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 Administrators’ Association Meeting Reminder - Oct. 5

The next regular meeting of the Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) will be held on Oct. 5 from 9 -11:30 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, in Johnston in Rooms 107AB. The meeting will also be available via Zoom at https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/j/708115455.

Agenda Link

The agenda will feature guest speaker, Noelle Ellerson Ng, AASA Assoc. Director of Policy and Advocacy, who will provide a legislative update. Ms. Ellerson Ng joined the AASA Public Policy staff in 2007 as a policy analyst. In that time, she has focused on leveraging the voice of school administrators in all aspects of federal education policy through member networks, outreach, policy analysis and involvement in the legislative process. Her work involves research and analysis supporting AASA’s advocacy work for public education as well as representing AASA advocacy priorities on Capitol Hill. Ellerson handles AASA’s survey and data programs and maintains AASA’s advocacy network and social media, including AASA’s advocacy blog and Twitter. She regularly speaks on federal education policy to school leaders across the country.

Heartland AEA ELL/Diversity Newsletter is Now Available

The new Heartland AEA ELL/Diversity SMORE is published and available today.

Many of our schools have enrolled increased numbers of students this fall who are new to the U.S. Each year we see different demographics among our newest Iowa residents, and this year is no different. With the recent events in Afghanistan, Iowa has begun to welcome new Afghan students and families, or will continue to welcome these families throughout this school year.

This edition offers some information and supports that may help your work with our Newcomer students and families.

Please feel free to reach out to your Heartland AEA EL/Diversity consultant for additional support for your school.

​​Join the Heartland AEA Future Ready Network at its Next Meeting on Nov. 4

Join your local colleagues to learn and share about all things Future Ready!

First Thursday of the month
Beginning Nov. 4, 2021, 9 - 11 a.m.
Zoom Link

For more information, contact Sue Schirmer and visit https://bit.ly/AEAFRN.

We Need Your Feedback! AEA Customer Feedback Survey Open Oct. 1-18

Iowa's Area Education Agencies have partnered with Hanover Research to administer and analyze a survey regarding your perceptions of your AEA’s services. Your responses and the results of this survey will help your AEA better understand and shape service offerings.

Hanover Research is an independent research firm based in Washington, D.C., and is in no way affiliated with any other entity or organization. Your responses are anonymous and will be kept confidential, so please be as open and honest as possible. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions, email Victoria Ledford. 

Hanover Research takes protecting your personal information seriously. We use your data for research and analysis purposes. A full disclosure of our Privacy Policy is at https://www.hanoverresearch.com/privacy-policy/ where you may learn how we collect and process your data.

Jerry Valentine to Lead Instructional Practice Inventory Workshops on Oct. 26-27

Jerry Valentine, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus from the University of Missouri, will be leading an Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) Basic Workshop in the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District on Oct. 26 and an IPI-Technology Advanced Workshop (IPI-T) on Oct. 27.

IPI Workshop Details

Title	Date/Time	Prerequisite
Level I Basic Workshop	Oct. 26, 2021 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.	N/A
IPI - Technology Advanced Workshop	Oct. 27, 2021 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m	Level 1 Basic Workshop

Location: 2405 W 1st Street, Grimes, IA 50111--DCG Administrative Offices

Cost: The per participant cost for each workshop will be $175. Dr. Valentine will invoice the school/district for that fee of $175 per person.

Registration: Each workshop is limited to 20 participants. Contact Dr. Valentine directly at ValentineJ@Missouri.edu before Oct. 20. He will process your registration request in the order in which they are received and invoice you as appropriate.

Overview: The IPI is a process for profiling school-wide student cognitive engagement during class time. The IPI process is implemented by a team of certified teachers who serve as the data collectors, the organizers of the data for faculty study, and the leaders of the faculty study of the data. School administrators should not serve as data collectors, but they do need to understand the IPI Process so they can support the team of teachers who lead the Process. The IPI Process is a stimulus for goal-setting and professional development relating to increasing student engagement in higher-order/deeper forms of thinking while simultaneously decreasing disengagement during learning time.

Additional Details:

• Each workshop will include a mid-morning and mid-afternoon break and a 30-minute lunch break between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. It is recommended that participants bring their own lunch because there will not be time to leave the workshops setting to have lunch.
• All participants should plan to be in attendance from the start to completion of the workshop in order to obtain certification to use the IPI and/or IPI-T Process.
• All participants should bring and plan to use, as needed, a face mask to mitigate the impact of COVID on others during the workshop activities. The mask will be needed at varied times during the day, particularly during the guided practice observations that will take place in real classrooms.

Required Course to Earn the Paraeducator Certification Generalist II with Early Childhood Concentration Begins Nov. 15

This is the required course to receive the Paraeducator Certification Generalist II with the Area of Concentration: Early Childhood.

Participants will gain knowledge, skills and strategies to assist, support and maintain the positive social, emotional and behavioral development of early childhood students and special needs early childhood students. The focus of this course will be on early childhood birth to grade 3 with an emphasis on ages 3-5.

This class may also be part of a staff development plan for teaching assistants with an Associates degree or two years of college in fields other than early childhood addressing how early childhood expertise is being provided to guide the curriculum.

Paraeducator Area of Concentration: Early Childhood
Prerequisite: Participants must hold a Paraeducator Generalist Certificate
Zoom sessions will be held on Nov. 15 and Dec. 21, 2021; Jan. 18, Feb. 15, March 8 and April 12, 2022, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Additional coursework will be completed online by April 19, 2022
Cost: $180
Registration Link
Course #180188

Restorative Practices Training Begins Next Week, Are You Registered?

"Restorative practices is an emerging social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities." (IIRP.edu)

In the Introduction to Restorative Practices & Using Circles Effectively 2-day course, participants will learn fundamental theory and practices for engaging in a restorative way. Topics include setting high expectations while being supportive, providing direct feedback and asking questions that foster accountability, and effective methods to resolve common conflicts. Participants will also learn how to facilitate circles, an essential process for creating a positive learning environment and school culture. Circles may be used to build community, engage during instruction, resolve social problems and respond when harm occurs. This course is offered for 1 License Renewal Credit.

Training Dates & Registration Links

Oct. 4-5, 2021 -- Heartland AEA, Adel -- #202346 HL - Introduction to Restorative Practices and Using Circles Effectively


Oct. 23 & Nov. 6, 2021 -- Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, Johnston -- #202380 HL - Introduction to Restorative Practices and Using Circles Effectively


Save the Date: Feb. 7-8, 2022 -- Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, Johnston -- Registration link to come.