Mississippi Bend AEA Media Montage

For many years, an annual survey of Iowa School Library Programs has been conducted. It is an important tool that can help advocate for local library programs. Compiling and identifying trends from across the state also assists in efforts to garner support for library programs in all schools.

Given the pandemic, this survey is significantly abbreviated from prior years. There are no collection or budget questions that require information from library automation systems.

• The survey is open March 1-15, 2021 so that data can be shared back before the end of this school year.
• Here is a copy of the questions that assist with planning.
• The survey does not need to be completed in one sitting and can be completed from home. No password is required.
• Survey link
• A survey should be completed for each school.

Please reach out with any questions. Thank you again for your assistance in this effort to gather and disseminate current information about Iowa’s school libraries.

This is hot off the presses! Thanks to the overwhelming use and positive feedback from educators across the state, the AEAs are planning to continue to fund district access to the Pear Deck platform for the 2021-22 school year. We will monitor usage, future costs and factors to determine AEA involvement in the purchase of Pear Deck beyond 2021-22. Future funding options will be communicated in early 2022. All Iowa school educators continue to have access this school year and have been added to Pear Deck’s Premium service for this year and 2021-22.

For several years Iowa AEAs, in partnership with BrightBytes, have provided tools to assist districts with collecting actionable data to aid in decision making. Districts currently have access to several BrightBytes modules including Technology & Learning, Modern Learning Solution and Digital Privacy, Safety & Security.

The AEAs want to help ensure districts do not miss out on the opportunity to collect this important data as AEA financial support for these BrightBytes tools will end June 30, 2021. This spring is the last opportunity for Iowa districts to collect data for FREE

The IASL Book Awards promote literacy and learning and most of all is student driven. That is what we are all about!

Free poster(s) are available for all orders placed by March 31st.

Teachingbooks has curated resources, lesson plans, activities, author interviews, and videos, to use with the 2021-2022 IASL Award books.

• Goldfinch
• ICCA
• Iowa Teen
• Iowa High School
  
  

Thanks to Susan Schrader for compiling the resources.

How this year has flown! The next session of the Media Academy is just around the corner. Learning will center around connecting the Universal Constructs and digital literacy.

• April 6th
• May 4th (Makeup Day)

Login to my google classroom for access to materials even if you are unable to make the meetings. You must use your school email. My class code is dt773ut.

Teen Health & Wellness has announced the addition of a new feature, The Calm Room. It has videos, sounds, music, and meditation exercises to help you and your students relax, de-stress, and refocus. There are also suggestions for apps, websites, and podcasts to learn more about mindfulness and stress relief. Just give the “Virtual Bubble Wrap” app a try and see if you don’t feel better.

Here is the link to the virtual Calm Room itself. The Calm Room is accessible from the home page of Teen Health & Wellness, and you’ll see the Calm Room button on the left hand-side of the pages throughout the resource.

Get inspired to bring graphic novels - the kid-favorite format - into the classroom. Join creators Chad Sell (The Cardboard Kingdom), Judd Winick (Hilo Series), and Mika Song (Donut Feed the Squirrels) for a behind-the-scenes introduction to graphic novels, moderated by Tuan Nguyen, cofounder of the Texas Library Association’s Maverick and Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading Lists. Learn about building a graphic novel story and how to use them to foster a love of reading, bring out your students’ own creativity, and reach reluctant and emerging readers in your classroom.

Mar 10, 2021 02:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)

Register Now

With graduation only a few months away, it’s critical to get the word out to more high school seniors that the Last-Dollar Scholarship covers tuition for postsecondary credentials up to two-year degrees leading to rewarding high-demand jobs. Below are two fliers - one directed at seniors and the other at parents, teachers and other adults in their lives - that explain the easy steps students can take to receive the scholarship.

Check out these flyers!

• Families
• Students

Looking for engaging fiction books for junior/senior high school students that are developing English as a language? If so, search readers for new literates in SNAP to find 40 high interest, low vocabulary books.

Blue Beans

Rosa is the oldest child in her family and works hard to help support them. In her heart, she wants what other teenagers have: free time to spend with friends and a chance to date the boy she likes. Is this an impossible dream?

Reading Level: 0.0 to 0.5 Lexile Level: BR to 60L Word Count: 525 to 650

Boy Soldier

It's 1998. Civil war rages in the African nation of Sierra Leone. Saa is 14 years old. He lives in a small farming village with his parents and sisters. One day rebel soldiers come and change his life forever. What hope is there for a boy who suddenly finds himself all alone in a war-torn world?

Reading Level: 0.0 to 0.5 Lexile Level: BR to 60L Word Count: 525 to 650

Draft

This book explores the Vietnam War from the perspective of an 18-year-old boy who is drafted but does not want to fight. The main character is a middle-class American who has seen the deadly results of the war. He doesn't think the U.S. should be in Vietnam. When he gets a low number in the 1969 draft lottery, he makes a life-changing decision. Note that to maintain the extremely low readability of the book, the author uses "Viet Nam" in place of "Vietnam" throughout the book.

Reading Level: 0.0 to 0.5 Lexile Level: BR to 60L Word Count: 525 to 650

Flip

Tag loves to skateboard and would be doing it all the time. He can do tricks, frontside and backside grinds and 360 flips. Tag's mom works a lot and leaves him in charge. There is a contest at the local park, and he knows he can win but must take his brother. Tag can compete. His brother can play. What could go wrong?

Reading Level: 0.0 to 0.5 Lexile Level: BR to 60L Word Count: 525 to 650

Mississippi Bend AEA Current Course Offerings

There are a variety of courses offered virtually throughout the entire state. Login to the AEA PD Registration site to meet your license renewal and professional development needs. For employment related training visit AEA PD Learning Online. Your login information is the same for both sites. If you don't remember your password, click Forgot Password at the bottom of the page. Having trouble with your username? It may be your personal email, not your school email.

Check it out!

• Paraeducator Certification Level II Area of Concentration: Special Needs Flyer
  (Starts April 6th) Register
• Substitue Authorization Course Flyer
  (Starts June 11th) Register
• Computer Science Standards- AEA Learning Online offers several free or license renewal self-paced courses

For more questions, please contact: staffdevelopment@aea9.k12.ia.us.

MARCH

Brain Tumor Awareness Month
Irish-American Heritage Month
Mustache March
National Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Women's History Month
Youth Art Month
March 2- Read Across America Day
March 8- Daylight Saving Time starts
March 9- Holi Hindu Holiday
March 10- Purim Jewish Holiday
March 17- St. Patrick's Day
March 29- National Vietnam War Veterans Day

Please email or call us at 563-344-6459 anytime for appointments, assistance with usernames/passwords or any other support you need!

Check out all our services here! We are here to support you!

Email: hwhitman@mbaea.org
Website: https://www.mbaea.org/
Location: 729 21st Street, Bettendorf, IA, USA
Phone: 563-344-6526
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missbend9/
Twitter: @MBAEA

The Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender identity, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, socioeconomic status, or disability in its educational programs, services or employment practices. Inquiries concerning this statement should be addressed to Kim Hofmann, Equity Coordinator, at 563-344-6415.