Heartland Area Education Agency

08/28/2026

𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 & 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿!

Wondering about recent legislation and its impact on your district's gifted & talented program? 🧠 💡🔍 🔬Bring a teammate to this workshop that guides school teams through the essential components required for fall submission of the Gifted and Talented Plan in the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA).

Together, we'll:
✳ Translate best practices and recent legislative changes into your school’s context.
✳ Address required gifted & talented program components like program goals and performance measures, identification procedures that use multiple criteria, both objective and subjective, and acceleration policies.

By the end of the day, your team will be equipped to submit a high-quality program plan and will leave with aligned handbook materials ready to better serve your gifted students. 🌟🎓💡

✳ Sept. 10 in Ottumwa, Sept. 21 in Johnston OR Sept. 24 in Cedar Falls

Register now: www.aealearningonline.org

08/27/2026

📣 Big news for Iowa educators!

Iowa's AEAs are launching a newly refreshed statewide professional learning platform this fall, bringing all local, statewide and in-district learning opportunities into one single platform at www.aealearningonline.org.

Upcoming registerable sessions for the academic year are already live! Here is what you need to know about the transition:

✳️ 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗴. 𝟯𝟭: Courses completed on or before this date will finish in the existing system.

✳️ 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗴. 𝟯𝟭: Courses wrapping up after this date will be completed in the newly updated platform.

Questions or need help navigating the changes? Reach out to the Support Desk team at (515) 473-7164 or email [email protected].

08/21/2026

Iowa’s AEAs are once again bringing educators together from every corner of the state through our FREE AEA Learning Networks! Whether you want to swap classroom strategies, master new digital tools or simply build your professional support system, these collaborative groups are designed for you.

Connect across district lines, expand your skill set and tap into valuable AEA resources in your field.

🔹 Curriculum Directors
🔹 English Learners
🔹 Instructional Technology
🔹 School Counselors
🔹 SEBH MTSS/PBIS
🔹 Talented & Gifted/Extended Learning
🔹 Teacher Librarians
🔹 Technology Directors

👉 Ready to jump in? Click the link below to view dates and times.

🔗 https://bit.ly/4g9TynC

08/19/2026

✨ Together for a powerful start to the year! ✨

Last week our staff gathered under one roof for our annual All-Staff Meeting! It was a great day filled with connection, celebration and shared learning as we gear up to support students, families and educators across central Iowa.

We presented our years of service awards to those celebrating milestone years of service, and gave big props to Patty Shelton and Dave Wood for reaching 35 years of service! 🌟🌟

A highlight of the day was an inspiring keynote from Sarah Updegraff Murray, who reminded us of the impact of small actions—encouraging everyone to lean into the "little things" that can make a monumental difference in someone's life. 💕

Staff is recharged, renewed and ready to make a difference this school year! 💜💚

08/13/2026

It's almost time for back-to-school, so it's time for a new Library Connection newsletter! Read more about:

📕Our library staff
📘 Our AEA digital resources bundle
📙 Our library offerings such as theme orders and book rotation
📗 Our Teacher Librarian Network Day coming on Sept. 22!

https://bit.ly/3TM49MF

Heartland AEA Library Connection

08/12/2026

We ❤️ helping little learners grow!

08/11/2026

🎉 Help us welcome the newest members of the Heartland AEA team! 🎉

Today, we held our annual new staff orientation for certified staff and welcomed over 40 new team members! These talented individuals will be providing essential special education and educational services to support students, families and educators across central Iowa.

Photos: During today's session, our new colleagues heard from Chief Administrator Cindy Yelick, learned about growth opportunities from Director of Internal Professional Learning Martha Condon and gained valuable advice from a panel of current Heartland AEA staff: Emma Klocke, Megan Pudenz, Jamie Jo Hatchitt and Andrew Anderson.

Welcome to the team—we're glad you're here! 💜💚 The future's so bright, they had to wear shades!! 😎😎

07/31/2026

It’s a great day to celebrate the difference our staff members make in the schools we serve! 💜💚🧠

A shout-out to school psychologist, Cara Heisler, for her outstanding work and dedication! Jess Streit, a Special Education Teacher at Maple Grove Elementary in Waukee Community School District, reached out to share some words about the impact Cara made this past school year:

"I wanted to take a moment to share how exceptional Cara was as a school psychologist in our building. Cara is an incredibly clear communicator, highly supportive, solutions-focused and deeply knowledgeable. She brings awareness and professionalism to every situation and is an outstanding collaborator. I have learned so much from working alongside her.

Most importantly, her work directly improves student learning and outcomes. Our students are better supported and more successful because of her dedication and expertise."

Thank you, Cara, for bringing your expertise, professionalism and passion to work every single day. Our schools and students are so lucky to have you! 🏫✨

07/29/2026

We are proud to celebrate our own who are making an impact across the state! 🌟

Join us in celebrating Kinzey Nicklaus, Lauren Daniels, Laura Phipps, Beth Dedic and Shalee Torrence (Beth and Shalee not pictured). These five dedicated staff members serve on the Iowa School Social Workers Association - ISSWA board of directors. School social workers are the heartbeat of student mental health, emotional support and school community well-being.

Thank you, team, for your leadership, your commitment to your profession and for representing Heartland AEA on a statewide level! 👏👏

07/23/2026

Giving back feels so good! 💜💚

A shoutout to Heartland AEA staffers Shannon Corkrean, Shelby Marvin, Jess Ihrke, Kari Turnis, Janelle Vanderah and Sue Swim (first photo) and Mackenzie
Nilles, Emily Evers, Jill Caltrider, Kris Larsen, Mary Echterling, Amy Walter and Kristin Po***ck (second photo), who used their volunteer time at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa.

This first group whipped up three delicious pasta dishes and packed dozens of grab-and-go trail mix bags, and the second group made numerous sweet treats to support families staying at the house. 🍝🥜🧁🍪

Thank you to these staff members for putting Heartland AEA’s values into action and showing up for our community! 🫶✨