Administrator Connection

Friday, December 10, 2021

Interested in Future Ready Topics? Join the Heartland AEA Future Ready Network on Jan. 6

Join your local colleagues at the next Heartland AEA Future Ready Network meeting on Jan. 6 from 8:30 -11:30 a.m. on at this Zoom link or in person at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston. Some participants asked to have it in person so there would be work time with coaching. If you would like to attend in person, please complete this google form so that we are sure we have enough space.

The focus of the meeting will be on the District Plan for Career Guidance (District Plan) and the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). This is important because this spring it is required for the first time from the Iowa Department of Education that each district submit their ICAP to the CTE RPP and receive feedback.

For more information, contact Sue Schirmer.

Are Your Teachers Using Pear Deck? Now’s the Time!

Pear Deck Delights: an AEA Webinar Series Beginning Dec. 16

Through Iowa’s AEAs, all Iowa educators and students have access to the premium version of Pear Deck, a communication platform that lets teachers create interactive assessments and presentations that students can follow from their personal devices.

Educators like Nicole DeGidio and Stefanie Throndson are impressed with the engagement of students when they use Pear Deck.

“My students love that they get to practice as we proceed through a lesson. They love the brain breaks I’ve created using Pear Deck. Flashcard Factory gets them up and moving and working with a peer. Pear Deck is my students’ (and my) favorite tool!” – Nicole DeGidio, teacher/instructional and technology coach, Clayton Ridge Schools

“My students and I love the interactivity provided by Pear Deck. I especially appreciate being able to view student responses in real-time.” – Stefanie Throndson, teacher librarian, New Hampton Schools

Sign Up Today for Pear Deck Webinar Series
To help educators learn more about the great features available to them with Pear Deck, Iowa's AEAs are partnering with classroom teachers to facilitate a series of webinars in Dec. 2021 and Jan. 2022.

The Pear Deck Delights Webinar Series will be kicking off on Dec. 16, 2021, with Pear Deck 101 offered by a member of the Pear Deck team.

Pear Deck 101 -- Dec. 16, 2021
My Favorite Pear Deck Things -- Jan. 5, 2022
Pear Deck Tips for Teachers -- Jan. 12, 2022
Pear Deck Hidden Gems -- Jan. 19, 2022

Read more about Pear Deck and register for the webinar series by visiting the Pear Deck page on the Iowa's AEAs website.

Mark Your Calendars for New Alternate Assessment Courses

Heartland AEA has new course offerings for teachers of students on alternate assessment. These courses focus on literacy.

Emergent Literacy Strategies for Students on Alternate Assessment, course #182335
April 4, 12 and 22, 2022
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Heartland AEA, Johnston REC, 6500 Corporate Drive

Conventional Literacy Strategies for Students on Alternate Assessment, course #182326
April 4 and 26 and May 19, 2022
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Heartland AEA, Johnston REC, 6500 Corporate Drive
**Includes the book Comprehensive Literacy for All, 2020, by Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver

Thursday, December 2, 2021

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

Save the Date: HAA Meeting Reminder - Dec. 7

The next Heartland Administrators' Association meeting will be held on Dec. 7 from 9 - 11:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, in Johnston and via Zoom. The agenda features:

Legislative panel with guest speakers, Margaret Buckton, Phil Jeneary, Kate Walton and Dave Wilkerson

Information about College and Career Transition Counselor grants and partnership with guest speaker Gail Zehr from Des Moines Area Community College

Computer Science Education Week Begins Dec. 6

Computer Science Week, Dec. 6 - 10, is celebrated the first week of December to help promote computer science amongst students, parents, communities, and organizations. How are you getting ready for Computer Science Education Week coming up? Check out some resources that have been curated to help educators and students learn more about Computer Science!

The Hour of Code is always a popular event and something rather easy to get started.

Learn more here --> https://www.smore.com/nu7ft

Mark Your Calendar! Computer Science Webinar - Dec. 7

The next Heartland AEA Computer Science Webinar is Dec. 7, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. Administrators, teacher leaders and educators will network with others, receive computer science resources, and learn more about what the AEA can and will do to support the work our districts are doing. Click here for the agenda and the Zoom link

Webinar guests include representatives from Dallas Center-Grimes CSD who will share about how they used a Standards Comfortability Survey to gather data on how familiar teachers were with the standards and if they taught them, what did they use.

Dec. 2021 Newsletter from Heartland AEA's Digital Learning Consultant Team

Computer science is transforming online safety

We hope you find some helpful info and/or ideas in this month's edition of Heartland AEA Digital Learning News. Please reach out if our team can assist you with teaching and/or learning in any way!

In this issue: