If you need to reach our staff, please consult our staff directory.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Green Hills AEA Offices Closed - Staff Working From Home
Our agency offices will be closed until further notice in response to public health recommendations by Governor Reynolds and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Green Hills AEA staff are continuing to work from home to ensure that we can continue to serve and support our districts and students during this time. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Advice for Talking to Children About COVID-19 From the Iowa Department of Education
The Iowa Department of Public Health has published guidelines to help assist in talking to children about COVID-19. Those guidelines can be found HERE.
Media Services and Van Delivery Update
SCOUT and Iowa AEA Online are available 24/7 to teachers and students. Links to SCOUT and AEA Online can be found HERE or on the online resources webpage. If you need assistance or username and passwords, please email Julia Hood or any of our digital learning consultants.
All media resources that teachers have scheduled between March 16 and March 27 (possibly longer depending on the school's status) will be canceled. Teachers will need to go in and reschedule items that they still want to use. If you need assistance when your building reopens, please contact Media Scheduling.
All media resources that teachers have scheduled between March 16 and March 27 (possibly longer depending on the school's status) will be canceled. Teachers will need to go in and reschedule items that they still want to use. If you need assistance when your building reopens, please contact Media Scheduling.
Van mail and deliveries are not running at this time until further notice.
Professional Learning Opportunities Cancelled Until Further Notice
In response to recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Green Hills AEA has suspended all professional learning offerings effective immediately until further notice. Each week, the Green Hills COVID-19 Task Force is working on this issue to provide further guidance regarding future offerings.
Current Canceled Courses include:
Other regional cancellations:
Current Canceled Courses include:
- Early Childhood Institutes
- LETRS training
- REWARDS
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Early Childhood Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Year 1
- Paraeducator Recertification Bootcamp
Other regional cancellations:
- The Iowa ASCD Spring Academy
- Speaking of Children Luncheon and Conference by Project Harmony
Rachel's Challenge Event Cancelled
At this time we will be canceling our Rachel's Challenge Event for April 1st in Red Oak. We hope to reschedule at a later date and will update participants should this occur.
Professional Learning Payment Update
Effective July 1, 2020, Green Hills AEA will no longer accept personal checks for professional learning workshops/courses. Participants will need to pay online with a credit/debit card or provide purchase order information to invoice the district when registering for a workshop/course.
Green Hills AEA will continue to accept district checks for professional learning workshops/courses.
Please contact Michelle Lidgett, mlidgett@ghaea.org, if you have any questions.
Green Hills AEA will continue to accept district checks for professional learning workshops/courses.
Please contact Michelle Lidgett, mlidgett@ghaea.org, if you have any questions.
PreK - 4th Grade Teacher Handwriting Survey
The intent of this survey is to collect information regarding the dynamics of handwriting instruction occurring in Green Hills Area Education Agency's early learning and elementary classrooms. For the purpose of this survey please refer to handwriting as the formal instruction of letter formation including pre-writing strokes and individual strokes that make up a letter. This data will be used to determine teacher and student need.
Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Awards
Nomination forms for the Charles E. Lakin Teacher Awards given annually to outstanding southwest Iowa public school teachers are available online at www.ghaea.org and are funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation.
For the 13th year, anyone can nominate an instructor for a $10,000 award from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakin's home town of Emerson.
For the 13th year, anyone can nominate an instructor for a $10,000 award from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakin's home town of Emerson.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award Nominations
Nomination forms for the Charles E. Lakin Teacher Awards given annually to outstanding southwest Iowa public school teachers are available online at www.ghaea.org and are funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation.
For the 13th year, anyone can nominate an instructor for a $10,000 award from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakin's home town of Emerson.
For the 13th year, anyone can nominate an instructor for a $10,000 award from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakin's home town of Emerson.
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
Check out the GHAEA Professional Learning Catalog for summer course listings - courses are added as they are approved!
