Second Session of the Level 2 Section 504 Class Coming in November

You asked and we listened! Heartland AEA is offering a second opportunity to register for and attend the "Level 2 Section 504 Training for Public School Staff" live training on Nov. 12, 2018, from 9 a.m. to Noon. Class will be held in Room 107 A&B at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center. You must register to attend. Previous attendance at a Level 1 class is recommended.

Topics to be covered include:

• Processing 504 evaluation data
• How to consider and include outside expert reports
• Determining whether or not a plan is needed
• Eligible but not in need of a plan, how to manage?
• Linking physical and mental health disabilities to the right accommodations
• Resources available to assist districts to spark accommodation planning
• How to construct an inclusive 504 plan
• Implementing a 504 plan with integrity
• Determining whether or not a 504 plan is effective
• Annual reviews and 3-year reevaluations

Level 2: Section 504 Training for Public School Staff

Date: Nov. 12, 2018

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

Registration: Register at this link

Cost: This class is free to school districts residing within the Heartland AEA service area.

Audience: New administrators, counselors and 504 coordinators are key staff to include in this training.

Course Instructor: MaryAnn Strawhacker, MPH, RN, Heartland AEA Special Education Nurse

Administrative Consideration for Changes in Definition of Diploma

The Iowa State Board of Education amended Iowa’s special education rules to conform with ESSA-required language related to the graduation of individuals eligible for special education. This amendment makes clear that a regular high school diploma must be fully aligned to State-required standards. It is no longer permissible to award a regular high school diploma based on IEP goal attainment solely. Please refer to this handout from the Iowa Department of Education for more information about the amendment and implications for district policies and procedures.

The Iowa Department of Education is working with numerous stakeholders to provide tools and strategies to support Districts and IEP teams. More information will be available at the start of the second semester. Add your questions and support needs to this document so that the DE is sure to address your concerns or contact Kirsten Lane at kirstenlane3107@gmail.com.

DMACC Carroll Campus Has Surplus Furniture Available

Des Moines Area Community College, Carroll Campus, has surplus furniture available from a recent library remodel. View all of the options available here. Contact Julie in Purchasing at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu if your school is interested in any of the items.

Available items include:

• Computer desks/cubbies
• Red armless chairs (qty 54)
• Red chairs with arms (qty 2)
• Tables: 3' x 5' sq (qty 4)
• End table: 2'h x 29" sq
• Coffee table: 16"h x 36" sq
• Round tables: 4' diam. (qty 3)
• Round coffee table: 16"h x 36" diam.
• Magazine rack shelving: 3 ft x 82in (8 sections)
• Large circulation desk

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

HAA Meeting Reminder - Nov. 6

The Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) will meet on Nov. 6 at DMACC in Ankeny. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. with partner updates. At 9:00 a.m. guest speaker and professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida, Shannon Suldo, Ph.D., will present a workshop entitled, “Promoting Students’ Complete Mental Health in a Multi-Tiered Framework.” This session is designed for superintendents; all other educators are invited to an afternoon session with Suldo on “Providing Positive Psychology Practices to Improve Students’ Happiness.”

HAA Meeting

Date: Nov. 6

Location: DMACC Ankeny: Student Center, Bldg 5, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny

Time:
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Partner Updates
9:00 - Noon Workshop with Shannon Suldo, Ph.D

Register at this link: https://goo.gl/tHa5MA

Agenda: HAA Nov. 6 Agenda

Registration for the 2018 Iowa Culture and Language Conference is Now Open!

When
Nov. 5-7, 2018

Pre-Conference on Nov. 5
Regular conference on Nov. 6-7

Where
Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 300 East 9th Street, Coralville, IA

Registration
Early Bird Registration ($150) ends Oct. 15, 2018
Pre-Registration ($180): Oct. 16-31, 2018
​Onsite Registration ($220): Nov. 5-6, 2018
Students - full-time ($105)

The Mission of the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) is to advocate for culturally and/or linguistically diverse students and their families, educators, and service providers. For more Information, visit the Iowa Culture and Language Conference website.


