November/December 2014 | Volume 34 - Issue 8 | www.gwaea.org

A Resource for Educators in Area 10 Published by Grant Wood AEAOur mission: To ensure success for all learners

The Linker is published monthly for Area 10 educators by the Communications Office, Grant Wood Area Education Agency, (319) 399-6700 or 800-332-8488. Views expressed in The Linker are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect Grant Wood AEA policy. No permission is necessary to reproduce contents unless otherwise noted. Administrator: Joe Crozier • Editor: Valerie Taylor Hill • Layout/Design: Andrea Castek

Grant Wood Area Education Agency extends equal opportunities in its employment practices, educational programs and services, and does not discriminate on the basis of color, gender, race, national origin, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status or as otherwise prohibited by law. If you believe you or your child has been discriminated against or treated unjustly, please contact the Agency’s Equity Coordinator, Maria Cashman, at 319-399-6847 or 800-332-8488, Grant Wood AEA, 4401 Sixth St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.

Grant Wood AEA Mission: To ensure success for all learners.

Grant Wood AEA Goals: 1. Increase the academic performance of all learners.

2. Increase the percentage of students who perform at the proficient level.

3. Increase student acquisition and application of 21st century skills and knowledge.

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earning Outcomes Fo r Every Student

Celeb rating 40 Years!

A Common Platform for Addressing Special Behavior ChallengesWhen the U.S. Department of Education suggested Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as a proactive approach to teach students about expected behaviors- and to reward students for meeting those expectations – the lo-cal school districts turned to their Area Education Agency for support and training for PBIS.

“PBIS is a framework for student behavior, and each team takes that framework and implements it in their building,” said Jill Weigel, Grant Wood AEA regional administrator and supervisor of the behavior teams. “Our team’s goal is to rein-force the consistent use of research-based behavioral and ac-ademic instructional strategies among all school staff so we can improve individual student performance.”

Seventy-two percent of districts in the Grant Wood AEA ser-vice area are involved in PBIS training currently, and the agency is gradually adding more districts to the list. “Most buildings are seeing that PBIS makes a difference for dis-cipline referrals, and that means these kids are getting to spend more time in classrooms for instruction. That’s our ul-timate goal,” said Weigel.

The Special Education Behavior Team at Grant Wood Area Education Agency includes 12 people with varying special-izations to address student behavior, who provide training in the use of school-wide positive behavioral supports for prevention of behavioral issues and to enhance the learn-ing environment. They instruct teachers and administrators on using the PBIS framework for behavior, which includes a three-tiered system of support, and a problem-solving pro-cess to address even the most challenging behaviors exhib-ited by students.

At its core, PBIS is about teaching, modeling, practicing, and rewarding appropriate behavior and having clear conse-quences for targeted behaviors. “It’s about taking all the great initiatives already implemented in the school and tying them together into a framework that works toward a common lan-guage, common practice, and consistent expectations for students,” said Weigel.

These same skills are applied outside the classroom as well. “We’ve started looking at PBIS programs for after-school pro-

grams hosted at schools and as a common language to help communicate with parents as well,” said Weigel. Many rural districts in the Grant Wood AEA service area are applying the program for all K-12 classes, while some larger districts are starting with institution up to the junior high level.

Ultimately, the outcomes of PBIS will be judged by the same measure as we use for other educational supports, she add-ed. “As much as possible, we want our special education be-havior students to have access to the same learning and op-portunities as all kids.”

Front Row: Teresa Grider-Baker (SSW, Behavior Coach), Kristi Miiller (Behavior Consultant/Challenging Behavior Team), Tammy McSweeney (SSW, Behavior Coach), Amy Graber (Behavior Consultant/Challenging Behavior Team), Nancy Veldhuizen (SSW, Behavior Coach). Back Row: Hannah Stokes (Behavior Consultant, Challenging Behavior Team), Katy Lee (SSW, Behavior Coach), Jake Vitense (Behavior Consultant/Challenging Behavior Team), Marti Hurst (SSW, Behavior Coach), Jill Weigel (Regional Administrator, Behavior Team Link), Susie Dale (Teacher - Offsite Programs, Behavior Coach) (Not pictured: Tammy Beener and Mary Andres, PBIS Coordinators)

Nov./Dec. 2014 • Grant Wood AEA • page 2

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Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Kaldenberg shares Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources with students at SolonKeeping staff and students updated on Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources is one of Kathy Kaldenberg’s many activi-ties as a PreK-12 media specialist with the Solon Community School District.

