Building a College-Going Culture for All Students

Through a special arrangement with Iowa College Access Network, we are able to offer the SREB Go Alliance courses. The first, Building A College-Going Culture for All Students will begin October 17. This three-credit course is entirely on-line. For more information, please see the flyer or register at AEA PD Online.

NCHE Homeless Webinars

Registration for NCHE webinars in August and September is now open. We hope to see you online for one or more of the following sessions, including completely new webinars focused on the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and on serving young homeless children under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Program.

Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Thursday, August 25, 2016 | 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM EST (please adjust for your time zone)

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3083844618763741699

*NEW*: Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility: Changes under ESSA

Wednesday, September 14, 2016 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET (please adjust for your time zone)

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3434540450466746628

*NEW*: Serving Young Homeless Children under the Child Care and Development Fund Program (co-hosted with Child Care Aware of America)

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET (please adjust for your time zone)

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7831296131865685251

*NEW*: McKinney-Vento School Selection Rights: Changes Under ESSA

Thursday, September 22, 2016 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET (please adjust for your time zone)

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2278031239418615300

Please visit http://center.serve.org/nche/web/group.php for complete webinar descriptions or to register for any of the above sessions. Feel free to share this information with interested colleagues.

Level I and II Section 504 Training

Level I and II Section 504 Training for Public School Staff Scheduled This Fall

Level I Training
Heartland AEA will offer Level I Section 504 trainings at no cost to districts in the Fall of 2016 in Johnston and Indianola. Trainings are open to all schools within the Heartland AEA region but the primary standard taught will be free and appropriate public education. Districts are encouraged to send teams consisting of counselors, administrators and school nurses and to bring their district 504 manual (plan). The instructor for the course is MaryAnn Strawhacker MPH, RN, Section 504 Consultant and Special Education Nurse Consultant for Heartland AEA. Space is limited so register soon.

Topics to be covered include:

• Changes to the interpretation of Section 504 since the ADAA 2008
• How to review and update your district-wide Section 504 Plan
• The interaction of a Section 504 plan and an Individual Health Plan
• Review of obligations under the Child Find and grievance procedures
• Evaluation requirements
• Eligibility determination and eligible but not in need of a plan
• Section 504 vs. IDEA 2004, understanding the distinction
• Resources available to assist districts including, access to a Section 504 Google Site not accessible from Heartland AEA’s website

Choose to attend one date and location:

Level I Section 504 Training for Public School Staff: Johnston
Date: Sept. 7, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA
Register here

Level I Section 504 Training for Public School Staff: Indianola
Date: Sept. 19, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Location: Heartland AEA, 115 W. Salem Avenue, Indianola, IA
Register here

Level II Training
Heartland AEA will host a Level II Section 504 Training for Coordinators and Administrators at no cost. A suggested prerequisite for this class is attendance at a Level I training in the Heartland AEA area within the last five years. Designed to enhance foundational knowledge, this content will focus on managing challenging situations with Section 504. Guest speakers will be Thomas Mayes JD, Attorney, Iowa Department of Education and Fred Kinne Equity Coordinator, Iowa Department of Education, in addition to MaryAnn Strawhacker MPH, RN. Space is limited so register soon.

Topics to be covered include:

• Manifestation Determination overview and demonstration
• Behavior intervention plan as part of a Section 504 Accommodation Plan
• District grievance procedures, making sure your policy meets the standard
• Due process hearing procedures
• OCR complaint resolution
• Transition planning for graduating students
• Dyslexia and eligibility standards
• Homebound instruction
• Dual enrollment and Section 504 for extracurricular activities
• Accommodations for school sponsored activities and events
• Practical application of eligible but not in need of a plan

Level 2 Section 504 Training for Coordinators and Administrators
Date: Nov. 21, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon (Optional Q & A from 12:00-12:30 p.m.)
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA
Register here

Homeless Education Resource

The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) has created a new webpage specifically for local homeless education liaisons. The webpage, called Local Liaison Corner http://center.serve.org/nche/ll/ll.php, includes a selection of resources that may be useful for new local liaisons as well as veteran local liaisons.

