Tuesday, July 30, 2019

 Welcome to a new year!  My name is Angie Hance and I am taking over responsibilities for ELL from Joe Woracek this year!  I will try to make monthly Blog posts and forward information to you all that seems pertinent to your role.  If you have any suggestions for me for Blog ideas or professional learning opportunities, please email me at ahance@ghaea.org.  Thanks!!!

Angie Hance, Targeted Services Director.

Now, for the good stuff: 

All staff who are responsible for administering the ELPA21 Dynamic Screener must complete one of the required trainings prior to administering it. These trainings, "ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training 2019-2020" and "ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training for Experienced Test Administrators 2019-2020," are provided are provided through AEA Learning Online's Training System, direct links for training modules are listed below. These trainings are free to all staff who are employed by an Iowa public or private accredited school district.  If you are seeing a screen requiring you to pay for the training, you need to update your employment information on your system profile.
In addition to the two previously mentioned trainings, the Department of Education has created an optional training titled "New Test Administrators: Introduction to ELPA21 Screening and Summative Assessments 2019-2020" on the AEA Learning Online Training System.  This online training module has been created for any educator who is new to the process of administering the ELPA21 Assessments to English Learners (ELs). If you have already administered an ELPA21 Assessment, much of this information will be a review for preparing to use the online assessment systems.

New Test Administrators: Introduction to ELPA21 Screening and Summative Assessments 2019-2020
This online training module has been created for any educator who is NEW to the process of administering the ELPA21 Assessments to English Learners (ELs). If you have already administered an ELPA21 Assessment, much of this information will be a review for preparing to use the online assessment systems. Click this link to access the training: https://training.aealearningonline.org/course/ES00099999/catalog 

ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training 2019-2020
This training is required of those who need to administer the ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Assessment and have not completed ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training in the last twelve months. Click this link to access the training: https://training.aealearningonline.org/course/2200209999/catalog 

ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training for Experienced Test Administrators 2019-2020
This training is designed for Test Administrators who have completed ELPA21 Dynamic Screener Training 2018-2019 and received a certificate. This training is an opportunity to refresh your skills for screening and scoring speaking. It is REQUIRED that you complete this training prior to administering the Dynamic Screener to students. Click this link to access the training: https://training.aealearningonline.org/course/ES00109999/catalog

For additional questions contact:
  • For ELPA21 assessment-related questions, contact: Colleen Anderson; colleena500@gmail.com until September 3, 2019 and beginning September 4, 2019 contact Terri Schuster at the Iowa Department of Education Terri.Schuster@iowa.gov.
  • For EL placement and eligibility questions, contact: Your local AEA Title III Contact (Angie Hance) or Pam McDonnell at the Iowa Department of Education; pam.mcdonnell@iowa.gov (515-380-5115)
  • For online training issues, contact: Rob Brookhart at AEA Learning Online rbrookhart@aealearningonline.org or 515-270-9030 or 800-362-2720  Extension 14633

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Summer Updates

Image result for summer

Summer Updates:

Happy summer to everyone!  I hope each of you is able to take time to rest, relax, and recharge during these summer months.  I just wanted to get a few updates out there for everyone for 2019/2020.

Lau Plan Guidance for 2019/20 can be found here.

An Exit/Monitoring Flowchart can be found here.

A new Re-Entry guidance FAQ document can be found on the Iowa Department of Education site here.


Thursday, April 25, 2019

Summer School Mini-Grants

Summer is fast approaching and along with that comes summer slide for many of our students.  In an effort to help combat this challenge among English Learners in Southwest Iowa Green Hills is offering mini-grants again this year for English Learner summer school.

Please find linked below the Application for Mini Grants sponsored by Green Hills AEA for providing summer school language instruction to identified English Learners.  Districts will be reimbursed for teacher time at $25 per hour.  The summer program should consist of targeted language instruction, whether done in isolation or embedded within content instruction provided by a highly qualified teacher as described in your district Lau Plan.  This summer school may occur in both June or July of 2019.

GHAEA EL Summer School Mini Grant Application.

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Our Kids Summer Institute Save the Date



SAVE THE DATE!

15th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute

June 18 - 19, 2019

FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA


For ALL educators who support English Learner students. PK-12 educators will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English Learners (EL) in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement.


Conference topics Include:

  • Preventing long-term English Learners
  • Key strategies for supporting core content learning 
  • EL parent engagement
  • Building academic language
  • Benefits of co-teaching for EL learners
  • EL laws and implications of the laws for instruction


Plan to bring a team!

Registration information will be communicated in March.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Virtual Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Mini Grants 2019

GHAEA Virtual Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Training 

The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model is a research-based and validated instructional model that has proven effective in addressing the academic needs of English learners throughout the United States.  Learn about the SIOP Model research base.

