-being.
The resources to support learning during COVID-19 is not exhaustive and will be reviewed and updated weekly with additional resources.
The April 2020 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
