Friday, December 11, 2020

Universal Protocol for Accommodations in Reading Available to Iowa Schools at No Cost

Iowa’s AEAs and the Department of Education are pleased to announce that we are providing access to uPAR, Universal Protocol for Accommodations in Reading, at no cost to schools. uPAR is an online screening tool that can be administered to groups of students to capture data showing how each student learns best.

Benefits of uPAR:
  1. Set up a group of students in minutes
  2. Administer to up to 30 students in one class period
  3. Evaluations can occur virtually or in the classroom
  4. Automatic scoring
  5. Individual and group data can easily be sorted
Getting Started
Complete this form to request implementation of uPAR at your school. Review the uPAR Implementation Guide.

For more information, contact Wendy Robinson, Director of Instructional Services, or a member of your school’s support team for further assistance.

Heartland AEA Literacy News and Notes is Now Available

3 kids laying on the ground reading books and talking
The Heartland AEA Literacy Newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues! In this issue we've included some short videos to assist with your virtual instruction as well as some new information around Dyslexia. Reach out to your Heartland AEA Literacy Consultant if you need any support.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Offers Training in Blended, In-Person & Virtual Formats

USA Mental Health First Aid
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce we are now offering Youth Mental Health First Aid in a blended format. Read more about YMHFA and options available to districts, including YMHFA in blended, virtual and in-person formats.

**Child Mental Health First Aid also now available!

New, Free Course for Educator Well-being from Yale

Educator on tablet with headphones
The Yale online course, Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty and Stress, is available to educators and school staff for FREE on Coursera.

The Yale team has spent months bringing the latest science and practice together into this 10-hour course that dives deeply into healthy emotion regulation for educators, the intersection of race, bias and identity in educating students, and practical strategies to support students in managing their difficult emotions.

Please share as widely as possible in your networks. Here’s the link to enroll. https://www.coursera.org/learn/managing-emotions-uncertainty-stress

Coming Soon: Professional Learning for Staff Associated with Safe Classroom Environments and Seclusion and Restraint

Coming Soon
Asynchronous professional learning opportunities in 15, 30 and 60-minute sessions, to support the training requirements for staff associated with Senate File 2360 - Guidance for Safe Classroom Environments and the revised Chapter 103 rules. Professional learning will address the following topics: foundational behavior principles; de-escalation, prevention strategies, supporting communication and response strategies.

Free Online Access to Education Leadership's December issue on Mental Health for Educators

Education Leadership is providing the December/January issue on educator mental health free and open to all users through December. You can access the free online issue here.

Heart Of Innovation 2021 Date Set + Pear Deck Takeaway Intro


Check out our latest Instructional Technology newsletter:
  • Teaching Tools: Active Learning while Physically Distancing
  • 6 Googley Wintertime Activities for Kids
  • New courses starting in January!
Join our new HAEA Innovative Educator Group on Facebook and look for daily ideas, inspiration, and fun!