Identified SINA/DINA: Webinars to Outline New Submission Process

This message is only intended for schools/districts on the SINA/DINA list.

Starting this year, schools/districts identified on the SINA/DINA list will use an electronic submission process to report their plans. To support our identified schools, Heartland AEA will be providing webinars next week to explain the new online submission process.

Two webinars have been scheduled at this time. The first will be held on September 21 at 8:30 a.m. The second will be held on September 22 at 3:00 p.m. The information in the webinars will be shared during the September 29 workshop session with newly identified buildings. If a building is attending on September 29, they do not need to take part in the webinar.

Log in to the webinars:
Go to http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/chood/ to access the visual portion of the meeting. Log in as a guest, and enter your district/school name so we can see who is participating.

For the audio portion of the webinar, dial 1 (866) 685-1580. When prompted, enter 000-999-1606 followed by the pound (#) sign.

If you have questions concerning the SINA/DINA webinars, please contact Rob Brookhart (rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us), Becky Teut (bteut@aea11.k12.ia.us) or Connor Hood (chood@aea11.k12.ia.us).

Instructional Decision Making (IDM) Evaluation Update

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.

OSDFS and FEMA to Host Webinar on Available Resources to Prepare Schools for Emergencies

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