Kaldenberg explained that she frequently shares “just in time” information about Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources with the district’s educators and students. This includes distribut-ing online resources ID/passwords each year to district edu-cators.

“Each year, I present to our district’s new teach-ers showing them how to access the Grant Wood AEA and Iowa AEA Online resources,” Kaldenberg explained.

“This presentation helps create a familiarity be-tween the resources and classroom projects, and sharing which databases might be useful to sup-port these specific class-room projects.”

“For instance, several language arts classes use citations from data-bases,” she continued. “To support these class-room projects, I complete searches using EBSCO-host to accompany the articles. Then create web-pages with references to the online resources be-ing used. In this example, I’ve used EBSCOhost and Integrated One Search. However, we use whatever online re-source would be best for the specific project.”

“Often times, I might compose a search and save the search as a clickable website,” she continued. “It’s beneficial to inte-grate the online resource searches with classroom projects that the students are already doing.”

Kaldenberg explained that one example is a recent sixth-

grade astronomy assignment that resulted in use of the on-line resources for information exploration. “As I share with the students, find a topic that you want to know more about, ask a question and complete exploration of an interest area.”

Kaldenberg explained that the online resources are often used to support the curriculum resources that the students are already using. “If students have a set of resources they are suppose to use for a project, the online resources can be used to supplement their research. EBSCOhost video tutori-

als can be used as a way to obtain cita-tions, creating an easy bibliography.”

“We believe in ‘just in time’ learning and do a good job of sharing Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources depend-

ing on the specific student project,” she continued. “I also like to point out to the students that the Online Re-sources are peer-reviewed resources, and that they will need to know how to use these resources as they transi-tion to college.”

“I continue to be impressed with Grant Wood AEA’s efforts to support our staff and students with outstanding online resources, the training to maxi-mize their use and marketing materi-als to promote them,” Kaldenberg said. “GWAEA staff solicit feedback and sug-

gestions and work hard to make the user experience a posi-tive one. Being able to tap into their expertise and obtain professional advice when I need it is a great help for me as a K-12 school librarian.”

For information about Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources, contact Kathleen Goslinga at Grant Wood AEA, kgoslinga@gwaea.org.

Kathy Kaldenberg

“We believe in ‘just in time’ learning and do a good job of

sharing Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources depending

on the specific student project.” -Kathy Kaldenberg, Solon CSD

Nov./Dec. 2014 • Grant Wood AEA • page 3

contact us | www.gwaea.org

Complete course informa-tion including course and workshop descriptions, fees, and payment/refund policies can be accessed on our web site www.gwaea.org.

Courses may be cancelled if minimum enrollments are not met. Register early to avoid class closings or cancellations.

ContactsSherry Sines Professional Development Coordinator319-399-6517 • 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6517ssines@gwaea.org

Tammy Carolan Secretary/Registrar319-399-6771 • 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6771tcarolan@gwaea.org

Chris AskSecretary/Registrar319-399-6767 • 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6767cask@gwaea.org

CRED

IT TY

PES R ..................Renewal

D-EDEX .....Drake Graduate Credit- Educational Extension

D-EDMA ..Drake Graduate Credit- Educational Masters

M ................Morningside Graduate CreditP ..................Paraeducator CertificationSA ...............Substitute AuthorizationSAR ............Substitute Authorization Renewal PR ...............Paraeducator Certification Renewal CDA .........Child Development Associate

Grant Wood AEA Professional Development Courses

Number Title Begin Credit

ParaeducatorsParaeducators, in partnership with licensed

educators, provide a key role in supporting and enhancing the education of children.

Become a certified paraeducator through

Grant Wood AEACompleting Paraeducator Certification through Grant Wood AEA provides you with opportunities to learn instructional strategies, professional skills and behavior management tools from experienced instructors and through collaborative learning with other paraeducators.

Classes are offered year round. For more information, contact GWAEA Professional Development at 319-399-6767 or www.gwaea.org and click on Professional Development.

