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 Kicks Off with Erik Dominguez

The next Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting will be held on Sept. 5 from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston. This will be an in-person meeting with lunch provided immediately following the meeting. Agenda topics include guest speaker Erik Dominguez and updates from partners.

Guest Speaker
Erik Dominguez is a communication and confidence expert with over 25 years of experience teaching thousands of individuals from all walks of life how to speak up for themselves. As an immigrant who grew up between two cultures and mixed messages, his first-hand familiarity with communication fears fueled him to learn and share the mindsets and tools to be seen and heard.

Connect and Collaborate with Curriculum Colleagues

Every month, you're invited to join the Heartland AEA Curriculum Network and Huddle! You can opt for either or both of these options:

Curriculum Network
Date: First Friday of each month
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center or join virtually via Zoom

Sept. 1, 2023
Oct. 6, 2023 (no meeting due to BEST conference)
Nov. 3, 2023
Dec. 1, 2023
Jan. 5, 2024
Feb. 2, 2024
Mar. 1, 2024
Apr. 5, 2024
May 3, 2024

Join by Zoom
Statewide updates: https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/s/921776193
Heartland AEA updates: https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/j/97524379201


Curriculum Huddle *NEW*
Date: Third Friday of each month, beginning Aug. 18, 2023
Time: 8-8:30 a.m.
Location: Virtual session through Zoom

This will be an informal time to connect with colleagues and collaborate on questions, projects and problems of practice.

Questions? Contact Susie Meade, Heartland AEA Chief Academic Officer

Iowa Principals: The Statewide Principal Alliance Welcomes You!

Iowa principals are invited to join the Iowa’s AEAs statewide Principal Alliance, beginning Aug. 31. The Principal Alliance Lasting Leadership Series will focus on current practices in the field of leadership and principalship. Join your colleagues via Zoom on the last weekday of the month from 9-10 a.m. for thematic whole group and small group discussions centered on current problems of practice. Additional resources will be shared to support the topics.

Sessions & Topics
Aug. 31: Aug. Artificial Intelligence for Productivity as a Principal
Sept. 29: Removing the Chronic from Absenteeism
Oct. 31: Recognizing Student Engagement - Continuum of Engagement - Amy Berry
Nov. 30: Relationship Building
Jan. 31: Hiring Staff, Retaining Staff, and Recruiting Staff
Feb. 29: Positive Culture
March 20: SEBH - Strategies to “Wash Off the Lighter Fluid”
April 30: SEBH - Self Care
May 31: SEBH- Strategies to Support Skills for Learning

Connections
Agendas
Principal Alliance webpage
Meeting Zoom link

Questions: Contact Tesha Moser or Jen Sigrist with questions. Contact Amy Wichman with questions about Canvas or course credit.

Behavior Support Community of Practice: Back by Popular Demand!

Based on feedback and district requests, the Behavior Support Community of Practice (CoP) is back for the 2023-24 school year.

Why it Matters
CoP engages in common learning, networking and collaboration to build community among individuals who hold roles such as Behavior Interventionist, Behavior Coach, Behavior Strategist, etc.

How it Works
In-person attendance is recommended for a meaningful CoP. However, a Zoom option will be offered upon request. Need a zoom link or have questions? Contact Jadie Boens, Heartland AEA Director of Social Emotional Behavior Mental Health Services.

Didn’t attend last year? No problem! If you’re interested in attending this year, complete this Google Form to be added to the distribution list.

Dates
Sept. 28, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Nov. 14, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Jan. 25, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Feb. 29, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m.
April 9, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
May 14, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m

Location
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, Iowa

Nominations Open for STEM Teacher Award

The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education is partnering with Kemin Industries for the 10th year of the Iowa STEM Teacher Award. Nominations opened Aug. 20 and will be accepted through Oct. 10.

The Iowa STEM Teacher Award recognizes one full-time, licensed PreK-12 teacher from each of the state’s six STEM regions whose passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) motivates their students to develop a lifelong interest in STEM fields—both in and out of the classroom. The six selected recipients will each receive an award of $1,500 for their classrooms and $1,500 for personal use.

