Update: Get Up to Speed on the Agency’s Professional Learning Redesign

As you know, our agency is engaging in an ongoing process to redesign professional learning for our staff. Heartland AEA is committed to high-quality, timely and meaningful professional learning for staff, and the redesign effort is intended to enhance our commitments and efforts. The Agency embarked on the journey of professional learning redesign for a number of reasons, including:

• Maintaining highly skilled staff is critical to Heartland AEA’s success.
• Staff members said they want differentiated learning opportunities. 
• Ongoing professional learning is valued. 
• The Agency is committed to providing the services we are required and expected to provide.

Our vision for the redesigned professional learning system at Heartland AEA is to create differentiated learning pathways for staff to support the Agency’s mission while developing the knowledge and skills specific to their role in the Agency. Our Professional Learning System Map provides a visual piece that shows our redesigned process specifically for Certified staff. 

As the Agency began this work, it recognized the varied areas of learning focus our staff have based on roles, functions and assignments. While we all support our agency’s mission and goals, our individual professional learning needs differ. Therefore, we have dedicated time to hear from many staff and leaders along the way. Agency leadership listened to input, considered priority services and the varied responsibilities of our staff and determined eight areas of learning for our Professional Learning System for Certified staff. These eight areas are bolded below next to Professional Learning Cadre team members.

Member	Team
Karla Day & Kathy Scebold	Problem Solving
Nikki Roorda	Early Childhood/Early Learning
Carlene Lodermeier & Wendy Robinson	Instruction
Mande Gamble	Technology
Sara Mercer	Child Find
Berrett Rice	Data/Assessment
Sue Schirmer	Adult Facilitation
Stacy Volmer	Behavior
Brandie Gean	Licensure and Conference Center Manager
Lisa Smith	Physical Therapist; representative from Professional Learning Committee
Kevin Fangman	Chief Academic Officer
Martha Condon	Director of Professional Learning

Each of these Certified staff cadre members leads a workgroup of staff to support our redesign efforts. Workgroups began by identifying key components of learning, competencies and learning targets for each area of learning. The workgroups are currently designing, vetting and refining professional learning opportunities aligned with our agency’s foundational, concentrated and specialized competencies of learning. Over the course of the redesign process, more than 100 staff and leaders have been active contributors to the workgroups. 

This fall, Certified staff were asked to participate in a survey about our agency’s current professional learning. The survey addresses the seven standards of professional learning identified by Learning Forward, an international organization leading research and innovations in professional learning. The Standards for Professional Learning outline the characteristics of professional learning that leads to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership and improved student results. The standards include:

• Learning Communities
• Resources
• Learning Designs
• Outcomes
• Leadership
• Data
• Implementation

For more information on the Standards, visit the Learning Forward website. The survey provided an overarching view of the current state of professional learning in our agency. The survey items are arranged by Professional Learning Standard. Results can be viewed by Standard or by individual item. The Aug. 2017 survey results are provided here for your review. 

This year, two new exciting things are underway: 

Professional Learning System pilot: Our Professional Learning System is being piloted with all regional directors and approximately 100 Certified staff. Pilot participants are representative of our agency’s Certified job-alike groups. A tremendous “thank you” to all of our pilot participants for engaging in our Professional Learning System and new processes this year. We are looking forward to the feedback and impact our pilot participants will have as we further refine our Professional Learning System. 

Classified Staff Professional Learning Cadre: A Professional Learning Cadre for Classified staff has been formed for work which began in Dec. 2017. Members of our Professional Learning Cadre represent the various Classified workgroups in our agency and are listed below:

Member	Group Represented
Heng Fongkhamdeng	Business Office
Juliette Houseman	Human Resources
Sean Boyle	Information Systems
Marquis Jones	Internal Technology
Connie Kellogg	Library
Carol Naylor	Licensure/Conference Center
Steve Howard	Operations
Jill Lawrence	Shelter Care
Jill Crees	Communications/Creative Services
Sue Dunsmoor	Special Education Data Specialists
Kate Boonstra	Family & Educator Coordinators
Brenda Pierce	Audiometrists/Speech-Language Assistants
Sandy Anderson, Victoria Clemons & Sonia Nulle	Regional Administrative Assistants
Colleen Miller	Central Office Administrative Assistants
Jenny Ugolini	Executive Administrative Assistants
Sheila King	Chief Information Officer
Tony Chiaramonte	Human Resources Manager
Martha Condon	Director of Professional Learning
Sue Daker	Facilitator

Look for continued updates on our professional learning system through The Connection. If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Martha Condon, Director of Professional Learning, at ext. 14416.