Friday, April 17, 2020

Welcome to Wellness Weekly, a Shareable Resource for Districts

In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.

Check out the Wellness Weekly site every week for well-being resources, tips and fun!


This week features:

  • Mental Health Resources: 9 ways to relax without spending a cent
  • Remote Working Resources: How to stay focused and productive when working from home
  • Funnies: Strut your pup challenge
  • Apps & Other Stuff: 23 relatable tweets from parents about quarantine

Here’s an Opportunity You Don’t Want to Pass Up: UNI Communications Students Looking for Internships in Iowa Districts

University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa understands that Iowa school districts are facing unprecedented challenges. UNI students in the Department of Communication Studies are also facing a crisis as their internship opportunities dwindle away. They would like to help you!

As UNI students are home until fall, they could be a valuable resource to K-12 schools as they get back to a new normal. These students are required to have internships prior to graduation and most are unpaid experiences. Organizations only have to sign-off on hours and fill out a midterm and final evaluation for their intern. They encompass majors in Public Relations, Digital Media, General Communication and Political Communication. The internship could include work in the following areas and more:

  • Help districts navigate messages to audiences (faculty, staff and public)
  • Develop and manage social media plans
  • Develop and update content for websites, website design
  • Help in design and dissemination of crisis and emergency communication
  • Video and audio production and editing
  • Write press releases
  • Photography
  • Update promotional materials
  • Write for digital, magazines, newspapers or special event publications
To learn more, email UNI Director of Internships Nikki Zumbach Harken or call (319) 273-3707.

New Resource from the DE to Help Generate Donations to Schools for Continuous Learning

Education Donations
The Iowa Department of Education is looking to connect individuals and businesses to schools that need technology, materials and supplies in light of COVID-19’s impact on education delivery.

A new resource on the Iowa Department of Education's website makes it easier for school districts in need of technology, materials and supplies to connect with individuals and businesses who want to help. The information and map on the page is regularly updated as more schools report their needs.

As schools across Iowa identify and implement new continuous learning strategies with their students, many have pinpointed areas of need ranging from internet-access hotspots and devices to white boards and printer paper.

Please share this information with individuals, organizations and businesses who want to make a difference by supporting their local schools during this unprecedented crisis.