The Agency Planning Council (APC) has identified resources to add positions in the certified union for the next contract year. We will add up to five positions in Regions 2, 6 and 8 from our Special Education funding stream, and we plan to add up to five positions in the new role of instructional coach from our Educational Services funding stream.
The allocation of the special education positions has been to the regions where we have seen the most growth in student population. Regional directors will work together with staff and schools to determine the positions they need to support the service needs for that region. APC and the Leadership and Learning Planning Council will work together in the coming weeks to complete the hiring and assignment process for instructional coaches. We will also work with staff and review all agency literacy resources and supports so instructional coaches are strategically infused into our agency.
Questions about why we are adding a new Instructional Coach position have surfaced in recent Regional Planning Council meetings. As you know, Heartland AEA is working in concert with the Department of Education and the rest of Iowa’s AEAs to focus and intensify services in the area of early literacy. We have examples across our agency where staff members have been able to work in a coaching capacity (often within an RtI/IDM framework) to support literacy efforts at the classroom and school level, and student achievement has improved. We want to expand our ability to impact positive student outcomes in literacy, and we believe coaches will help us implement our theory of action to do that:
If Heartland AEA provides focused services to children and schools and…
If Heartland AEA provides related services for entitled children and…
If Heartland AEA creates support systems for our staff that encourage collective responsibility, develop staff capacity and embrace system improvement, then…
We will achieve improved outcomes for children and youth.
Please send any ideas, questions or comments you have about these positions to the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us. APC will use The Connection to keep staff up-to-date on decisions. Your support and patience as we work through this process is appreciated!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Dept. of Education Announces Statewide Data & Assessment Systems to Support Early Literacy
Iowa is making a renewed commitment to promote early literacy results across the state. This issue has generated much support and interest from a cross-section of education stakeholders, including the Governor’s office, the Legislature, the Iowa Department of Education, community groups and businesses, higher education, Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and schools.
Over the next few years, stakeholders from across the system will work together to support implementation of the most effective early literacy practices in all Iowa schools. To this end, the Department, AEAs and schools have formed a collaborative to support and scale up the implementation of evidence-based early literacy practices across the state. As part of this collaboration, high-quality tools, resources and supports will be identified and made available to Iowa schools and teachers.
Click here to read the entire letter from David Tilly, Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Education, that announces the procurement data and assessment systems that will be provided to Iowa schools to assist in efforts to bolster students’ early literacy.
Over the next few years, stakeholders from across the system will work together to support implementation of the most effective early literacy practices in all Iowa schools. To this end, the Department, AEAs and schools have formed a collaborative to support and scale up the implementation of evidence-based early literacy practices across the state. As part of this collaboration, high-quality tools, resources and supports will be identified and made available to Iowa schools and teachers.
Click here to read the entire letter from David Tilly, Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Education, that announces the procurement data and assessment systems that will be provided to Iowa schools to assist in efforts to bolster students’ early literacy.
Character Counts in Iowa Looking for 2013 Award Nominees
Character Counts In Iowa is proud to recognize Iowans who show good character at the 2013 Iowa Character Awards in August. Currently Character Counts is looking for nominees for this year’s awards. Students, teachers, schools, organizations and sports teams can all be nominated. Go to http://www.charactercountsiniowa.org/ica for the online nomination form.
Help Us Gather Teachers to Advocate for the AEAs
As many of you have read, the AEAs are slated to again have their funding reduced by the Iowa legislature. We need those who receive our services to advocate for us by writing letters to members of the legislature. They need to hear first hand from those who receive services how additional cuts to the AEAs would be detrimental to services. A list of parent advocates has already been generated, and now we need your help to compile a list of teachers who would be willing to write letters in support of the AEAs.
If you know of a teacher(s) who would be willing to write a letter to legislators asking for their support of the AEAs, please email the teacher’s name, email address and phone number to the Agency’s Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.
If you know of a teacher(s) who would be willing to write a letter to legislators asking for their support of the AEAs, please email the teacher’s name, email address and phone number to the Agency’s Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.
AEA Legislative Update
Click here to read the latest update of the Iowa legislative session from the AEA system’s lobbyists, Matt Eide and John Pederson, of the Eide & Heisinger firm.
FYI: AEA Customer Survey to Launch Next Monday
Next Monday, March 4, the Agency will be sending out the link to the AEA Customer Survey. This annual survey is conducted by the Iowa Department of Education and is a means to get input from our customers about the Agency’s progress on its goals and the effectiveness of its programs and services.
The survey should only be filled out by the educators we serve. If, by some chance, you receive an email next Monday with the subject, “DE Requested Action: Take the Statewide AEA Customer Survey,” do not fill out the survey.
If you get the chance, please mention the survey to the educators you serve and encourage them to take a little time to provide feedback about Heartland’s services.
The survey should only be filled out by the educators we serve. If, by some chance, you receive an email next Monday with the subject, “DE Requested Action: Take the Statewide AEA Customer Survey,” do not fill out the survey.
If you get the chance, please mention the survey to the educators you serve and encourage them to take a little time to provide feedback about Heartland’s services.
Behavior Workshop to Support Student Mental Health Needs to be Held April 25
Heartland AEA will host a one-day presentation on April 25, 2013, that will describe and illustrate how private events (e.g., anxiety, anger, frustration) contribute to disruptive behaviors displayed by students within school settings.
Dr. Mark Steege, professor of school psychology at the University of Southern Maine and a certified school psychologist, will describe and illustrate the Behavior Analytic Problem Solving Model (Steege & Watson, 2009) in analyzing the complex array of variables that elicit, evoke, occasion and reinforce disruptive behaviors. The presentation will include a blend of lecture, clinical examples, discussion and applied learning experiences.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
• Identify and describe each of the components of the BAPS model
• Describe how anxiety, frustration and anger contribute to disruptive behaviors
• Identify multi-component function-based interventions that address the complex array of variables that contribute to occurrences of disruptive behaviors
This workshop is designed for individuals with a background in functional behavioral assessment, specifically, educators who routinely assess and program for students K-12 with complex behavioral and mental health needs, including AEA/related services staff (e.g., special education consultants, school psychologists, school social workers) and district staff (e.g., administrators, behavior interventionists, guidance counselors, special education teachers).
Behavior Analysis of Private Events: Supporting Student Mental Health Needs
April 25, 2013
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
FFA Enrichment Center (1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny)
Activity Number: DL010299111301
Dr. Mark Steege, professor of school psychology at the University of Southern Maine and a certified school psychologist, will describe and illustrate the Behavior Analytic Problem Solving Model (Steege & Watson, 2009) in analyzing the complex array of variables that elicit, evoke, occasion and reinforce disruptive behaviors. The presentation will include a blend of lecture, clinical examples, discussion and applied learning experiences.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
• Identify and describe each of the components of the BAPS model
• Describe how anxiety, frustration and anger contribute to disruptive behaviors
• Identify multi-component function-based interventions that address the complex array of variables that contribute to occurrences of disruptive behaviors
This workshop is designed for individuals with a background in functional behavioral assessment, specifically, educators who routinely assess and program for students K-12 with complex behavioral and mental health needs, including AEA/related services staff (e.g., special education consultants, school psychologists, school social workers) and district staff (e.g., administrators, behavior interventionists, guidance counselors, special education teachers).
Behavior Analysis of Private Events: Supporting Student Mental Health Needs
April 25, 2013
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
FFA Enrichment Center (1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny)
Activity Number: DL010299111301
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