ISCA Conference Keynote Speakers

ISCA Conference!! November 7-8 (Pre-conference November 6)

As you prepare for the excitement of a new school year, we hope to build on that excitement with an announcement about our keynote speakers for the 2016 ISCA conference.  ISCA is so pleased to announce that Rosalind Wiseman will be speaking to us on Monday, November 7 and Kris Meyer will be our Tuesday, November 8 keynote speaker.  Their messages will certainly help inspire us as counselors and "agents of change". Rosalind Wiseman – Monday, November 7th Keynote Speaker Rosalind Wiseman works with students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches, and administrators to create communities based on the belief that each person has a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity. A sought-after speaker on bullying, parenting, ethical leadership, and the use of social media, Wiseman’s presentations transcend cultural and economic boundaries in her appeal to ensure children’s and teenagers’ well-being. Her engaging and forthright delivery promises to capture the ISCA audience and inspire attendees to build positive relationships among each other. Rosalind Wiseman is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World—the groundbreaking, best-selling book that was the basis for the movieMean Girls. Other publications include Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World and its free companion e-book for high school boys, The Guide: Managing Jerks, Recruiting Wingmen, and Attracting Who You Want. She is also the author ofOwning Up Curriculum, a comprehensive social justice program for grades 6-12 and is a regular curriculum contributor to the Anti-Defamation League.In addition, Wiseman served as a principal speaker at the White House Summit on Bullying and headlined the SXSW summit on Online Harassment. Other audiences include the American School Counselors Association, South By Southwest EDU, the Game Developers Conference, the International Boys’ Schools Coalition, and the American Association of School Administrators. She was a consultant for Cartoon Network's Speak Up, Stop Bullying Campaign, and is an advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Kris Meyer, Ph.D. – Tuesday, November 8th Keynote Speaker Kris Meyer is a storyteller who enjoys audiences of all ages. She offers her stories with inspiration, a quick wit, a warm spirit, and lots of energy. Her stories grow out of folklore, human experiences that teach an understanding of life, and things conjured up in a vivid imagination. She has researched extensively in the area of resiliency. Kris is an experienced keynote speaker, workshop presenter, and retreat leader. She’s presented throughout the Midwest as well as in Sweden and China. With 30 years of storytelling experience, she delights in motivating any age through the wonder of stories. Kris Meyer may be familiar to ISCA members through her work as an elementary school counselor in Forest City, as a counselor at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City and at Wartburg College in Waverly, or as the director and assistant professor of school and mental health counseling in the Graduate Program for Buena Vista University. Kris is currently the principal of St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Waverly. She is also a past board member of the Iowa School Counseling Association.

Counselor Connection - October 14

We want each of our students to be ready for their future, whatever that may be. This is not a job of the high school counselor alone during a student's senior year, but rather a community effort from the beginning. Our day will be structured to see how the many initiatives regarding CCR are aligning to move students forward.

We will begin as a K-12 group to look at and begin to unpack the state board approved Iowa College and Career Readiness definition. We will then split into two groups:  K-6 and 7-12. K-6 will meet to discuss career curriculum and alignment of the CCR Definition to the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors. At the same time, 7-12 will meet to review and unpack the requirements from the recently passed HF2392 regarding the district plan and individual career and academic plans.

Join us for some great learning and collegial networking at Heartland AEA from 8:30-3:30 (lunch on your own). Register at:  CN009392111701

This is first of three Counselor Connections for the 16-17 school year. If you attend all three and complete assignments, you may earn one license renewal credit. Mark your calendars for remaining two dates (registration coming soon)

• February 15 - Focus on Advocacy and Mental Health
• April 25 - Focus on School Counseling Programs - not random acts of guidance

Reach Higher Newsletter!

An update from the first lady's Reach Higher Initiative!