Any individual can nominate a teacher by visiting iowastem.org/teacheraward-application and completing the nomination form by Oct. 10, at 11:59 p.m. The award recipients will be announced in early 2024. For more information, visit the Iowa STEM website.

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 Kicks Off with Erik Dominguez

The next Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting will be held on Sept. 5 from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston. This will be an in-person meeting with lunch provided immediately following the meeting. Agenda topics include guest speaker Erik Dominguez and updates from partners.

Guest Speaker
Erik Dominguez is a communication and confidence expert with over 25 years of experience teaching thousands of individuals from all walks of life how to speak up for themselves. As an immigrant who grew up between two cultures and mixed messages, his first-hand familiarity with communication fears fueled him to learn and share the mindsets and tools to be seen and heard.

2023-24 HAA Meeting Dates - Mark your calendars!
HAA meetings are held at Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, from 9-11:30 a.m., unless otherwise specified.

Sept. 5, 2023
Oct. 3, 2023
Nov. 7, 2023
Dec. 5, 2023
Jan. 2, 2024 - No in person meeting. Zoom partnership updates from 9-10 a.m.
Feb. 6, 2024
March 5, 2024
April 2, 2024
May 7, 2024

Connect and Collaborate with Curriculum Colleagues

Every month, you're invited to join the Heartland AEA Curriculum Network and Huddle! You can opt for either or both of these options:

Curriculum Network
Date: First Friday of each month
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center or join virtually via Zoom

Sept. 1, 2023
Oct. 6, 2023 (no meeting due to BEST conference)
Nov. 3, 2023
Dec. 1, 2023
Jan. 5, 2024
Feb. 2, 2024
Mar. 1, 2024
Apr. 5, 2024
May 3, 2024

Join by Zoom
Statewide updates: https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/s/921776193
Heartland AEA updates: https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/j/97524379201

Curriculum Huddle *NEW*
Date: Third Friday of each month, beginning Aug. 18, 2023
Time: 8-8:30 a.m.
Location: Virtual session through Zoom
This will be an informal time to connect with colleagues and collaborate on questions, projects and problems of practice.

Questions?
Contact Susie Meade, Heartland AEA Chief Academic Officer

Join the Heartland AEA Future Ready Network for Insights on Future Ready MTSS and Career Guidance Plans

We are excited to start this year’s Future Ready Network! See our Save the Date Flier for upcoming dates and topics.

September Network Meeting - Kickoff!
Date: Sept. 21, 2023
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
District teams may join in person or via zoom at this link.

Topic: Future Ready MTSS resources and tools
Guest speakers will share how to use your data to support Future Ready MTSS and include district presentations on how to design and implement a Middle School Career Class. Erica Woods-Schmitz, Education Program Consultant for Academic and Career Planning, from the Department of Education, will share updates and resources.


October Network Meeting
Date: Oct. 19, 2023
Location: District teams may join in person in one of the following locations or via zoom at this link.

• Johnston Community School District Office, 6510 NW 62nd Ave, Johnston
• Heartland AEA Adel Office, 602 Visions Parkway, Adel
• Heartland AEA Ames Office, 511 S. 17th Street, Ames
• Heartland AEA Indianola Office, 115 W. Salem Avenue, Indianola
• Heartland AEA Newton Office, 600 N. 2nd Avenue W., Suite 259, Newton

Topic: District Career Guidance Plan Workshop
Districts are encouraged to bring members of their District Career Guidance Team to review their plans and explore the trends with feedback to continue to improve opportunities for all students. Guest speakers will join the meeting in the morning. The afternoon work time is reserved for districts to work on their plans with support from AEA consultants.

RSVP
Please complete this survey to indicate how and if your team is attending by Oct. 2 so we can plan for space and activities accordingly.

More Information
Visit the Heartland AEA Future Ready Website and Save the Future Ready Network Dates to stay up to date on resources and more! For more information, email Sue Schirmer.

Time to Update and Refresh OneClick

It's time to update OneClick for the upcoming school year. OneClick is the secure and easy single sign-on to digital resources.

If your district is already on OneClick
Please ask your technology director to complete this update form that will help us coordinate support and services to your district.

