In TouchA monthly update for

Green Hills AEA school administratorsand teachers

Green Hills AEA

April

201

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The Department of Education describes Iowa Core as “what students should know and be able to do in math, science, English language arts and social studies. The Iowa Core also

addresses 21st century skills in areas such as financial and technology literacy. These state standards provide Iowa students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders with a clear, common understanding of what students are expected to learn at every grade level, regardless of where they live.”

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has clarified the state’s commitment to Iowa Core in his Executive Order #83, dated Oct.18, 2013. The standards establish what Iowa students need to learn, but not how to teach. Local schools and teachers continue to create lesson plans and tailor instruction to fit the needs of their students. For further clarification on the Iowa Core and Common Core, click here for the Iowa DE website link.

Contact Debra Johnsen

Missouri Valley Regional Office

712-642-4112 • 800-432-5804

djohnsen@ghaea.org

Currently, the Iowa Core Network has established two work teams to streamline the Iowa Core portion of the C Plan. One team is charged with “slimming down” the current Iowa Core Plan to approximately 15 questions, eliminating the redundancy of the questions. The second team will create a series of informational webinars to help guide Iowa Core Teams through the process of updating a district’s plan. Iowa Core plans will still be due Sept. 15, 2014. Hopefully this year will be less painful! Click here to check out the Core Standards website, a compilation of Common Core resources for administrators, teachers, and parents.

Click here for more on Iowa Core and resources available through Green Hills AEA.

An Iowa Core update from Debra Johnsen, GHAEA Iowa Core lead

“Local schools and teachers continue to

create lesson plans and tailor instruction

to fit the needs of their students.”

GHAEA’s Journey to Excellence program in the spotlight at Illinois New Teacher Collaborative ConferenceConnie Richardson, Green Hills AEA school improvement consultant, was invited by the Iowa State Education Assoc. (ISEA) to present at the 9th Annual Illinois New Teacher Collaborative Conference, Feb. 24 - 26. The group presenting the two Critical Issue Sessions included Marlin Jeffers, Northwest AEA, and Pat Shipley, ISEA (co-trainer with Connie). “We’re always excited to share what we’ve learned in our work with the Journey to Excellence Mentoring and Induction Program,” said Richardson. Richardson said participants’ interest was especially high in these areas: action research design of the Learning Projects; the fact that Journey to Excellence is a standards-based program (Iowa Teaching Standards) and the process of the Learning Projects can be adapted to other state’s teaching standards; the training provided for mentors with Learning-Focused Relationships, and the collaboration of ISEA and the Iowa Department of Education on this program. “One of our participants thanked us again for the information their district team was taking from our

presentation to improve their own district mentoring and induction program,” she said. On feedback requested about their presentation, one wrote: “Brilliant description of the mentoring process in Iowa. The use of action research to both

encourage and assess growth is, quite possibly, the answer to a key issue in my program.” Journey to Excellence is a two-year mentoring and induction program designed to provide in-depth development of mentor skills through the use of Wellman/Lipton’s Learning Focused Relationships and a two-year sequence of action-research-based learning projects as the core content for the focused work of mentor and beginning educator. The design of the mentor training emphasizes skill acquisition and utilization of essential communication skills and formative feedback for the beginning educator through in-depth training and practice. Mentors utilize formative assessment strategies to assist

beginning educators in working toward a standard license and achieving competency in state standards. Through GHAEA’s Journey to Excellence program, Richardson and Shipley are working with mentors, supporting more than 210 first-year beginning educators and nearly as many second-year teachers this year alone. They are in their 15th year as co-trainers for AEA 13 and now GHAEA.

The design of the mentor training emphasizes skill acquisition and

utilization of essential communication skills and formative feedback for the beginning educator through in-depth

training and practice.

2 . . . April 2014 In Touch

See what’s new in the

2014 GHAEA Summer Course Catalog! New features include a separate page for each course

that lists important course information and links to Mapquest (directions to class location), complete

syllabus, instructor screencast/video about the course (if available), and graduate enrollment forms

for NWMSU and Viterbo (if applicable).

Click here to start learning!

