We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for participating in Instructional Decision Making (IDM) training and/or implementing IDM practices in your school. We are pleased to announce that we are returning the 2010-11 implementation data that was collected last spring in 75 buildings. Data will be returned via van mail the week of September 6. The package will include a cover letter and a CD with the following files:- A link to an Eduvision video that provides an overview of how to navigate the files and interpret results (http://bit.ly/pZoDvM)
- A README file to assist schools with interpreting the results
- Implementation results: Building- and agency-level
- Special education eligibility results: Building- and agency-level
- PESA indicators and evidence criteria
We continue to strive to make the data collection process timely and more efficient. We appreciate your willingness to partner with us in our efforts to better support your schools. We welcome any feedback you have regarding this process. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to helping all children succeed.If you have any questions about the IDM implementation results, please contact Alecia Rahn-Blakeslee at arahn@aea11.k12.ia.us or your Regional Director.
On September 13, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, as part of National Preparedness Month, the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) will be hosting a webinar along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on “ Available Resources to Prepare Schools for Emergencies.” Participants will learn about getting schools prepared for hazards of any kind. If you are a school administrator, principal, teacher or concerned parent, you won’t want to miss this important discussion. Just a few examples of questions to be answered during this session include: - How was Joplin successful in preparing for and recovering from a disaster? How can other schools learn from their experience?
- Where can schools find additional funding and resources in today’s budget climate? How does the Department of Homeland Security grant process work? For further information go to: http://www.dhs.gov/xopnbiz/grants/
- What free preparedness trainings are available for schools and school administrators, both online and in person?
- What other preparedness resources are available at little or no cost to schools?
For more information about National Preparedness Month, please visit: http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/READYNPM For information on other preparedness webinars taking place during the month of September and beyond, please visit the Citizen Corps Webinar site: http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/npm2011webinars.shtm
Join us September 30, 2011 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center for a workshop with nationally acclaimed ELL expert and author Dr. Kate Kinsella. Dr. Kinsella will address the research based features of planned, explicit instruction and structured classroom interaction necessary for all students to develop a confident command of academic discourse, appropriate spoken and written classroom language with special emphasis on English Language Learners. She will include classroom video examples, hands‐on demonstrations, a detailed training handout, including a relevant research synthesis, instructional strategy guidelines, reproducible templates, and practical walk-though tools to facilitate school-wide implementation. Register for this workshop through the Heartland Professional Development Catalog using activity number ES006469571201.
The state of Iowa has accepted an invitation to participate in the U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP), sponsored by the William Randolph Heart Foundation. The program is designed to give young Americans a working knowledge of American political life. Each year two Iowa students have the opportunity to spend a week in Washington, D.C. The William Randolph Heart Foundation pays all expenses. In addition, the two Iowa high school representatives each receive a $5,000 scholarship.
Selection of the two Iowa high school representatives is based on the outstanding ability and demonstrated leadership qualities of elected junior and senior high school student officers for the 2011-12 school year.
Each high school may nominate up to three students (in previous years, schools were only allowed to nominate one student). Student application materials and the brochure are available on the Iowa Department of Education website http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=939&Itemid=1225
Completed applications should be submitted to Kim Thuente at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131 by 4:00 p.m. October 3, 2011. Nominees will take a qualifying examination on October 19 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 18 at the Johnston AEA Regional Education Center regarding the U.S. Constitution and government. The award recipients will be announced in December. Contact Kim Thuente (kthuente@aea11.k12.ia.us) or Cheryl Mullenbach (Cheryl.Mullenbach@iowa.gov) for more information.
Each school has a new username/password for the online databases such as Learn 360, iClipart for Schools, Gale, netTrekker, EBSCO, Atomic Learning, Soundzabound, etc. The license agreement allows schools to share the username/password and log-in information with parents. Please don't post username/passwords on a website, wiki or blog nor include them in any printed materials that may be sent to the general public. Ask your teacher librarian for the new username/password or call the Heartland library. Parents can be directed to the Homework Help section found here for links to the databases or go to our home page, click the Parents tab and scroll down to Homework Help.
Click here to download the September Heartland Administrators Association meeting agenda. The meeting will be held from 9:00-11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6 (the day after Labor Day) at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) in Room 13A and B. It is open to all superintendents in the Heartland service area. No registration is necessary.
Book Provided as a Resource for Learning
All participants will be provided with a copy of: Skillful Leader II: Confronting Conditions that Undermine Learning, by Alexander D. Platt, Caroline E. Tripp, Robert G Fraser, James R. Warnock, and Rachel E. Curtis
The book will be used to frame our study of the conditions that need to be in place to accelerate student learning…and what to do about those conditions that undermine it. Some of the topics discussed will include:
- Collaborative learning and leadership structures
- Community engagement
- Supportive learning environments
- Use of data
- Effective educators (Improving hiring, induction and evaluation to support learning, principal development, impacts of contracts and collective bargaining on improving learning conditions)
- Supporting effective instructional and assessment practices to deliver a high quality curriculum
In addition to the Skillful Leader II, the facilitators will introduce supplemental readings from the current work of some of the leading researchers and authors in the field of educational leadership. Multiple copies of each of these books will be available for checkout by participants at before and after each session.