Reach Higher Newsletter: Issue 1 Fun tool for students who are always asking what's "Up Next"? Additional College Access Tools Celebrating Students who are "Beating the Odds" Reach Higher Partners with Better Make Room The Latest from our Reach Higher Convenings “There is nothing more important that you all can do for yourselves then get your education.”  First Lady Michelle Obama, 7/19/16 Fun tool for students who are always asking what's "Up Next"? Up Next is a mobile messaging system launched by Better Make Room that sends fun and timely text messages to young people to help them stay on track with important activities like signing up for Financial Student Aid and applying and paying for college.  Ask students to text “COLLEGE” to 44044 to get started! Additional College Access Tools Tools that can help students select a college that's the right fit! Research Tools: College Scorecard The College Scorecard is designed to provide the clearest, most accessible and most reliable national data on college cost, graduation, debt and post-college earnings. For background information on the College Scorecard see this recent press release from the White House. College Navigator  The College Navigator helps students learn more about institutions they are interested in. Information includes types of degrees and programs offered, admission requirements, campus safety statistics, accreditation information, retention and graduation rates, and more. Financial Aid Opportunities and Budgeting Tools: Federal Student Aid (FSA) Students can visit the FSA website to learn about preparation for college, available aid, eligibility, applications, and loan management.  Net Price Calculator Center Net Price Calculators allow prospective students to enter personal information to determine what they are likely to pay to attend, after taking grants and scholarship aid into consideration.  Financial Aid Shopping Sheet The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is a document students may fill out to break down costs associated with college completion. Line items include the estimated cost of attendance, total grants and scholarships, loan options, federal work-study, and more. Celebrating Students who are "Beating the Odds" On July 19th, the first lady's Reach Higher Initiative, Better Make Room and the the U.S. Department of Education hosted the second annual Beating the Odds Summit at the White House where the first lady welcomed 130-college bound students from across the country that despite the odds, have graduated from high school and are preparing to attend college this fall.  Representing homeless youth, foster care youth, impoverished, and other barrier-facing situations, the students were celebrated for Reaching Higher and good advice was shared to help guide them through their first year of college. The event opened with a student panel moderated by Wes Moore, author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Other Wes Moore and founder and CEO of BridgeEdU. The second panel, facilitated by YouTube personality Tyler Oakley, featured the first lady, performing artist Jidenna, Secretary of Education John King, and University of Washington junior Rachel Scott. Watch the video of the panel with Mrs. Obama, and read about Rachel Scott’s story. Read more from The Washington Post and US News.  Reach Higher Partners with Better Make Room The U.S. Department of Education and the first lady's Reach Higher Initiative havepartnered with Better Make Room to help us reach students where they are at and inspire them to go on to pursue a postsecondary degree.  We invite you to learn about Better Make Room and consider sharing information about it with the students and networks you work with! Visit the its website or follow Better Make Room on Twitter (@BetterMakeRoom) to learn more. Click on the picture below for an inspiring message from celebrities who support Better Make Room.... The Latest from our Reach Higher Convenings With a goal to strengthen, align, and expand the college-going pipeline at the local, state, and national level through school counselor leadership and collaborative partnerships, since the 2014 Harvard convening approximately 42 states (as of early August) have committed to contributing to Reach Higher's the mission, many setting long-term goals to increase activities such as FAFSA completion rates, the percentage of students who visit college campuses and student exposure to work-based learning opportunities.   Below are some highlights from our 2016 Reach Higher Convenings, which focus on this work. A big thanks to all who made these convenings such a huge success and a special thanks to The National Consortium for School Counseling and Postsecondary Success for its support!  We look forward to continuing this important work with everyone in the days ahead. Colorado National Convening From June 14-16th, the Colorado Department of Education hosted a National Reach Higher convening in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event focused on “Preparing High School Students with Work Ready Skills.” Thirty Reach Higher state teams - made up of business, workforce, school, and state agency leaders - attended the conference to discuss intersections between education and business and how to inspire young people to continue their education past high school. Participants engaged in panel discussions, breakout sessions, and site visits focused on best practices for work-based learning opportunities.  Keynote speakers included Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne, and Tanya Clay House, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Washington State Convening On June 30th, almost 300 educational professionals, school counselors, partners, and advocates throughout Washington attended the state’s Reach Higher Convening. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington School Counselor Association, and WA College Access Network organized the day’s events that included motivation from Dr. Joyce Brown, as keynote speaker.  Speakers included WA's School Counselor of the Year National Finalist, Kim Reykdal, and speakers from the WA Student Achievement Council and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to highlight WA's performance indicators for Reach Higher. Panel presentations from workforce and school district leaders with discussions completed the day​.  Educators reaffirmed their efforts already aligned with the First Lady’s national initiative, walking away with new ideas, tools, and support for school counseling.   Oregon State Convening From July 19-20th, over 375 Oregonians attended the Oregon Reach Higher State convening on Strengthening School Counseling and College Advising at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon. This convening brought together school administrators, school counselors, student advisors, and college access professionals engaged in the "Mobilizing Career and College Advising Supports for All Students" program to strategize on how best to:  Mobilize counselors, administrators, college advisors, financial aid officers, and mentors across the state to provide all students viable and affordable pathways to postsecondary success, and  Dramatically accelerate progress toward Oregon’s 100% graduation rate vision.   Midwest Convening On August 1st and 2nd, on behalf of Michigan's Reach Higher team, the Michigan College Access Network hosted a regional 2016 Reach Higher Convening sponsored by The Kresge Foundation that brought together state teams from seven Midwestern states including Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.  The state teams were made up of state agencies, school counselors, counselor educators and college access professionals to explore strategies to improve school counseling and college advising.   The two day convening included addresses from Reach Higher Executive Director, Eric Waldo and Director of Better Make Room, Don Yu.  The convening provided an opportunity for each Midwestern state to highlight a strength of their Reach Higher team's work in strengthening school counseling and college advising with time for other states to discuss and ask questions as it related to their state ability to implement a similar intervention, practice, training, partnership, or policy. Reach Higher is the First Lady's effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.  To learn more follow us on Twitter @ReachHigher and Instagram @ReachHigher2020

