Check Out the New & Improved Iowa Educators Consortium Website

In a recent customer experience survey, it was obvious that many Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) clients found the website difficult to navigate and hard to use. As a result, over the past few months IEC staff has been diligently working to create a more user-friendly site to help customers find the information they need when making a purchasing decision.

The IEC is excited to announce the launch of its new and improved website based on customer feedback. The address is the same (www.iec-ia.org) but the site looks completely different.

Some of the improvements include:

• Top bar navigation that follows your path, page by page
• Detailed category descriptions so you know what type of products are in each category
• Fewer category headings
• A more efficient search box tool to help you find specific products
• At-a-glance list of vendors to make it easier to find your favorite company
• Vendor spotlight feature to provide you with more information on a specific vendor

While the website has changed, the IEC’s focus has not. It still remains dedicated to providing the best products at the best prices for Iowa schools, AEAs, libraries and government offices.

Earn a Reading Endorsement Through Heartland/Morningside Partnership

Heartland AEA and Morningside College have partnered up to offer a reading endorsement opportunity for area educators. The first class begins July 5, 2012. Two informational sessions have been scheduled for March 13 and March 21 for teachers to find out more about the program. Click here for more information about the sessions. If you have any questions, contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us or Lori Pearson at lpearson@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Reminder: "Living in the New Normal" PD Provided by Iowa National Guard

We wanted to remind you of the two-day training for educators which will provide information for those working with military children. Heartland AEA will also offer teacher licensure renewal credit for completing this training.

The training will take place on March 21-22, 2012 at the Iowa Gold Star Museum on Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa (located at 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131). Click here for more information about the training. You can register online by clicking here.

For more information, or if you experience issues completing the online registration form, please contact Jeremy Van Wyk, State Youth Coordinator, at jeremy.vanwyk@us.army.mil or by phone at (515) 252-4040.

The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.