19290-14-01 Hope, Engagement, and Well-being of America's Students 01/07/15

19290-14-02 Hope, Engagement, and Well-being of America's Students 01/07/15

19279-14-01 Significant Disabilities Webinar Miniseries: Importance of Routines 01/08/15

4739-14-03 Assistive Technology Academy for School Professionals: AT 101 and Reading/Writing Supports

01/12/15 R, D-EDMA, M

19295-14-02 Iowa I Plan Training 01/12/15

4630-14-02 Integrating the AEA Online Resources into your Classroom 01/14/15 R

19312-14-01 Collecting Behavioral Data: Progress Monitoring and Goal-Writing 01/26/15

4678-14-01 Making Movies in an iPad Classroom 01/27/15 R

4706-14-01 Teaching Mathematics in Preschool 01/28/15 R, D-EDEX, PR, CDA

19292-14-01 Sensory Modulation: The BrainWorks Approach for Addressing Difficult Behaviors in Children and Teens from a Sensory Perspective

01/29/15

4680-14-01 Collaborative Learning: Social Media and Learning in the Classroom 02/03/15 R, D-EDEX

19280-14-01 Significant Disabilities Webinar Miniseries: Active Learning 02/05/15

9303-14-03 Crisis Prevention Intervention Certification 02/06/15

19042-14-03 Practice with PODD 02/20/15

19275-14-02 Brain Function in the School Setting and Effective Classroom Strategies 02/24/15

9678-14-04 Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Re-certification 02/25/15

19288-14-01 Leading Innovative Change 03/04/15

19281-14-01 Significant Disabilities Webinar Miniseries: Calendar Use 03/05/15

19285-14-02 AEA 10 School Counselors' Network 03/06/15

19297-14-01 Fostering Social Understanding and Use of Social Skills in Elementary-Age Children with Moderate to Mild Autism and Other Social Cognitive Challenges

03/12/15

6350-14-02 Free and Easy Screencasting 03/13/15

19017-14-04 EdInsight Training 03/18/15

19272-14-01 Standards-Based Grading Conference 2015 03/30/15

4274-14-02 Cognitive Strategies for High Functioning Autism & Asperger's Disorders

03/31/15 R, M, PR

19304-14-01 What Can We Do About Bullying? 03/31/15

4612-14-02 Technology Integration Strategies to Enhance Learning 04/01/15 R, D-EDEX, PR, SAR

4610-14-02 Flip Your Classroom 04/02/15 R, D-EDMA, M

19276-14-01 Significant Disabilities Webinar Miniseries: Symbaloo Resources 04/02/15

9678-14-05 Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Re-certification - Autism 04/06/15

19312-14-02 Collecting Behavioral Data: Progress Monitoring and Goal-Writing 04/10/15

4685-14-02 Integration Strategies for Your Classroom Using Google Apps 04/20/15 R, D-EDMA, M, PR, SAR

19018-14-01 Building Bridges: Eastern Iowa Assistive Technology Conference 04/21/15

19006-14-02 Designing and Presenting Professional Development for Teachers 04/28/15

9678-14-06 Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Re-certification 04/28/15

19052-14-01 Your Child's Future... The Possibilities are Endless 04/30/15

9303-14-04 Crisis Prevention Intervention Certification 05/04/15

19283-14-01 Significant Disabilities Webinar Miniseries: Teacher Showcase 05/07/15

4681-14-02 Youtube in the Classroom 05/08/15 R, D-EDEX

19017-14-05 EdInsight Training 05/21/15

0839-14-01 Teacher @ Work - 2015 05/28/15 R

4618-14-02 iPads in the Preschool Classroom 06/02/15 R, PR, CDA

4678-14-02 Making Movies in an iPad Classroom 06/05/15 R

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Instructional Media/School Technology

New Resources in Media Center SymbalooVisit new resources in Symbaloo covering:

• Differentiated instruction

• RTI for gifted and talented individuals

• Bullying prevention• Critical thinking skills• Robots • Family and consumer science kits

Bookmark this web resource for convenient access to up-to-date tools and resources in the Grant Wood AEA Media Center: http://www.symbaloo.com/embed/gwaeamediacenter.

Six School Districts Recognized for Excellence in Digital Learning Six local school districts have been recognized through the Knovation Digital Learning Awards Program (netTrekker) for their digital learning. This award was established to honor school districts that effectively use digital resources to impact the teaching and learning environments.

Congratulations to this year’s award winning school districts from the Grant Wood AEA service area: Cedar Rapids, College Community, Iowa City, Linn-Mar, Marion and North-Linn. The winning districts have employed netTrekker to deliver educator-vetted, standards-aligned digital resources to students and teachers in their district.

Learn more about how you can better utilize Grant Wood AEA’s Online Resources, by contacting Kathleen Goslinga at kgoslinga@gwaea.org.

BookFLIX adds 5 New PairsBookFLIX has added five new pairs sets to their online tools. These New Paired Sets include (both a fiction and non-fiction book):

• And Then It’s Spring and How Do You Know It’s Spring?

• Bear Has a Story to Tell and How Do You Know It’s Winter?

