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

 

Heartland AEA Winter Break and Van Delivery Schedule

Heartland AEA offices will be closed to the public from Dec. 25 - Jan. 1. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

• Regular van delivery: through Dec. 21
• No van delivery: Dec. 22 - Jan. 1
• Regular van delivery resumes: Jan. 2, 2024

Plan to Attend: Heartland Administrators' Association Dec. 5

The next Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting will be held on Dec. 5 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 Session 1 of INspired Leadership Overview with guest speaker Tamara Lindholm, ESSDACK. Tamara is a certified professional coach and energy leadership index master practitioner. There will also be time for partnership updates.

Heartland Administrators’ Association Jan. 2 Meeting is Via Zoom

Since this is the first day back for many school districts following winter break, the Jan. 2 HAA meeting will be held entirely via Zoom. It will begin at 9:00 a.m. and consist of partnership updates only. Superintendents will receive a calendar invitation with links to the Zoom meeting and agenda.

Save the Date: Advocacy Day on the Hill, Feb. 12-13

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.

Save the Dates: Feb. 12-13, 2024
Feb. 12 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 Day on the Hill: 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.

Save these dates 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.

More details coming!

Celebrate 2023 Computer Science Ed Week - Dec. 4-10

Computer Science Education week is an annual call to action to inspire K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers and partners to the field. Join us for a week of events perfect for students, educators, businesses, community partners and school leaders. Visit Iowa's AEAs CSEd Week website for a calendar of events and resources.

Curriculum Network Huddles: Connect, Discuss and Share

Join us for a monthly Curriculum Network Huddle on the third Friday of each month! These informal Zoom meetings are an opportunity for Heartland AEA leaders to connect, discuss curriculum topics, ask questions, and share ideas.

Agenda:

• Welcome and introductions
• Curriculum discussion: This is where we focus on the most pressing curriculum topics and questions. The agenda is open-ended, so please feel free to add items you would like to discuss.
• Sharing of ideas: This is a time to share your best practices, lessons learned, and creative ideas.

To join:
https://heartlandaea.zoom.us/j/8376018864
Meeting ID: 837 601 8864

AI and CSEd Week Take Center Stage in Heartland AEA Digital Learning Newsletter

In this issue of the Heartland AEA Digital Learning newsletter:

• AI in Education Webinar Recording
• CSEdWeek Is coming up!
• Iowa Ranks In The Top 10 For CS Education
• AI Resources for Educators
• Upcoming Fall Technology Courses from Heartland AEA

Supporting Newcomer Families: A Resource Guide for Translation and Interpretation Services

As the number of Newcomer students in Iowa schools grows, there is a rising demand for interpreters and translators to facilitate communication with their families. This academic year has created numerous inquiries regarding the school's obligations to interpret and translate messages between home and school. In our Heartland AEA ESL/Diversity newsletter, our goal is to provide resources that assist educators and administrators in recognizing both the legal requirements and essential steps needed to ensure accessible communication for families with a home language other than English.

Future Ready Focus: December is Work-Based & Authentic Learning

The Dec. 21 Future Ready Network will have time devoted to Work-Based and Authentic Learning. Several districts will also present their Work-Based Learning programs and how they use the Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning to manage their projects in the morning. The afternoon workshop from 12:30-2:30 p.m. is for district Work-Based Learning leaders who are interested in becoming a district project board manager in the Clearinghouse. If you are interested in becoming a Clearinghouse project board manager for your district, complete this survey.

Visit the Heartland AEA Future Ready Website to stay up to date on news, resources, past network Zoom recordings and more! For more information, contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@heartlandaea.org or Angela Dvorak at advorak@heartlandaea.org.

Education Resources and Opportunities Abound in Gifted & Talented Newsletter

In this issue of the Heartland AEA Gifted & Talented News:

• National Association for Gifted Children Conference
• Gifted Self-Audit and Planner (G-SAP)
• 2023-24 Gifted Education Learning Series
• New GT Teacher Network