Superintendents: November HAA Meeting Agenda

Click here for the agenda of the Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting which will be held on November 3 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.

Curriculum Network: November Curriculum Network Meeting Agenda

The November Curriculum Network Meeting is scheduled for November 6, 2009 at the Johnston Regional Education Center on 6500 Corporate Drive. You can download the agenda here or from the Curriculum Network Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/curriculumnet/2009-10/nov09.html.

Heartland AEA and Southeast Polk Schools to co-host Dr. Donna Beegle in All-Day Poverty Workshop

Heartland AEA in collaboration with Southeast Polk Schools (Central Place) will be bringing in Dr. Donna Beegle to conduct an all-day poverty workshop at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Altoona on January 20, 2010. Dr. Beegle is a highly experienced national public speaker, discussion leader and trainer and is the author of See Poverty, Be The Difference, a resource book for professionals who work with people in poverty. Her book can be ordered by adding an additional $25 to the cost of registration. Early bird registration (good from now until January 4) is $35 which includes lunch. Click here for the registration form. Send the completed form with applicable payments to the following:

Central Place / EPIA
6540 NE 12th Avenue
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327

Explore TDSI's Resources for 'Teaching Tolerance'

The Teaching Diverse Students Initiative (TDSI) is a new resource for educators established by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This free resource is a great opportunity for anyone to explore and grow their cultural competence. Working through the assessments, articles and tools is a great professional growth opportunity. These resources can also help teachers, school leaders, school improvement teams or any group with an interest in maximizing students’ learning opportunities to identify needed policies and practices that support effective teaching and high levels of student learning. The resources available through TDSI are embedded in tools and cases and are the following:

• The Understanding the Influence of Race tool helps educators learn more about the origins of "race" as we understand it, examine the continuing influence of race on their own beliefs and behavior and better comprehend how and why their students succeed or struggle.
• The Common Beliefs Survey identifies beliefs about instruction and learning that may have consequences for students of diverse races and ethnicities.
• Primer on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is an introduction to teaching that facilitates student learning by taking into account race and ethnicity related values, dispositions and experiences.
• Case-Based Course Modules engage the learner in interactive problem-solving related to teaching literacy; many of the lessons to be learned apply to all subjects.
• The School Survey identifies conditions in schools that support effective teaching and learning of racially and ethnically diverse students.

TDSI places primary emphasis on practices within teachers' immediate control — classroom strategies and pedagogical techniques. The research-based strategies promoted by TDSI, first and foremost, support students' academic learning. Within that focus, it also emphasizes strategies that have the potential to reduce teacher and student prejudice.

While TDSI focuses on improving instruction, it recognizes that teaching and the learning opportunities experienced by students are influenced by school structures, processes and cultures that vary in the extent to which they are responsive to student diversity. Thus, the TDSI helps teachers, administrators and families identify the characteristics of schools that are particularly important in maximizing the social and cognitive development of racially and ethnically diverse students.

To access this free resource, go to http://tolerance.org/tdsi.

"Differentiation: From Planning to Practice" with Rick Wormeli

Join Rick Wormeli for a, “how-to” and “why-we-do-it” workshop for those just getting their feet wet with differentiated instruction or for those already swimming who want more ideas. This seminar will bust differentiation myths and provide dozens of practical, "use-the-next-day" tips for making differentiation work. Wormeli will provide sound instructional ideas on tiering, anchor activities, scaffolding, flexible grouping, attention moves, respectful tasks, compacting curriculum, practical cognitive science applications, classroom management, as well as suggestions for meeting the needs of all students. During the afternoon portion of the seminar, Wormeli will carefully move through each step in the process of creating a differentiated lesson from scratch.

About Rick Wormeli: One of the first Nationally Board Certified teachers in America, Rick brings innovation, energy, validity and high standards to both his presentations, and his instructional practice, which includes more than twenty-five years teaching math, science, English, physical education, health, history and coaching teachers. With his substantive presentations, sense of humor and unconventional approaches, he’s been asked to present to teachers and administrators in all 50 states, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Australia, the Middle East and even the White House.