• The Ant and the Grasshopper and Inside an Ant Colony

• Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct and Tyrannousaurus Rex

• The Librarian from the Black Lagoon and A Day with Librarian

BookFLIX (PreK-3) is an online literacy resource that pairs fictional video storybooks with related nonfiction books. Read-aloud feature provides accessibility to all readers. Vocabulary feature and interactive games extend student learning.

To learn more, contact your teacher librarian or Kathleen Goslinga, kgoslinga@gwaea.org.

Special Education B/DYour Site. Our Model.

KeBecca, formerly EduCare,

has been providing special education Level

III Behavior Disorder services at multiple

school sites in Iowa since 1998.

Cost EffectiveOne fee per classroom per year.

All Staff IncludedKeBecca recruits, employs, trains, and supervises all teachers and associates.

Comprehensive Data-Driven ModelAligned with Common Core.

1965 51st Street NE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402(319) 294-7038 www.kebecca.com

Kevin J. McCarville, Ph.D. Presidentkmccarville@kebecca.com

Call today for more information.

Summer hours7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. June – August*

*Summer hours are from the middle of June through the middle of August.

Regular hours7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. August – June*

*Regular hours are from the middle of August through the middle of June.

GWAEA Media Center Sixth Street Facility Hours

Nov./Dec. 2014 • Grant Wood AEA • page 5

contact us | www.gwaea.org

Instructional Media/School Technology

Get the most from the GWAEA Online ResourcesGrant Wood AEA currently provides 23-online resources at no-cost to our accredited public and non-public preK-12 schools.

Students and staff have access both at school and home, 24/7. These resources support student learning across all curricular areas.

To schedule professional development, inservice time, or training, contact Kathleen Goslinga, kgoslinga@gwaea.org or 319-399-6582, 800-332-8488 ext. 6582.

Iowa School LibrariesDid you know that there is a vision for Iowa School Libraries on the Iowa Department of Education’s web site? Check out the video testimonials for Iowa’s Vision for School Libraries.

Vision Points:

• Teach students to think critically and independently to construct new understandings and insights from varied information sources.

• Lead and embrace the integration of technology to enhance learning.

• Collaborate with the school community to design and enact rigorous learning experiences and participate as positive digital citizens.

• Maximize access to quality print and digital resources.

• Champion and support the reading life of students.

• Nurture curiosity to develop in students a passion for learning for life.

Deanna Weber, GWAEA media specialist, is available to provide support and resources for school libraries. Contact Deanna at 319-399-6454 or dweber@gwaea.org.

NetTrekker NovemberAre you looking for a tool to differentiate instruction and meet student’s individual learning needs?

NetTrekker is a safe educational search tool that delivers over 360,000 educator-selected digital content

resources to K-12 classrooms. Content is organized by grade level, reading level and is aligned with Iowa’s Core Curriculum to support lessons and motivate learning. Other features include: ELL/ESL, multimedia, learning aids (assessments, biographies, lesson plans, learning exercises and games, maps and primary source documents) along with the read aloud option for students.

For information, contact your building’s teacher librarian or Kathleen Goslinga, kgoslinga@gwaea.org.

Media Center late start

In the event of a late start or snow day, here are the procedures Grant Wood AEA staff will follow regarding the delivery and return of materials.

Deliveries

• Grant Wood AEA van drivers will make every effort to deliver to schools that have a late start.

• If they are not able to get in to the school and make the delivery, materials will be returned to the Media Center at Grant Wood AEA.

• Materials will be delivered on the next van date.

Returns

• The due back date for any materials that should have been returned but were not due to a late start or snow day will be extended to the next van delivery by GWAEA Media Center staff.

• It is not necessary to call and request an extension unless more time is needed.

For questions or assistance, please contact Customer Service at 319-399-6754 or 800-642-4107.

and snow day procedures

Nov./Dec. 2014 • Grant Wood AEA • page 6

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Instructional Media/School Technology

for program information: www.drake.edu/edl e thomas.buckmiller@drake.edu t 515-271-4989

Drake’s Master of Science in Education Leadership (Pre-k–12 School Principal Licensure) is known and respected by hiring school leaders across Iowa. The two-year graduate degree program is designed for professionals aspiring to take on a variety of leadership roles. A new cohort is forming in February 2015 at Grant Wood AEA!

Highlights of the program include: • Experienced faculty who have been successful school principals• Face-to-face weekend courses—only three weekends per course• Practice-based learning you can apply on the job from day one

Drake can take you places. Take a test drive with two introductory courses* for a reduced rate of $595 per class to see if the full program is right for you.

Visit www.drake.edu/edl for more information.