Schools and districts scheduled for a site visit during the 2011-2012 school year, as well as those volunteering to be a member of a site visit team, are strongly encouraged to attend one face-to-face training session. The time scheduled within Heartland AEA is September 6, 2011 from 1:00-3:30 p.m. at the Heartland Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston).
Materials needed for the school improvement part of the training are available on the Department of Education website at http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1558&Itemid=2342
You may also find helpful, the series of video clips that were developed for the 2010-11 site visits. You can access these video clips at
http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2038
Many schools are heading down the path of preparing students for the 21st century through the use of technology. If you are interested in sending teachers or attending an exceptional technology in education conference, check out ITEC. ITEC (Iowa Technology in Education Connection) will be on October 16-18 and hosted in Des Moines, IA at the Polk County Convention Center.
October 17 & 18 will include one-hour conference breakouts, but on October 16 there will be a lineup of hands-on workshops. The featured workshop offerings this year are mentioned in the digital flyer attached in the Administrator Connection. Also, if you are interested in registering more than 10 individuals, there are group discounts available. Contact Jeff Sypersma at jsypersma@nwaea.org for group rates.
Please forward the below information to your school counselors. Register for workshops and classes through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog.
Preparing your School Counseling and At-Risk Program for a DE Site Visit
Date: September 14, 2011
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) in Room 13B
Activity Number: CN05292111201
Come join Sue Schirmer (Heartland AEA) and Susan Walkup (DE) for a review of what to prepare and organize for your DE Site Visit.
Refining Your School Counseling Program
Date: October 18 and December 1, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center in Room Room 13A
Activity Number: CN005392111201
K-12 School Counseling programs in the state of Iowa are required to be articulated and sequential. They are also required to be comprehensive in scope, preventive in design, developmental in nature, driven by data and integral to the school district's curricula and instructional program. This two-day course is designed to assist teams of school counselors and administrators to analyze their current programming, determine gaps and create plans to fill those gaps.
Secondary Counselor Advisor/Advisee Work Day
Date: October 20, 2011
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center in Rooms 3, 4 and ICN
Activity Number: CN005892111201
Struggling with your advisor/advisee curriculum, planning, resources and ideas? Load up what you have and come to this one-day workshop prepared to share and learn!
Counselor Academy III: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Date: October 27 and December 7, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center in Room Room 13A
Activity Number: CN004392111201
Counselor Academy III has been changed a bit this year. This two-day experience is a professional development opportunity for counselors to review, write and problem-solve curriculum; work on instructional strategies and design formative assessments for the K-12 school counseling program. Participants have the option of earning one license renewal credit or graduate credit upon successful completion of the program.
Using Data to Drive Your School Counseling Program (statewide on-line course)
Time: November 28, 2011-February 13, 2012
Activity Number: 22004799991201
This two-credit on-line learning opportunity is open to all counselors in the state. The goal is to recognize how to use data to support the work of the school counseling program. Participants will walk through the process of evaluating data, uncovering the “root cause,” selecting and administering interventions, then reviewing the results.
I Have a Plan Workshops
We are in the planning stages for IHAPI, Financial Literacy and PAWS in Jobland (Elementary career) Workshops. Watch for registration information in the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog.
As always, make sure your school counselors are on our list serve! Contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us for more information.
Heartland AEA is again offering gifted and talented learning opportunities and support for administrators, curriculum staff and teachers. In addition to what was communicated in a previous Administrator Connection, the following are two other opportunities being offered this fall.
New GT Teacher Orientation
If your district has teachers of gifted who are new to this job responsibility, Heartland will be hosting New GT Teacher Orientation on September 12 from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Johnston Regional Education Center. For a complete description and to register for this session, go to the through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and enter Activity Number GT007192111201 in the correct field
Best Practices in Gifted Education: Site Visit Preparation
If your district will be receiving a Department of Education Site Visit this year and would like some guidance regarding gifted and talented programming as you prepare for that visit, Best Practices in Gifted Education: Site Visit Preparation might be just what you're looking for. This session will be held September 30 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. For a complete description and to register for this session, go to the through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and enter Activity Number GT00769211101 in the correct field.
If you have questions about either session, please contact Mary Schmidt at mschmidt@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-0405 ext 14375.
Think of a counseling colleague… someone with whom you work, someone from whom you find support, someone whose counseling program supports the ASCA standards, someone who does the extra to support his/her students, someone who makes a true difference and is a credit to the school counseling profession. Doesn’t this individual deserve statewide recognition by his/her peers?
Then take a few minutes and nominate a fellow counselor by submitting an application for an Iowa School Counselor of the Year Award. Your nominee must be a current member of ISCA as of October 1, 2011. Here are the steps:
- Write a letter of recommendation and include the award category (elementary; middle school/junior high; high school or multilevel.)
- Attach a vita for the nominee.
- Write a statement describing the program, activity and/or contribution demonstrating the individual ‘s worthiness to receive this award.
The application procedure is also detailed under Awards and Grants at the ISCA website, www.iowaschoolcounselors.org. Questions about the application process can be directed to Sue Farran at sfarran@prairiepride.org or (319) 848-5510.
Applications can be faxed Attn: Sue Farran at (319) 848-5515 or mailed to the following:
Sue Farran
Prairie Point Middle School and 9th Grade Academy
401 76th Ave. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
The deadline for application submission is October 11, 2011.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not infer sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