If your district is not on OneClick yet
Complete this onboarding questionnaire.

Here’s what Heartland AEA will do once we have received a response.

• Add new groups and assign profiles.
• Create any new requested apps and assign to profiles.
• Verify new users have access to their launchpads.
• If a re-sync is needed, the team will reach out to schedule a sync meeting.

Questions can be sent to Susan Schrader, Director of Resources & Library Services.

Ready to Explore Digital Resources?

Heartland AEA provides students and educators with quality instructional materials including ebooks, streaming videos, magazine articles, reference materials and more. Many of the resources have accessibility features such as adjustable fonts, closed captioning, highlighting and text translation. Plus! Accessing digital resources is easier and more secure! Take a look at these great resources and email us with any questions.

Behavior Support Community of Practice: Back by Popular Demand!

Based on feedback and district requests, the Behavior Support Community of Practice (CoP) is back for the 2023-24 school year.

Why it Matters
CoP engages in common learning, networking and collaboration to build community among individuals who hold roles such as Behavior Interventionist, Behavior Coach, Behavior Strategist, etc.

How it Works
In-person attendance is recommended for a meaningful CoP. However, a Zoom option will be offered upon request. Need a zoom link or have questions? Contact Jadie Boens, Heartland AEA Director of Social Emotional Behavior Mental Health Services.

Didn’t attend last year? No problem! If you’re interested in attending this year, complete this Google Form to be added to the distribution list.

Dates
Sept. 28, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Nov. 14, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Jan. 25, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Feb. 29, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m.
April 9, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
May 14, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m

Location
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, Iowa

How to Support Teachers Through the Alternate Assessment Process

The new school year means that the alternate assessment process begins anew for eligible learners and their teachers!

However, each year presents its own set of challenges. Some teachers find themselves unrostered, uncertified, unregistered or unprepared to input essential data. There are instances of teachers entering data right at the onset of the test window, a practice that is discouraged. Additionally, some teachers wait too long in addressing alternate assessment concerns, reaching out with inquiries either during or after the test window has concluded.

Please review this document for information to help you support teachers of students who participate in alternate assessments so that teachers are certified, know the process and timelines, and will successfully teach and assess their students!

Stay Informed with Iowa Department of Education Updates

Don't miss out on important education news and updates. Sign up for newsletters and communications from the Iowa Department of Education at this link.

2023 Legislative Session Summary of Changes Affecting Schools

The General Assembly passed and Governor Reynolds signed several pieces of legislation from the 2023 legislative session impacting K-12 education. Please find a summary of these legislative changes in this letter from McKenzie Snow, Director, Iowa Department of Education

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 Kicks Off with Erik Dominguez

The next Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting will be held on Sept. 5 from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston. This will be an in-person meeting with lunch provided immediately following the meeting. Agenda topics include guest speaker Erik Dominguez and updates from partners.

Guest Speaker
Erik Dominguez is a communication and confidence expert with over 25 years of experience teaching thousands of individuals from all walks of life how to speak up for themselves. As an immigrant who grew up between two cultures and mixed messages, his first-hand familiarity with communication fears fueled him to learn and share the mindsets and tools to be seen and heard.

2023-24 HAA Meeting Dates - Mark your calendars!
HAA meetings are held at Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, from 9-11:30 a.m., unless otherwise specified.

• Sept. 5, 2023
• Oct. 3, 2023
• Nov. 7, 2023
• Dec. 5, 2023
• Jan. 2, 2024 - No in person meeting. Zoom partnership updates from 9-10 a.m.
• Feb. 6, 2024
• March 5, 2024
• April 2, 2024
• May 7, 2024

Connect and Collaborate with Curriculum Colleagues

Every month, you're invited to join the Heartland AEA Curriculum Network and Huddle! You can opt for either or both of these options:

1. Curriculum Network
Date: First Friday of each month
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center or join virtually via Zoom

Sept. 1, 2023
Oct. 6, 2023 (no meeting due to BEST conference)
Nov. 3, 2023
Dec. 1, 2023
Jan. 5, 2024
Feb. 2, 2024
Mar. 1, 2024
Apr. 5, 2024
May 3, 2024

Zoom options
Statewide updates
Heartland AEA updates


2. Curriculum Huddle *NEW*
Date: Third Friday of each month, beginning Aug. 18, 2023
Time: 8-8:30 a.m.
Location: Virtual session through Zoom

This will be an informal time to connect with colleagues and collaborate on questions, projects and problems of practice.


