Our Mission
To
provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools
and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of
all children and youth.
Our Goals
• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Monday, November 4, 2013
Reminder: Updates About Johnston REC HVAC System Remodeling
West Des Moines Walnut Creek Secured as Agency Meeting Space During HVAC Remodel
The Agency is happy to announce that it is partnering with West Des Moines Schools to use the district’s Walnut Creek Campus as the site for agency meetings and temporary office space during the Johnston Regional Education Center’s (REC) HVAC system remodel, February 1 to June 1.
The Walnut Creek building, which is located at 815 8th Street in West Des Moines, has many rooms, both large and small, to accommodate different types of meetings and temporary work spaces. It is handicapped accessible, has ample parking and is close to various restaurants. The entire West Des Moines Schools’ administration staff was housed in the building this summer and fall while their Learning Resource Center was being renovated.
We will do our best to provide as many amenities as possible, including wireless Internet, some rooms with dedicated LCD projectors and access to copying and printing. The wireless access will not be what we are used to in the Johnston REC, but it will be adequate for holding meetings and conducting agency business. There will be projectors and other possible equipment on-site for check out.
We also plan to have one or more agency staff members stationed at Walnut Creek during the four months we are there to provide support to staff and visitors.
Room Rescheduling to Begin Immediately; Reminder About New Form
As we told you in a previous Connection, all meetings scheduled in the Johnston REC from February 1 to June 1 will be moved due to the remodeling project. Cassie Britton, Central Office Administrative Assistant, will be rescheduling meetings—you do not need to reschedule them yourself. Rescheduling will begin immediately and will be done through the Resource Scheduler. Please pay attention to any emails you receive from the Resource Scheduler. A calendar for Walnut Creek will be added to the Resource Scheduler so you will be able to see what is happening there during February to June.
We encourage you to communicate with Cassie about your event if you have any questions or concerns. If you need to schedule a new event, please fill out the Room Scheduling & Set-up Form.
Revised Room Scheduling & Set-up Form
Based on feedback, a few revisions were made to the new Conference Room Request & Set-up Form that was included in the past two Connections. Click here for the updated form. Remember that this form needs to be filled out when scheduling large conference room spaces at the Johnston Regional Education Center (REC) (Conference Rooms 3 & 4, 13A & B, 14 and 18) as well as off-site meeting spaces that require a fee (except those scheduled for regional meetings and regional planning council meetings). If you have any questions, contact Cassie Britton, Central Office Administrative Assistant, at cbritton@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14002.
Staff Should Begin to Make Preparations for Remodeling Project
As we prepare for the HVAC remodel, staff members who work in the Johnston REC should begin to make preparations for the project. Please begin looking through your files to see what you want to keep, take to the warehouse or shred. This will help you when it comes time to pack up your area during the project. When the time comes, you will need to take all of your personal items home so they are not damaged in anyway during the project. All staff members in the building should also be prepared for the possibility that your workstation may be torn down and reconfigured.
The Agency is happy to announce that it is partnering with West Des Moines Schools to use the district’s Walnut Creek Campus as the site for agency meetings and temporary office space during the Johnston Regional Education Center’s (REC) HVAC system remodel, February 1 to June 1.
The Walnut Creek building, which is located at 815 8th Street in West Des Moines, has many rooms, both large and small, to accommodate different types of meetings and temporary work spaces. It is handicapped accessible, has ample parking and is close to various restaurants. The entire West Des Moines Schools’ administration staff was housed in the building this summer and fall while their Learning Resource Center was being renovated.
We will do our best to provide as many amenities as possible, including wireless Internet, some rooms with dedicated LCD projectors and access to copying and printing. The wireless access will not be what we are used to in the Johnston REC, but it will be adequate for holding meetings and conducting agency business. There will be projectors and other possible equipment on-site for check out.
We also plan to have one or more agency staff members stationed at Walnut Creek during the four months we are there to provide support to staff and visitors.
Room Rescheduling to Begin Immediately; Reminder About New Form
As we told you in a previous Connection, all meetings scheduled in the Johnston REC from February 1 to June 1 will be moved due to the remodeling project. Cassie Britton, Central Office Administrative Assistant, will be rescheduling meetings—you do not need to reschedule them yourself. Rescheduling will begin immediately and will be done through the Resource Scheduler. Please pay attention to any emails you receive from the Resource Scheduler. A calendar for Walnut Creek will be added to the Resource Scheduler so you will be able to see what is happening there during February to June.
We encourage you to communicate with Cassie about your event if you have any questions or concerns. If you need to schedule a new event, please fill out the Room Scheduling & Set-up Form.
Revised Room Scheduling & Set-up Form
Based on feedback, a few revisions were made to the new Conference Room Request & Set-up Form that was included in the past two Connections. Click here for the updated form. Remember that this form needs to be filled out when scheduling large conference room spaces at the Johnston Regional Education Center (REC) (Conference Rooms 3 & 4, 13A & B, 14 and 18) as well as off-site meeting spaces that require a fee (except those scheduled for regional meetings and regional planning council meetings). If you have any questions, contact Cassie Britton, Central Office Administrative Assistant, at cbritton@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14002.
Staff Should Begin to Make Preparations for Remodeling Project
As we prepare for the HVAC remodel, staff members who work in the Johnston REC should begin to make preparations for the project. Please begin looking through your files to see what you want to keep, take to the warehouse or shred. This will help you when it comes time to pack up your area during the project. When the time comes, you will need to take all of your personal items home so they are not damaged in anyway during the project. All staff members in the building should also be prepared for the possibility that your workstation may be torn down and reconfigured.
We Need Your Good News!
Help us tell our story of providing services and leadership to improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth!
