Join Our New Facebook Group: Heartland AEA Innovative Educators

The Heartland AEA instructional technology consultants' have created the new Heartland AEA Innovative Educators Facebook Group to advance authentic technology integration and to inspire adult and student learners to innovate. You don't have to be working in technology to be a member of the group. All are welcome! Become a member on Facebook if interested!

Take the Next Steps in Supporting Postsecondary Transition for the 2021 Graduating Class

AEA PREP is providing the additional resources for supporting the successful postsecondary transition for the class of 2021. You may recall, the first step provided direction on developing your Postsecondary Response Team. Steps two and three will center around collecting and analyzing data, step four will provide potential resources, and the last step is to provide ongoing follow-up. Visit the AEA PREP Supporting the Class of 2021 for more information.

Our Wellness Resource Has Great Information For Educators, Families and Students

In an effort to support the well-being of districts, students, educators and families, we're pleased to bring you "Wellness Inspiration," a resource dedicated to well-being.

Check out the Wellness Inspiration site for well-being resources, tips and fun and share with colleagues and families! This week features:

• 5 Ways to be Kinder to Yourself
• Halloween Funnies
• 8 Steps to Combat Video Conference Fatigue

New Tutorials for Web Paint, Pear Deck and Defined Learning Now Available

The Heartland AEA Instructional Technology team has added new tutorials to their newsletter. Check out the supports for Web Paint, Pear Deck and Defined Learning! Also, many technology integration courses start in November. Be sure to check those out if you are looking to earn credit this winter!

Licensure News from the BoEE – Nov. 2020

The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners newsletter is now available. In this issue:

• Licensure System Update
• Renewal Tips
• Substitute Authorizations
• December Graduates
• Hints for School Administrators
• Holidays
• Ethics
• Teaching Online
• Recent Cases

HHS is Providing Masks to Schools; Districts Can Immediately Begin Requesting Masks

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be providing up to 125 million cloth masks to states for distribution to schools. The Administration intends for these masks to support students, teachers, and staff in public and private schools when reopening and emphasizing students who are low-income or otherwise with high needs and schools providing in-person instruction.

School districts can immediately begin requesting masks from state health departments for adults. All states have received white, reusable, and washable masks for adults and districts in need of additional masks can request them anytime. A few states are already in receipt of reusable, washable masks for youth/children, but most of these masks are still being manufactured and distributed. It is expected that many more states will have youth size masks available in the next two weeks, and by early November, all states will have both youth and adult size masks available for distribution to schools. More information

Application Window is Closing on Nov. 9 for the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund

The Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund application process is now open through Nov. 9 for districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and collaboratives. Funding is aimed at building the computer science teacher workforce by offering high-quality professional development to prepare Iowa teachers to teach computer science, engaging teachers who are new to computer science and encouraging innovation.

The incentive fund was created through 2017 legislation that encourages computer science in every school in Iowa, and is funded through a state appropriation as well as with dollars from a 2007 settlement of an Iowa class-action lawsuit filed against Microsoft Corp.

Applications for funding must demonstrate how schools will prepare K-12 educators to teach computer science and expand high-quality computer science instruction based on Iowa’s computer science standards adopted by the State Board of Education. The goal is for students to have a strong computer science foundation in elementary school, and then build upon it as they move through middle and high school.

For questions about the incentive fund, contact Wren Hoffman at wren.hoffman@iowa.gov or (515) 981-3306.

Read more about the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund

Nov. 2020 School Leader Update Available

The Nov. 2020 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is 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 School PR Association Offers Virtual Conference - Great Learning Opportunity for Administrators

The Iowa School PR Association (ISPRA) is hosting a fall virtual conference Oct. 28–30. Speakers are spread out over three days, with recordings available to attendees following the event. Topics include new challenges like communicating with stressed audiences and de-stressing professionally. 

1. Superintendents who do not have a communications team may find value in this conference. 
2. Superintendents who do have communication teams may want to attend alongside their PR pros. 

Learn more about the ISPRA 2020 Virtual Fall Conference.

The Des Moines Art Center is Bringing the Museum to Your Classroom

In looking for ways to support your work, adapting to needs and challenges that this year has presented, the Des Moines Art Center has new educational resources to utilize in your classrooms and learning environments. Please help us spread the word about these resources with your colleagues and anyone else that may have interest.

Creative Connections
PDF step-by-step explorations of artwork in the Des Moines Art Center’s collection. All lessons are designed around one work of art and an accompanying theme with prompts, questions, activities and related links for further learning. These activities help to build critical thinking, cultural awareness, empathy, and a connection to artwork and the human spirit!

Virtual Viewing
Practice the art of slow looking with your students with these two-to-five minute videos focusing on a wonderful artwork in the Des Moines Art Center's collection and narrated by an Art Center Docent. Looking closely, students see, learn, and think about artwork, artists, and how it all applies to their own lives.

We are working on additional resources and programming (including virtual tours) to be released in the coming months. Please help us understand what further resources/opportunities would be most helpful for your instruction by taking this five question survey.

We hope these resources will help you find creative ways to bring the museum into your teaching this year!