You can register through the Heartland Professional Development catalog at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH.

Crafting the Art of Differentiation with Rick Wormeli
Date: January 7, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Location: Airport Holiday Inn
Cost: $60.00 (lunch will be provided)
Activity Number: AS004899991001

Heartland AEA-sponsored Immigration Forum to be on first day of ICLC

Join us for our 2nd Annual Heartland AEA-sponsored Immigration Forum on February 9, 2010 from 2:45-5:00 p.m. The Immigration Forum is held in conjunction with the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) which is being held February 9-10 (with Pre-Conference on February 8) at the Polk County Convention Complex at 501 Grand in Downtown Des Moines.

The ICLC and Immigration Forum are great opportunities to expand cultural competence awareness and meet representatives knowledgeable on laws and issues related to ethnicity and immigration. More information on these events can be found on the Northwest AEA Web site at http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/.

Early bird registration for the ICLC is $120, and the Immigration Forum is FREE. Consider bringing a team from your area and complete a registration form for each participant. A direct link to the online registration form is at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dE9vWUJtQlVBR0tKU2hfNFo0eUVzaVE6MA..

For more information about the Heartland-sponsored Immigration Forum, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo, (515) 270-0405 ext. 14680 or Gilmara Mitchell, (515) 270-0405 ext. 14679.

For more information about the ICLC, contact Pat Latham at (515) 270 0405 ext. 14681.

Superintendents: October HAA Minutes Now Available

Click here for the notes from the October Heartland Administrators Association. The presentations on immigration provided during that meeting are available on our Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ldr/admin.html. The next meeting will be November 3 at the West Des Moines Learning Center.

AASA Learning Supports Webinar and Collaborative

The mission of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. The AASA will host two learning support development opportunities that are described below.

For more information on becoming a member of AASA, go to http://www.aasa.org/join-additional-info.aspx?id=2154.

Webinar: Strengthening School Improvement by Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching

Date: October 29, 2009 Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT

Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor (educators, researchers and national leaders from UCLA) will talk about why a system of learning supports is imperative for schools to succeed and what forward-thinking states and districts are doing to implement such systems in order to do the following:

• Reduce student dropout rates
• Reduce teacher dropout rates
• Narrow achievement gaps
• Re-engage students in classroom learning
• Eliminate the ““plateau effect”” related to student achievement
• Support schools in crisis

To register, go to http://scholastic.webex.com/scholastic/k2/j.php?ED=127595687&UID=127473567&FM=1 Session Number: 359 033 400. and click "Registration" by Session Status. Once approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.

Collaborative: School Improvement Opportunity to Develop Comprehensive Systems of Learning Supports
This collaborative is an effort aimed at expanding leaders’ knowledge, capacity and implementation of comprehensive systems of learning supports. This effort supports AASA’s flagship initiative, Educating the Total Child, which is aimed at advocating for an education approach designed to affect real change by addressing key factors that determine children’s academic achievement.

There will only be four districts selected throughout the nation to participate in the collaborative. They will be provided with valuable supports to help them move forward toward developing comprehensive systems of learning supports that are integrated into school improvement planning and implementation that involves the following:

• Building understanding about comprehensive systems of learning supports and how such systems transform public education
• Creating policy and practice framework documents that can be shared among critical stakeholder groups
• Working to design and implement learning support system

Districts will be guided in their work by Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor. The application deadline is November 1, 2009. To register, go to: http://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Resources/Leadership_Development/Professional_Development_Programs/AASAScholasticUCLARFAFinal.pdf.

For more information on the project, please feel free to contact Dr. MaryAnn Jobe at mjobe@aasa.org or Cyndy Erickson at Cyndy.Erickson@iowa.gov.

Iowa DE Guidance Letter for 8th Grade Plans

Kevin Fangman of the Iowa Department of Education recently sent a letter of guidance for 8th Grade Plans to all district superintendents and area education agencies. For a copy of his letter, click here.