Community members bring history to life, hope for the future Tri-Center Middle SchoolHistory comes to life for eighth grade students at Tri-Center Middle School, thanks to community members and reading/language arts teachers Brenda Chmelka and Nyra Sondag. Traverse Hall, 89 years old and a World War II veteran, has been speaking for several years to students about his service. Hall served under Gen. George Patton and helped to liberate three concentration camps. He was later assigned to guard the castle of Hermann Goring, a leading member of the Nazi Party. Students are invited to get up close and personal as Hall shares several mementos, including his Bronze Star, an authentic Nazi flag, pictures of Gen. Patton and personal items that belonged to Goring. Hall lives in Neola, IA, where he retired as bank president and board president of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. He and his wife, who has passed, raised five children, one of whom is GHAEA school psychologist Rachel Eikenberry. “The students leave with a better understanding of what it was like to be a soldier during WWII,” said Chmelka. Another community member who shares her life story is Bea Karp, a Holocaust survivor. She revisits the events leading up to her family’s deporation to a work camp. Karp describes her encounters with the Nazis -- the physical and mental struggles she experienced before, during and after the war. In late 1940, Karp and her family were taken to a work camp in France. Later, she and her sister were sent to a convent where they were given French names and ID cards. They hid there until the war was over. Following WWII, Karp moved to England, then came to the U.S. where she married and raised four children in the Midwest. Karp provides insight into what life was like in Europe during this historical time, Chmelka said. “Students leave with a message of hope for the future.”

In the SpotlightWould you like your school In the Spotlight?

Contact Denise Fricke, dfricke@ghaea.org, 712-322-7354, 800-432-5804 or click here to submit a story idea.

Two students with ties to GHAEA were among 20 Iowans invited to a dedication ceremony of a statue in honor of Norman Borlaug, March 26, at the National Statutory Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Borlaug, an Iowa native and a Nobel Peace Prize scientist, created the World Food Prize to honor agriculture science advancements that combat hunger worldwide. The students, including Adam Riesselman and Addie Hall Thompson, were selected because they “represent the kind of next-generation leaders who will shape science, policy, discourse ad humanitarianism in the years to come,” writes The Des Moines Register’s Daniel P. Finney.

Traverse Hall and Bea Karp hope to keep history alive by sharing their memories, experiences of WW II.

Riesselman, a graduate of Ar-We-Va High School (Westside, IA), is now a senior at Drake Univ. studying biochemistry. In high school, he led a native prairie recon-struction project on the school’s grounds, harvesting seeds from Iowa prairie plants and writing grants to fund the project. His interest in the world of science began early. “We always planted a garden, so I got this feel of the food on the table and the larger production in the farm as a whole,” he said. “It really drove the power of science home to me, how all of these things were possible by using science to produce higher-yielding seeds.”

Following in Borlaug’s footsteps

Riesselman

Story continues on page 5

3 . . . April 2014 In Touch

Teen Health and Wellness, a resource for secondary students Deanna Etherington, GHAEA media specialistIowa AEA Online contains fourteen great resources for use in the classroom, including Teen Health and Wellness. Teen Health and Wellness provides secondary students with nonjudgmental, straightforward, standards-aligned, curricular and self-help support. Topics include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, green living, online safety, financial literacy, and more. Each article in Teen Health and Wellness is divided into several readable sections. Articles may contain relevant information about that particular topic, myths and facts about the topic, interactive features such as videos or online calculators, and personal advice from a psychologist who answers student questions weekly. Articles will also contain links to additional resources, a customized glossary of terms, and hotline information. The hotline information within the pro-gram has been adapted to include Iowa hotlines as well as national hotlines on various topics. To the right is an example of a screen shot on the topic of alcohol. Teen Health and Wellness includes many resources on prevent-ing and stopping bullying. Educators may download a Stop Bullying Tool Kit by clicking on the “Librarian/Educator Resources” link at the bottom of each page. The toolkit includes Stop Bullying posters, bookmarks, a PowerPoint presentation and other resources on the topic. Students and educators may also download a mobile version of Teen Health and Wellness for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch in the same Librarian/Educator area.

Iowa’s AEAs impact the lives of children, families and

teachers. Click here to read life-changing stories.

May 1 Principals’ Meetings

East Region, 9 a.m. to noon, Creston South Region, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Red Oak

North Region, 12:30 to 3 p.m., Harlan

If you have questions regarding Teen Health or other Iowa AEA Online resources, or to request training, contact Deanna Etherington, detherington@ghaea.org, Halverson Center.

Iowa AEA Online resources are paid for by GHAEA and provided free to schools served by GHAEA.

Here’s your ticket!

Let the GHAEA Copy Center assist with design and copy work for your school’s prom, graduationand other events!

Fast, quality work!

Economically priced!

Call the Copy Center today at 800-432-5804 or 712-366-0503!

4 . . . April 2014 In Touch

Don’t forget the group discounts being offered for this year’s Southwest Iowa Google Summit, June 23-24, Glenwood. 10-19 registered per district is $90/person20 or more registered per district is $80/personIndividual registration is $100/person through June 16; $125 after June 16Contact Debbie Hayes (dhayes@ghaea.org), Creston Regional Office.

Click here for more information and to register!

