Calling all Principals! We have a Networking Group Just for You

Principal Alliance Meeting: Nov. 30, 2023

The Principal Alliance Lasting Leadership Series will focus on current practices in the field of leadership and principalship. Join your colleagues 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. Visit the Iowa’s AEAs website for meeting dates.

Training Dates Announced for Intro to Restorative Practices & Using Circles Effectively

The two-day course will provide participants with knowledge of the key concepts of restorative practices; an opportunity to reflect on how restorative practices may impact their professional and personal lives; practice in applying strategies from the restorative practices continuum; and an understanding of how to facilitate circles effectively and for different purposes.

Day 1: Introduction to Restorative Practices
Day 2: Using Circles Effectively

Date
Section #318005 - Jan. 22-23, 2024 Heartland AEA Adel Office
Section #318006 - Jan. 22-23, 2024 Heartland AEA Ames Office
Section #318022 - Apr. 11-12, 2024 Heartland AEA Johnston REC

Recommended Audience
PK-12 teachers, administrators, school counselors, instructional coaches, at-risk staff, school leadership teams and AEA staff

Registration
License renewal credit is available
Register at this link

Heartland AEA to Offer Trauma-Informed Classrooms Training on Nov. 10

Heartland AEA is offering a learning opportunity on Nov. 10, facilitated by Melissa Crowl, a special education consultant who supports the HEART Classrooms and has agency-wide allocation for therapeutic programming. This training is intended for early childhood educators, general education teachers, special education teachers, administrators, and/or support staff.

The training, titled "Trauma-Informed Classrooms: Creating a Safe Learning Environment," will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, located at 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston. To register, visit this link: HL - Trauma-Informed Classrooms: Creating a Safe Learning Environment, (Course # 205668).

During the training, attendees will learn strategies for fostering a positive and inclusive classroom culture that promotes emotional safety and resilience among students. The course will cover a range of topics, including:

• building and sustaining relationships
• classroom culture
• the impact of trauma
• student empowerment

Participants will gain an applicable framework for creating a trauma-informed classroom, from brain science and self-regulation to preparing students for learning.

This training is an excellent opportunity for educators and support staff to learn how to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.

School Culture Workshop on Nov. 14: Increasing Belonging, Well-Being and Engagement

Heartland AEA will be hosting a School Culture Workshop, facilitated by Character Strong, on Nov. 14 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Stoney Creek Hotel, 5291 Stoney Creek Court, Johnston. Participants will learn about, and begin to apply, an instructional framework that promotes powerful relationship-building and helps students find value in their learning. The cost of the workshop is $349/person. However, Character Strong is offering a buy one - get one free discount. If you have a team that would like to attend, register via this link. After clicking on the link, click on "Register Now." Then choose the Des Moines, IA - Nov. 14 training in the dropdown menu. Enter the discount code CSVIP1, and Character Strong will apply your BOGO free discount when invoicing the district.

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: Heartland Administrators' Association Nov. 7

The next Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting will be held on Nov. 7 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. The agenda features a legislative update with guest panelists Margaret Buckton, Dave Daughton, Emily Piper and Kate Walton, an update on Artificial Intelligence from Amy Wichman, and partnership updates.

Save the Date: Advocacy Day on the Hill

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Day on the Hill to advocate for Iowa students. This year's Day on the Hill will be hosted collaboratively with the Iowa Association of School Boards, School Administrators of Iowa, and Iowa's Area Education Agencies.

Day on the Hill
Feb. 12 & 13, 2024

Feb. 12: Educational leaders are invited to attend a legislative advocacy briefing. This event will bring together school board members, administrators and partners from across Iowa to gain up-to-date legislative insights, and will briefly summarize how to best engage with legislators. A panel of legislators will discuss the session and answer questions.

Feb. 13: Join your colleagues from around the state for a day promoting public education in Iowa. In the morning, educational lobbyists will share the three things to communicate with legislators and tips on how to handle confrontational situations. Later that morning, attendees will go to the Capitol to celebrate public education and meet with legislators. Representatives from districts and AEAs from around the state are encouraged to attend to showcase their positive stories.

Also, please save the date for these two upcoming webinars in 2024 designed to help educational leaders:

Deeper Dive into the Issues with AEA, IASB and SAI lobbyists
Jan. 30: Noon-1:00 p.m.

State of the Budget and the Impact on AEAs with Finance experts from AEA and IASB
Feb. 7: Noon-1:00 p.m.

Watch for more details on these events later this fall.

AEA Survey Launches This Month

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEA) will be launching a survey to local school administrators and teachers to better understand stakeholder awareness of and satisfaction with AEA services. We hope that you will participate in this survey, as your feedback is critical to ensuring that Iowa’s AEAs continue to provide quality services to local schools.

The AEA system has partnered with Hanover Research to administer and analyze this survey. Hanover Research is an independent market research firm based in Washington, D.C., and is in no way affiliated with any other entity or organization. All responses are completely anonymous and will be kept strictly confidential, so we are encouraging our district partners to be as open and honest as possible.

Please watch for an email in the next week with a link you can forward to your staff.

Save the Date: Curriculum Network Huddle Oct. 20

The Heartland AEA Curriculum Network Huddle will be held on Oct. 20 at 8:00 a.m. Join Zoom Meeting

Empower Your Educational Leadership with EdTech Training

Earn Evaluator Approval in this Innovative Course

This course will engage educational leaders in four modules:

1. purposeful and productive alignment with digital technology tools
2. engagement for adult learners
3. methods and tools for evaluation
4. feel empowered and confident using digital technology tools

Participants will explore topics such as:

• Google workspace
• Artificial Intelligence
• New and Emerging EdTech Tools
• Connections to the Iowa Core

Training length
Training is two full days and includes time to create resources that you can use tomorrow!

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

Cost
This training is provided at no cost to participants. License renewal cost is $35.

Availability
Go to the course web page to learn about available dates and times of the course. Course number 203354

For More Information

Contact the Heartland AEA Digital Learning Consultants at haeatech@heartlandaea.org

Heartland AEA's Digital Learning Newsletter - Summer Summit Recap, AI Insights and More!

In this issue of the Heartland AEA Digital Learning newsletter:

• Heart of Innovation Summer Summit Recap + Fall Course Series
• Matt Miller - AI Discussions You Need to Have (Web Recording)
• Pear Deck and Seesaw Updates
• ITEC Fall Conference
• Upcoming Fall Technology Courses from Heartland AEA