Managing Challenges of the Political Season (bullying and harassment)

You can find the updated resources for students and student led resources here

Homeless Youth and Federal Student Aid

On June 10, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) released a new fact sheet entitled Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth, available at http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/061016AvailoftheFSAHomelessYouthFactSheetonStudentaidgov.html.

The fact sheet provides important information about federal financial aid for college and other supports available to unaccompanied homeless youth. While the information included in the fact sheet is helpful for practitioners, the fact sheet is intended to be a youth-friendly document that informs students themselves about their options and supports available to them.

Topics covered include:

• Can I receive federal student aid if I am homeless or at risk of becoming homeless?
• Do I need to provide my parents’ income information on the FAFSA?
• Do I need to provide a home address on the FAFSA?
• Will I be required to submit documentation to prove that I am “unaccompanied” and homeless or at risk of becoming homeless?
• What happens if I can’t obtain a homeless youth determination from any of the individuals listed in Question 4?
• Where can I find additional resources for homeless youth? 

Visit http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/061016AvailoftheFSAHomelessYouthFactSheetonStudentaidgov.htmlto download the fact sheet and read FSA's accompanying press release.

Managing the Challenges of this Political Season & Bullying

Our colleague Linda Linn has shared this IMPORTANT message and resource with us --

Managing the Challenges of this Political Season & Bullying

I was privileged to be a part of the group that worked on the attached document.  It has been shared with social studies teachers and will be shared with your administrators as well.

School Counselors are the HEART of a school’s caring and safe environment that enables students to learn and grow.  I hope this document will assist you .

Iowa School Mental Health Conference

From Please Pass the Love -- We want to take this time to invite you to our annual Iowa School Mental Health Conference. We have a very exciting conference planned and we hope you are able to join us. Attached, you will find the flyer. The conference will be held at The Holiday Inn-Airport in Des Moines onThursday, October 13. Please feel free to forward this onto your colleagues and email distribution lists. There is a deadline to register, so please take note. New this year is that we will not be accepting purchase orders. All registrations must be paid for in advance.