Our Mission 
To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities. 

Our Goals 
• Increase learning growth for students 
• Decrease the gap in achievement 
• Increase annual graduation rates 
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success

Looking Ahead – Agency Winter Break Schedule

Mark your calendars for Winter Break Schedule:

• Heartland AEA offices will be closed from Dec. 24, 2018 through Jan. 1, 2019. 
• Offices will reopen on Jan. 2, 2019.

Reminder: Complete All-Staff Meeting Survey

Please take a few minutes to offer your feedback and comments about this year's All-Staff Meeting. Your responses will help us plan for future meetings. Please respond by Oct. 12. Thank you for your participation! 

All-Staff Meeting Survey 

Lost & Found 

Black Anne Klein jacket found in the flu shot area

Still unclaimed from last year's All-Staff Meeting: Denim jacket

Still unclaimed from last year's meeting: Denim shirt

It’s Fire Prevention Week: Look. Listen. Learn.

National Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on Oct. 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on Oct. 9, 1871.   

According to popular legend, the fire broke out after a cow - belonging to Mrs. Catherine O'Leary - kicked over a lamp, setting first the barn, then the whole city on fire. Chances are you've heard some version of this story yourself; people have been blaming the Great Chicago Fire on the cow and Mrs. O'Leary, for more than 130 years. But recent research by Chicago historian Robert Cromie has helped to debunk this version of events.  

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which Oct. 9 falls. According to the National Archives and Records Administration's Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. The President of the United States has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week every year since 1925.   

How can you prevent fires? The National Fire Protection Association offers some basic tips: 

• Watch your cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave - even for a short time - turn off the stove. 
• Give space heaters space. Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep. 
• Smoke outside. Ask smokers to smoke outside. Have sturdy, deep ashtrays for smokers.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach. Keep matches and lighters up high, out of reach of young children, preferably in a cabinet with a child lock. o Inspect electrical cords. Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections. 
• Be careful when using candles. Keep candles at least one foot from anything that can burn. Blow out candles when you leave the room or go to sleep. 
• Have a home fire escape plan. Make a home fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year. 
• Install smoke alarms. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. 
• Test smoke alarms. Test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace batteries once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old. 
• Install sprinklers. If you are building or remodeling your home, install residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive. 

For more information, visit the NFPA's website.

Oct. 2018 School Leader Update Now Available

The Oct. 2018 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

Oct. 2018 Iowa Board of Educational Examiners’ Newsletter Available

The Oct. 2018 quarterly newsletter from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners’ newsletter is now available.

New Dyslexia Task Force Formed, Orton Announced as Member

Last week Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced members of a new state task force that will study the needs of students with dyslexia. 

The Dyslexia Task Force, established as part of Senate File 2360, will consider issues such as student screening, interventions, teacher preparation and professional development, classroom accommodations, and assistive technology. Recommendations are due by Nov. 15, 2019. 

“Dyslexia impacts thousands of children across the state, and I’m excited about this opportunity to bring together a group of knowledgeable, passionate Iowans to help make progress in meeting our students’ needs,” Wise said. “This work also aligns with Iowa’s early literacy initiative to ensure all students are reading on grade level by the end of third grade.” 

Task force members are: 
Lonna Anderson, Great Prairie Area Education Agency 
Helen Blitvich, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Amy Conrad, University of Iowa 
Amy Dahlke, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Sue Etscheidt, University of Northern Iowa 
Katie Greving, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Elizabeth Hoksbergen, Apples of Gold Center for Learning, Inc. 
Erin Klopstad, Nevada Community School District 
Cindy Lewis, Pleasant Valley Community School District 
Kristin Orton, Heartland Area Education Agency 
Deborah Reed, Iowa Reading Research Center 
Kim Schmidt, Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Community School District 
David Tilly, Iowa Department of Education

Six Iowa Schools Named National Blue Ribbon Schools; Johnston’s Summit Middle School Honored

Six Iowa schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.   

The schools are: 

• Center Point-Urbana High School, Center Point-Urbana Community School District 
• Hospers Elementary School, MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District 
• Resurrection Elementary School (Dubuque), Holy Family Catholic Schools 
• Sergeant Bluff-Luton Senior High School, Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District 
• Summit Middle School, Johnston Community School District 
• Tilford Elementary School, Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District 

“Blue Ribbon schools take a holistic approach to education, and this is critical to ensuring the success of their students in and beyond school,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said.   

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.    

Now in its 36th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,800 schools. On November 7 and 8, the Secretary and the Department of Education will celebrate with all honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.   

All schools are honored in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates: 

• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. 
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years.  

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). 

Reminder: Early Notification Incentive Again Offered to Certified Union & Management Staff

Last year Heartland AEA filled 45 vacancies in the Certified Union and Management staff employee groups. It has been to the Agency’s advantage to enter the recruitment cycle as early as possible.  


For 2018-19, the Heartland AEA Board of Directors has again approved an Early Notification Incentive for staff who have a signed contract and who notify Heartland AEA of their intent to not renew their contract for the 2019-20 school year by Dec. 7, 2018. Details are listed below.



Early Notification Incentive Process & Requirements 

• Certified Union and Management staff who do not plan to return to Heartland AEA for the 2019-20 school year submit early notification letters of resignation that are effective at the end of the 2018-19 work year. 
• Early notification letters must be received in the Human Resources Department by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2018. 
• Heartland AEA’s Board of Directors acts on early notification letters no later than the regular meeting on Dec. 11, 2018. 
• Departing staff must fulfill their individual employment contract obligations for the 2018-19 work year. 

Early Notification Incentive 

• A $1,500 early notification incentive will be paid on June 30, 2019, to employees fulfilling these requirements. 

If you have any questions about the early notification incentive, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Director of Human Resources, at ext. 14534.

Oct. 2018 Heartland AEA Board of Directors Meeting Agenda Available

The agenda for the Oct. 9, 2018 Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting is available.

Reminder: Teacher Quality Stipends set for 2018-19

The Teacher Quality (TQ) stipend for participating in a 15-hour class or study group this year will be $700. Study group facilitators will be paid $750 and course instructors will receive their per diem. Addendum pay for TQ is generated once the instructor closes out the class or study group. This usually takes 1-4 weeks. 

If you have any questions about your TQ pay, contact Kevin Fangman, Chief Academic Officer. Pay addendum for completed TQ opportunities is being generated this week.

Tech Tip of the Week – Using the Spacebar to Unmute Your Mic in Zoom

This week’s Tech Tip highlights a new feature in Zoom that allows you to unmute your microphone by pressing and holding the spacebar.