Questions? Contact Susie Meade, Heartland AEA Chief Academic Officer

Teaching Entrepreneurship? You'll love BizInnovator Startup!

BizInnovator Startup is a curriculum toolkit and professional development program for high school business and marketing teachers that provides an accessible solution for innovation and entrepreneurship education. Iowa educators get full access to the BizInnovator Startup Curriculum Toolkit at no cost for the 2023-24 school year! Learn more at the BizInnovator website.

• With BizInnovator Startup, students practice the business and entrepreneurial skills they'll need to be career and college ready.
• Students gain knowledge in entrepreneurship and confidence in their ability to become one.
• BizInnovator Startup is made up of six customizable modules, each includes a scope and sequence, slide decks, interactive activities, web resources and assessments.
• Students engaged in BizInnovator Startup learn first hand how startups start by identifying problems, gathering data and generating viable business solutions. And, all the while students practice and develop the "soft skills" they will use throughout college and career.

Cross-State Collaborative Explores Learner-Centered Pathways

Educators in Iowa and Michigan have a unique opportunity to engage in a 12-week professional learning and design experience aimed at fostering learner-centered goals tailored to individual education environments.

Building upon the success of last year's Personalized, Competency-Based CTE Cross-State Collaborative, this initiative has expanded its scope to encompass a wider array of personalized learning approaches.

Who should join?
Teams of educators are strongly encouraged to consider joining this collaborative initiative if they are eager to explore new possibilities, learn from like-minded peers, and drive positive change in their education ecosystems. Participants can be administrators, teacher leaders, teachers, counselors, regional AEA staff, or anyone who supports school transformation.

When is it?
Sept. 20 (in person)
Oct. 31 (virtual)
Dec. 12 (in person)

How does it work?
Districts will be paired with similar districts to facilitate the exchange of feedback and ideas and promote growth along the learner-centered continuum. Participants will have opportunities for site visits to observe learning environments, engage with educators, learn from learners and connect with industry partners.

Register

View this program flyer to learn more and register.

Gifted & Talented News

Check out the Gifted & Talented newsletter from Heartland AEA! In this issue:

• Gifted Education Learning Series
• Inquiry Learning
• Annual Conference
• Monthly Networking
• Good Reads

Subscribe and forward this edition of the newsletter to colleagues who might benefit!

Iowa School Counselor Network and New Counselor Networking Sessions Announced

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies invite all school counselors and newer school counselors to join a virtual meeting each month to connect and learn from each other. New school counselors (in their 1st-5th years) now have access to specialized new counselor networking sessions as well.

Iowa School Counselor Network
2nd Friday of the Month
8:30-10 a.m.
Join via Zoom


New Counselor Networking Sessions
For 1st-5th year counselors

Sept. 8, 2023
Nov. 10, 2023
Jan. 12, 2024
March 8, 2024
May 10, 2024 from 10-10:45 a.m. (after the statewide networking sessions)

Join via Zoom

Behavior Support Community of Practice: Back by Popular Demand!

Based on feedback and district requests, the Behavior Support Community of Practice (CoP) is back for the 2023-24 school year.

Why it Matters
CoP engages in common learning, networking and collaboration to build community among individuals who hold roles such as Behavior Interventionist, Behavior Coach, Behavior Strategist, etc.

How it Works
In-person attendance is recommended for a meaningful CoP. However, a Zoom option will be offered upon request. Need a zoom link or have questions? Contact Jadie Boens, Heartland AEA Director of Social Emotional Behavior Mental Health Services.

Didn’t attend last year? No problem! If you’re interested in attending this year, complete this Google Form to be added to the distribution list.

Dates
Sept. 28, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Nov. 14, 2023 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Jan. 25, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Feb. 29, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m.
April 9, 2024 – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
May 14, 2024 – 12 - 3 p.m

Location
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, Iowa