April 2, April 20, May 7, May 18 - Halverson Center
June 2 - Zoom Video Call
Course #160693 - Click the link to register
Yoga For Teachers: How to Use Yoga & Meditation in the Classroom
March 20, March 21 - Red Oak AEA Office
Course #167702 - Click the link to register
LETRS Training: Modules 7-8-9
March 23, March 24, April 16, April 17 - Red Oak AEA Office
Course #181805 - Click the link to register
Course #181805 - Click the link to register
LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling) recently earned the International Dyslexia Association’s Accreditation (valid for five years)! Click here to read more detailed information.
Digital Poster Contest Closes Friday (3/13)
Don't forget to have your students submit their digital works of art! The contest closes Friday, March 13th!
Requirements:
-Posters should be 24x36 inches (portrait or landscape)
-Posters must be digital, no physical posters will be accepted. If you aren't sure what program to use, we suggest www.canva.com
-Posters must be school appropriate
One winner will be chosen from each category: elementary, middle school, and high school.
The winners will each receive a printed adhesive poster for display at their school provided by Green Hills AEA. The winning artwork will be featured on the Green Hills AEA website homepage for the month of April. It will also be featured during the Green Team's presentation to all Green Hills AEA staff in August.
PLEASE NOTE: Only PDF and image files will be accepted. Any submitted files that are unable to be opened will be disqualified.
To submit your poster, please fill out this Google Form
Please feel free to share this opportunity with your students via this flyer.
School Social Worker Appreciation Week
Green Hills AEA school social workers:
- Sarah Esser
- Diane Goetzmann
- Lora Hight
- Leah Olson
- Lois Schreur
- Teena Seguin
- Sandi Sickels
- Sara Tangeman
- Audrey Wheeler
Iowa Graduation Rate Reaches Record High
Iowa’s high school graduation rate climbed to a record high of 91.6 percent in 2019, continuing a trend of long-term growth across nearly all groups of students, including those from diverse backgrounds, according to new data from the Iowa Department of Education.
Final Carla J. Nigro Spirit Award Nominations Open
The Carla J. Nigro Spirit Award Committee is now seeking nominations for the 2019-20 Carla J. Nigro Spirit Award. This will be the final award presented by the committee in Carla’s honor. Please help us celebrate Carla by recognizing someone who shares the spirit of making a difference in the lives of others.
Carla was a School Psychologist at Loess Hills AEA 13 who had an enthusiasm for life. Carla lost her life to cancer in September 2010 but will always be remembered for her great spirit in the way she demonstrated a positive outlook, a friendly nature, a selfless attitude, and a passion for helping others.
This award is given to acknowledge a Green Hills AEA Special Education Representative (school psychologist, school social worker, or special education consultant) who exemplifies Carla's spirit in their daily work with students, parents, teachers, and coworkers. The recipient of this award will receive a gift certificate, a plaque to honor their commitment to others and will be acknowledged by peers at a GHAEA Professional Learning Team meeting.
Additional information can be found in the nomination form. Nominations should be submitted by March 31, 2020.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this award. We appreciate your support over the last ten years.
Carla was a School Psychologist at Loess Hills AEA 13 who had an enthusiasm for life. Carla lost her life to cancer in September 2010 but will always be remembered for her great spirit in the way she demonstrated a positive outlook, a friendly nature, a selfless attitude, and a passion for helping others.
This award is given to acknowledge a Green Hills AEA Special Education Representative (school psychologist, school social worker, or special education consultant) who exemplifies Carla's spirit in their daily work with students, parents, teachers, and coworkers. The recipient of this award will receive a gift certificate, a plaque to honor their commitment to others and will be acknowledged by peers at a GHAEA Professional Learning Team meeting.
Additional information can be found in the nomination form. Nominations should be submitted by March 31, 2020.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this award. We appreciate your support over the last ten years.
– Carla J. Nigro Spirit Award Committee
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