Title III Support is available to public and nonpublic districts. Contact your ESL/Diversity Consultant for more information: Janet Hiatt at jhiatt@heartlandaea.org or Cindra Porter at cporter@heartlandaea.org.

Join Our EdCamp Session on Nov. 2 to Learn More About Rubrics and Scales in Standards-based Learning

Framework Friday: Standards-based Learning -- Rubrics and Scales

Nov. 2, 2018
12:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

Register for any of the events at this link.

Check out all of our Framework Friday sessions in this flyer!

Registration Has Opened for Shannon Suldo’s Workshop on Providing Positive Psychology Practices to Improve Students’ Happiness on Nov. 6

Participants will learn specific strategies at the Tier 1 level for promoting all children’s happiness through school wide and class wide strategies that target improvements in the factors correlated with children’s subjective well-being, including positive teacher-student relationships evident in schools with a healthy climate, as well as students’ personal levels of gratitude, optimism and use of character strengths. Programs for promoting the well-being of students with low happiness will be referenced. Participants will also become familiar with tools to assess positive psychology constructs, including how to incorporate such measures in universal screenings and progress monitoring.

Shannon Suldo, Ph.D., is a professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida. She is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Florida and continues to provide school-based mental health services to youth in the Tampa area. Dr. Suldo has extensive research and clinical experiences in school-based mental health services. She also studies the stress, coping strategies and mental health of high school students in accelerated courses.

Providing Positive Psychology Practices to Improve Students’ Happiness
Nov. 6, 2018
DMACC, Student Center, Bldg. 5, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Register at this link: https://goo.gl/Nvp8w6

Don’t Miss Out on the Family & Educator Partnership Resource Fair in October

Family & Educator Partnership Resource Fair
Oct. 20, 2018
Science Center of Iowa
8:30 a.m. - noon

Families, educators, community and agency staff who support students with special needs are invited to attend the Heartland AEA Family & Educator Partnership Resource Fair.

This free event offers families of children with special needs and educators an opportunity to connect with valuable community and agency resources. You're welcome to tour the Science Center as our guest after attending the fair. Breakout sessions will be held concurrently at 9:00 a.m., followed by exhibits with more than 40 local agencies from 10 a.m. - noon.

To assist families in getting the most benefit, families are given complimentary admission to the entire Science Center for the entire day. A stipend is also available for childcare, and you’re invited to bring your childcare provider along to assist while you attend a session. For more information, contact Terry Mendell, Heartland AEA Lead Parent Coordinator, at tmendell@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 17135.

$500 Energy Educational Grants Are Available From Halvorson Trane

Halvorson Trane, one of Iowa’s longest-established HVAC companies, is offering three, $500 grants to K-12 Iowa schools to fund energy education projects on school grounds (projects can be inside or out). See the Halvorson Trane website for more information about the grants and view last year’s winners. Apply by Oct. 26, 2018.

ISU Continues its Tradition of Inspiring Girls to Pursue STEM Careers With “Taking the Road Less Traveled” Conference

Taking the Road Less Traveled (TRLT) is a one-day conference on the Iowa State University campus for middle school and high school girls to learn about STEM fields and how to infuse their passions within a career. TRLT gives students the opportunity to explore STEM through hands-on sessions, meeting female STEM undergraduates, and learning from STEM professionals. To top it off, students receive lunch, prizes and trivia!

The cost to attend TRLT is $15 per person (students and chaperones) and includes lunch. Students may bring extra money for a TRLT t-shirt ($15) or Iowa State souvenirs.

Scholarships are available for students in need. For more information, contact Sarah DuBois, Events and Operations Coordinator, at sedubois@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5883. For more information and to register visit www.wise.iastate.edu.

TRLT is hosted twice in the fall and twice in the spring. Dates for the 2018-19 academic year are:

• Oct. 25, 2018 (8th grade)
• Nov. 8, 2018 (9th/10th grades)
• April 4, 2019 (8th grade)
• April 11, 2019 (9th/10th grades)