Plant Hope is This Year’s Theme of the Iowa Association of Alternative Education Spring Conference

The Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) spring conference, “Plant Hope,” will be held on April 5-6, at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines and will feature speakers Joe Hendershott, Trent Grundmeyer and Chris Norton. Conference information and registration can be found on the IAAE website.

Registration is Open for the Cortical Vision Impairment Summer Workshop Coming June 13-14

Diane Sheline, author of Strategy to See: Strategies for Students with Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment is presenting at the Iowa Deafblind Project Summer Workshop on June 13-14 in Des Moines. The workshop will focus on understanding assessment and intervention strategies for students with Cortical Vision Impairment.

Cortical Vision Impairment Summer Workshop
June 13-14
Ramada Tropics Resort and Conference Center, 5000 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, IA

Register at this link. Registration is limited to 75 people.

The workshop will be available for one licensure renewal credit through Heartland AEA.

Jump-Start Your School Garden with School Garden 101

Are you interested in starting or expanding a school garden? Elementary and middle school staff who want to plan a garden, or make better use of an existing one, will benefit from a hands-on workshop, School Garden 101 from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

This five session workshop will be offered on Tuesdays beginning Feb. 27, 2018 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Des Moines Public Schools’ Operations Center, 1917 Dean Avenue. License Renewal Credit is available for this opportunity.

School Garden 101 helps school staff connect gardening principles to classroom curriculum. It will provide school staff with beginning horticultural skills, pairs them with a Master Gardener Mentor, and together they will lay out a plan to build their school garden. Participants will learn how to build a compost bin, test soils, plant seeds, and incorporate garden produce into classrooms and cafeterias.

For more information, refer to this flyer and register at this link. License Renewal Credit is available for this opportunity through Heartland AEA.

Feb. 2018 BoEE Update

The Feb. 2018 BoEE newsletter topics include: social media tips, converting initial to standard (wait!), renewal tips, professional development opportunities, CTE Information Technology, and recent cases.

Feb. 2018 Each and Every Child Newsletter

The Feb. 2018 issue of Each and Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

Feb. 2018 School Leader Update

The Feb. 2018 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

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

Iowa’s AEAs Seek Nominations for Annual Awards Recognition

Do you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to education and Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs)? Please take a few minutes to nominate this person for recognition by Iowa’s AEAs. The AEA awards -- the Friend of the AEA Award, the E. Robert Stephens Award and the Innovative Creator Award -- recognize outstanding candidates for their contributions to education and the AEA system.

To submit a nomination, complete this application by Feb. 2, 2018. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination. The nominations will be reviewed by a selected group of AEA personnel in February. Both the nominating individual and the person who is selected to be recognized will be notified the first week in March. The awards will be presented at the Iowa AEA Boards of Directors’ Conference on April 5, 2018 in Johnston.

More information about the awards can be found on the Iowa AEA website.

Constantino Returns to Iowa to Present “Engaging Every Family to Support Student Achievement”

Are your students’ families really involved in their education? At this FREE event on June 18, participants will will learn the importance of family engagement in the academic lives and success of learners and discover how to create a culture that is conducive to engaging every family in the school and classroom.

Save the Date! Engaging Every Family to Support Student Achievement
June 18, 2018
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Johnston Middle School Auditorium6501 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA

For more information, contact Terry Mendell, Heartland AEA Family & Educator Lead Coordinator, at (515) 270-0405 ext. 17135 or tmendell@heartlandaea.org.

Invited Audience: school administrators, teacher leaders, general and special education teachers

Presenter: Steve Constantino, Ed.D.
As a high school principal in 1995, Steve Constantino, Ed.D. became aware of research about the effects of family engagement on student learning and was convinced that this was the missing ingredient in helping all children learn. Using his high school as a laboratory, Dr. Constantino began to read more and more research and more importantly, figure out ways to apply it to his school.

Steve’s work has gained national prominence as he’s traveled the United States speaking and working with all types of educators, school board members and businesses to promote sound practices in family engagement that result in increased academic achievement for all students.

Today, he is the Acting State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commonwealth of Virginia and is an adjunct professor at the School of Education, College of William and Mary where he teaches courses in the Executive Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership.

DMACC Surplus Available

DMACC has the following surplus items available. If interested contact Julie Klocke in Purchasing at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu.

15 - 60” gray laminate tables

33 - 36” tables with wooden top

15 - 60” tables with dark wood laminate

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