*These courses will transfer into the degree program.

Aspire. Achieve. Advance.Become a leader in your district.

for program information: www.drake.edu/edl e thomas.buckmiller@drake.edu t 515-271-4989

The next step… Experience the Drake difference.Master of Science in Education Leadership (PreK–12 School Principal Licensure)

New cohort forming in February at Grant Wood AEA! Drake’s Master of Science in Education Leadership is a two-year graduate degree program—known and respected by hiring school leaders across Iowa—designed for professionals aspiring to take on leadership roles: principals, associate/assistant principals, athletic directors, curriculum leaders, and more.

Highlights of the program include: • Experienced faculty who have been successful school principals• Face-to-face weekend courses—only three weekends per course• Practice-based learning you can apply on the job from day one

Drake can take you places. Take a test drive. Take our two introductory courses* for a reduced rate of $595 per class to see if the full program is right for you.

edma 270—Personal and Professional Leadership Seminaredma 271— Leadership in the Profession

*These courses will transfer into the degree program

Starlab training is set for Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015Anyone who has been in a STARLAB would agree that its unique environment lends itself to observations, experiments, as well as acquisition of basic facts and terminology about the natural world. There is a wide variety of Starlab projection cylinders, which can turn the dome into a brilliantly lit night sky, the interior of a cell, or a giant globe. It can show the paths of bird migration, or wind or ocean currents from around the world. This versatility makes it a tool that can help cross-curriculum integration.

The Starlab workshop will provide teachers an opportunity to enhance their units with a classroom model which helps model abstract concepts with your students. It is a powerful tool to engage students in instruction that is inquiry-centered. Students should be aware of procedures used to solve problems and allowed time to solve them such as:• Create a system of classifying stars by their brightness. • Calculate the approximate number of stars in the planetarium sky. • Determine the rotational direction of Earth. Use the Starfield Cylinder to provide students opportunities to investigate science concepts to:• Predict and confirm daily sunrise and sunset positions and for various seasons of the year. • Identify Polaris as the star around which other stars in the north revolve. • Investigate the cyclic nature of moon phases. Grant Wood AEA has two Starlab portable planetariums available to teachers who have completed a one-day workshop on the use of classroom models and the operation of the equipment. Many teachers have enhanced their units of instructions with this engaging technology. To register for this workshop, please go to the GWAEA professional development web page, course number 9178-14-01.

Nov./Dec. 2014 • Grant Wood AEA • page 7

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Instructional Media/School Technology

Reach Higher with Drake Extension EducationDrake University Extension Education offers graduate credit courses for k–12 educators in ways that fit your busy life. Reap the full benefit of Drake’s accredited curriculum—offered online or via video—and take your professional goals to the next level.

Online and video course content areas* include: Athletic Coaching Human Relations Bullying Prevention Online Learning and Instruction Classroom Management Physical Education Curriculum and Instruction Reading and Literacy Differentiated Instruction Responsibility and Relationships English Language Learner Teacher Leadership

* Students seeking to use these courses for recertification or salary advancement should seek prior approval from their school district or appropriate licensing agency.

The next step… Experience the Drake difference.

Call 1-800-76-TEACH (83224) or visit www.drake.edu/edex for more information.

Apply for Teach Iowa Scholar AwardThe Teach Iowa Scholar Program provides qualified first-year Iowa teachers with awards of up to $4,000 a year, for a maximum of five years, for teaching in Iowa schools in designated shortage areas. This year, qualified teachers are those currently teaching in designated shortage areas under their first contracts in Iowa schools. The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) is seeking applications from teachers who graduated from teacher education programs during the 2013-14 academic year.

For more information and to apply, please go to Iowa College Aid’s website: https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/content/teach-iowa-scholars-program.

GWAEA’s Creative Services is now offering online ordering for many popular and frequently ordered items. Find online ordering when you click on Creative Services under the Educators column on the GWAEA homepage. Online ordering will be the last link in the list to the left. Click on that link and you will be asked to enter your user ID and password or to register if you are a new user.

Buttons are available for frequently ordered products. Use these buttons to estimate projects as well as order. There

is also a button for custom jobs that will let you enter yourcontact information and a brief description of your project. We will contact you to discuss.

“We’ve spent the past year creating the system along with our programming partner, Greg Bickel, from GWAEA’s Computer Services. If you decide to try it out, we appreciate any feedback you could share with us,” said GWAEA’s Tara Johannsen. Send comments to Tara at tjohannsen@gwaea.org with the subject line ‘Feedback’.

Grant Wood AEA Creative Services now offers online ordering