April is National Occupational Therapy Month, a time to recognize

the many services and resources occupational therapists (OT)

provide to local schools. GHAEA occupational therapists

specialize in the evaluation and treatment of students, birth

to 21. They provide services to infants, up to three years of age,

who have or are at risk for developmental displays and to school-age

students who have motor or sensori-motor challenges that impact their

participation in educational activities.

In addition, they collaborate with parents and school teams to provide

strategies that maximize self-help and fine motor function in the home

and school settings.

OT services may be required for problems or delays in areas such as

daily living, educational and work activities, and play and leisure -- if these

problems interfere in the student’s ability to participate in school related

activities. For more on the GHAEA OT program, click here.

‘Borlaug’ continuesWhen he graduates from Drake this spring, Riesselman will head to Harvard to further his bioinformatics studies. “The goal is to make the best possible contribution to science,” he said. Riesselman is the son of Mark and Kim Riesselman, the former a teacher associate for GHAEA. Addie Hall Thompson is the daughter of Verlaine Hall, a long-time math instructor at Hamburg CSD. She earned a degree in genetics from Iowa State and went on to study plant science at the Univ. of Minnesota. Thompson was a 2002 Borlaug-Ruan intern who studied at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. The work opened her eyes to the vastness of human experience. She stayed in touch with Borlaug during her studies. “He was a very humble man, but he was very passionate about education. He was always interested in learning new things. He’s an inspiration,” she said.

Hall Thompson

Our occupational therapy group will be sending our teachers a tip each month over the school year. The O.T. from your school will send the tip to teachers in the district. If we have missed a teacher in your district please let us know. For more intervention ideas please visit the website at ghaea.org. Look for Occupational Therapy under Diverse Learning, which is located under Programs & Services or click the link below! Occupational Therapy on GHAEA Website

To request collaboration for your classroom or a specific student please find our form on the website above and email or van mail to the occupational therapist at your school.

Green Hills AEA

O.T. Occupational Therapy

Tip of the Month

Green Hills Occupational Therapists are from left: Amy Whipp, Jill Clayton, Michele Harrison, Cheryl

Mulligan, Julie Williams, Cheryl Case, Kim Madsen, and Martin Mulligan.

November 2013

Why?

Occupational Therapy Tip of the Month

We want to encourage communication between therapists and teachers,

answer questions to common questions in Tier I under RtI, and provide quick simple

solutions for busy teachers.

GHAEA OTs: Amy Whipp, Jill Clayton, Michele Harrison, Cheryl Mulligan, Julie Williams, Cheryl Case, Kim Madsen, Martin Mulligan

National

Occupational

Therapy

Month

20

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5 . . . April 2014 In Touch

Stay In TouchIn Touch is a monthly e-newsletter for school administrators and teachers served by Green Hills AEA. Throughout the year, we’ll introduce you to GHAEA staff who will be working in your districts, keep you abreast of upcoming trainings that may be of interest to you and your staff and feature AEA services and programs. If there’s something you’d like to see in In Touch, e-mail dfricke@ghaea.org or click here to submit a story idea.

The mission of Green Hills AEA is to collaboratively advocate for families, communities and schools to help them achieve their goals by providing dedicated professional consultation and quality system-wide supports.

Equity statement: Green Hills AEA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity in its employment practices or on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or economic status in its educational programs and activities, or as otherwise prohibited by statute or regulation. For more information concerning application of this statement or the grievance procedure contact Lori Kinyon, Equity Coordinator, Green Hills AEA, 257 Swan St., Creston, IA 50801, lkinyon@ghaea.org, 800-432-5804.

April 15: Tiered Math K-3, Red Oak AEAApril 17: Civic Oration Contest, Halverson CenterApril 22: GHAEA board meeting, Red Oak AEAMay 1: Principal Meeting East, 9 a.m. to noon, Creston AEAMay 1: Principal Meeting South, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Red Oak AEAMay 1: Principal Meeting North, 12:30 to 3 p.m., Harlan AEAMay 7: Superintendents Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Red Oak AEAMay 8: Civic Oration State Contest, Halverson CenterMay 13: Tiered Math K-3, Red Oak AEAMay 15: Tiered Algebra I, Red Oak AEAMay 27: GHAEA board meeting, Red Oak AEA

On the calendarAs educators, we are constantly striving to learn new skills and strategies that will improve student achievement. Green Hills AEA programs are coordinated to enhance the professional, personal, and organizational staff development needs of LEA and AEA staff. These include license renewal and graduate credit courses and informational workshops.

For more information, visit the GHAEA calendar link

at http://www.ghaea.org

https://www.facebook.com/ghaea.org

“Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.” ~ Confucius

6 . . . April 2014 In Touch