In addition, teachers report that SIOP-based teaching benefits all students, not just those who are learning English as an additional language.


Green Hills AEA is providing support to district teachers to access SIOP training through Pearson’s SIOP Training for Teachers Virtual Institute.  

The SIOP® Training for Teachers Virtual Institute is a cost-effective and convenient way to learn about the scientifically validated SIOP® Model. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of how SIOP® works in content-area classrooms. Watch expert-led sessions right on your computer. Experience SIOP® classroom lessons, listen to SIOP® authors, and participate in an author Q&A live. It’s a powerful new learning model for educators with limited time or budget for travel.  The book will be shipped directly to the address you provide. With the text in hand, you will have the resources to put what you learn during the institute into practice in your classroom.  

The Institute runs for 4 weeks with 11 sessions.  Each session is approximately 1 hour in length.  Anecdotal reports indicate approximately 3 hours of work counting session time per week.  Live sessions occur at 4:30 pm Central Time.


Support is provided by Green Hills AEA in the form of $500 mini-grants reimbursing school districts for the cost of registration and an honorarium stipend for teacher(s) time completing the professional learning off-contract.
-Registration cost reimbursed = $300
-Honorarium stipend =$200 

Available Sessions:


  • January 15 - February 5
  • February 12 - March 5
  • March 12 - April 2
  • April 9 - April 30
  • May 7 - May 28
  • June 4 - June 25
  • July 9 - July 30
  • August 13 - September 3
  • September 10 - October 1
  • October 15 - November 5
  • November 12 - December 3


To register for this opportunity follow the registration link below and complete the mini-grant application form.  Teacher teams are highly recommended in order to gain the greatest benefit through collaboration, teamwork, and implementation accountability.  As the mini-grant is to be disbursed as a reimbursement to the participant(s) school district, it is critical that prior approval by your district supervisor is gained before completing the mini-grant application.


License Renewal Credit is available for this course, if interested please email Joe Woracek at the address below.
Additional coursework is required.
Participants must pay the standard cost of $35 for a license renewal credit.

Questions can be directed to Joe Woracek (jworacek@ghaea.org) - 712.366.0503

Monday, October 1, 2018

ELL Critical Data Process Trainings

As a reminder, the ELL Critical Data Process trainings with Steve Gill are fast approaching (November 12-14).  This training will support district and building teams to be better equipped to determine when an English Language Learner needs additional interventions and when a disability should be suspected.  Each building that sends representatives to this training will receive a FREE copy of Steve Gill and Ushani Nanayakkara's book: The ELL Critical Data Process - 2nd Edition.  Details below.




Thursday, September 13, 2018

Virtual Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Mini Grants Fall 2018

GHAEA Virtual Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Training 

The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model is a research-based and validated instructional model that has proven effective in addressing the academic needs of English learners throughout the United States.  Learn about the SIOP Model research base.

In addition, teachers report that SIOP-based teaching benefits all students, not just those who are learning English as an additional language.


Green Hills AEA is providing support to district teachers to access SIOP training through Pearson’s SIOP Training for Teachers Virtual Institute.  

The SIOP® Training for Teachers Virtual Institute is a cost-effective and convenient way to learn about the scientifically validated SIOP® Model. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of how SIOP® works in content-area classrooms. Watch expert-led sessions right on your computer. Experience SIOP® classroom lessons, listen to SIOP® authors, and participate in an author Q&A live. It’s a powerful new learning model for educators with limited time or budget for travel.  The book will be shipped directly to the address you provide. With the text in hand, you will have the resources to put what you learn during the institute into practice in your classroom.  

The Institute runs for 4 weeks with 11 sessions.  Each session is approximately 1 hour in length.  Anecdotal reports indicate approximately 3 hours of work counting session time per week.  Live sessions occur at 4:30 pm Central Time.


Support is provided by Green Hills AEA in the form of $500 mini-grants reimbursing school districts for the cost of registration and an honorarium stipend for teacher(s) time completing the professional learning off-contract.
-Registration cost reimbursed = $300
-Honorarium stipend =$200 

Available Sessions:

-October 16 - November 6
-November 13 - December 4


To register for this opportunity follow the registration link below and complete the mini-grant application form.  Teacher teams are highly recommended in order to gain the greatest benefit through collaboration, teamwork, and implementation accountability.  As the mini-grant is to be disbursed as a reimbursement to the participant(s) school district, it is critical that prior approval by your district supervisor is gained before completing the mini-grant application.


License Renewal Credit is available for this course, if interested please email Joe Woracek at the address below.
Additional coursework is required.
Participants must pay the standard cost of $35 for a license renewal credit.

Questions can be directed to Joe Woracek (jworacek@ghaea.org) - 712.366.0503