You are doing great things everyday to impact families, schools, students and educators, and we need to spread that good news! That goes for any fun things that are happening in the regional offices as well—help us showcase the whole agency! We have multiple avenues to get the word out—HeartBeat, Educator Connection, website, Facebook, Twitter, AEAs Impacting Lives and Pinterest—so please let us know about the great things that are going.
Any piece of good news could be turned into a blurb, photos, video or a feature story. Help us spread the good news! You can always send an email to comms@heartlandaea.org with your information. Ok, ready, set, go!
You are doing great things everyday to impact families, schools, students and educators, and we need to spread that good news! That goes for any fun things that are happening in the regional offices as well—help us showcase the whole agency! We have multiple avenues to get the word out—HeartBeat, Educator Connection, website, Facebook, Twitter, AEAs Impacting Lives and Pinterest—so please let us know about the great things that are going.
Any piece of good news could be turned into a blurb, photos, video or a feature story. Help us spread the good news! You can always send an email to comms@heartlandaea.org with your information. Ok, ready, set, go!
November 2013 Each and Every Child Newsletter From Iowa Dept. of Education
Click here for the November 2013 issue of Each and Every Child. In this special issue, the Department is particularly pleased to introduce you to the school that is simply the best in the state when it comes to bringing their students on IEPs up to grade-level achievement. Take a bow, Northeast Elementary in Ankeny!
Resources Available to Support Schools as They Plan Teacher Leadership and Compensation Models
The Agency has a Google Site of resources to support schools as they plan their teacher leadership and compensation models. Click here to access the Site. One key resource listed under the October 30 grant planning workshop documents is the planning template. Districts that attended this first planning workshop found this template to be very helpful.
Check Out New Ed Tech Mini-Webinar Series “AEAs On Air”
AEA educational technology consultants from around the state will be teaming up to provide a series of mini-webinars this year. These short sessions will run at various times throughout the day and will cover these themes:
- English/Language Arts
- STEM
- Resources for MTSS/RtI
- iPads
New Course Opportunity: Facilitating Adult Learning I
Do you provide adult professional development? Would you like to polish your skills and add more tools/strategies to your toolbox? The Facilitating Adult Learning course covers topics such as:
Facilitating Adult Learning I
Dec. 3 and Dec. 17, 2013
Activity #: IN055992111401
Feb. 4 and Feb. 18, 2014
Activity #: IN055999991401
June 3 and June 10, 2014
Activity #: IN055992111501
- Strategies to actively engage adults
- Dealing with difficult participants
- Politely redirecting a conversation that is being dominated by one person
- Modeling effective strategies for adult learners
- How to increase adult learners’ abilities to explore, discover, organize, integrate and apply new learning in classrooms
Facilitating Adult Learning I
Dec. 3 and Dec. 17, 2013
Activity #: IN055992111401
Feb. 4 and Feb. 18, 2014
Activity #: IN055999991401
June 3 and June 10, 2014
Activity #: IN055992111501
Spring Dates for Assessing Academic Rigor Courses Announced
Spring dates for Assessing Academic Rigor are set! If you are looking to renew your Administrative License, one of the courses you may want to take is Assessing Academic Rigor. The spring dates are January 23, 30, February 20 & 27 at Heartland AEA. Click here to register.
Reminder About Iowa Alternate Assessment for Homebound Students and Students on Shortened School Days
This is a reminder that homebound students (usually for medical reasons) and students on shortened school days who receive educational services from a district are required to be tested for NCLB.
Homebound students take the same assessments as if they were in a school building. Iowa Code does not provide exemption of assessment for students on shortened school days. For homebound/shortened school day students where instruction and assessment on the Iowa Alternate Assessment requirement of 15 items per content area assessed may be problematic, IEP teams must convene and come to consensus that a reduction of the requirement is warranted and then submit a request to the Department. The Department will then make a determination on the number of rating scales required for assessment.
If you have any questions, contact your regional director or Angie Calhoun, Regional Director, at acalhoun@heartlandaea.org or ext. 11279.
Homebound students take the same assessments as if they were in a school building. Iowa Code does not provide exemption of assessment for students on shortened school days. For homebound/shortened school day students where instruction and assessment on the Iowa Alternate Assessment requirement of 15 items per content area assessed may be problematic, IEP teams must convene and come to consensus that a reduction of the requirement is warranted and then submit a request to the Department. The Department will then make a determination on the number of rating scales required for assessment.
If you have any questions, contact your regional director or Angie Calhoun, Regional Director, at acalhoun@heartlandaea.org or ext. 11279.
This Week's Getting Great With Google Tip
This message was emailed to staff on Nov. 1 and is being repeated here for your information.
Reminder: Google Calendar, Drive and Sites Now Available Through App Launcher
Google has made changes to its Google Bar—the black bar that has appeared above the search results and across many of their properties and apps. This is where staff members are used to accessing their Google Calendar, Drive and Sites.
The bar has been replaced by what Google is calling their App Launcher. The App Launcher is a square shaped grid found on the top right side of the your Google window, next to your Google+ account name or email address account name. When you click on the grid, it will show you a menu of Google App icons that you can then click on to access.
More info can be found at https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1714464?hl=en
As always, thanks for your patience as we encounter changes from Google.
Reminder: Google Calendar, Drive and Sites Now Available Through App Launcher
Google has made changes to its Google Bar—the black bar that has appeared above the search results and across many of their properties and apps. This is where staff members are used to accessing their Google Calendar, Drive and Sites.
The bar has been replaced by what Google is calling their App Launcher. The App Launcher is a square shaped grid found on the top right side of the your Google window, next to your Google+ account name or email address account name. When you click on the grid, it will show you a menu of Google App icons that you can then click on to access.
More info can be found at https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1714464?hl=en
As always, thanks for your patience as we encounter changes from Google.
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