Helping Students Get Ready to Show Their Learning on ISASP

 As in previous years, practice tests for ISASP are available on the state site under the tab 'Test Preparation'. The purpose of the practice test is to provide an opportunity for students to navigate the test platform, practice solving items online, and become familiar with using the available online tools.  It can help students feel more confident in a testing situation.  This site may also be shared with families.

While there are many benefits, the time spent in practice will provide value for learning only if we respond to the information.  We might respond instructionally with further review, more practice, or more intensity. We might respond as a system through unit design, sequence, or pacing.  It is important to find a balance between instruction and practice tests.

There are new tools available this year to support this balance. These include tables for standards alignment and practice scoring.

Each practice test aligns the item numbers with the standard being measured.   Below is an example for Grade 6 Reading.

In addition, scoring of the practice test provides preliminary estimates of student proficiency.  Below are examples for Reading, Math, and Science.

Please contact Rob Timmins or anyone on the Teaching and Learning team for any questions or support with upcoming ISASP assessments. 

Elementary Collaboration

Elementary Collaboration is scheduled for this Wednesday, March 27th from 2:30 PM-4:00 PM.  Below is the schedule for the afternoon.

Wednesday, March 27, 2:30-4:00 Elementary Job Alike
K-5 Math Teachers (Classroom, Special Ed., Title I Math, TAG), Instructional Coaches, and Principals	Location:  Clay Elementary	We will learn about i-Ready Math resources and tools to increase student engagement while delivering quality instruction that meets the needs of all learners.   Teachers will need to bring their SEP laptop and a writing utensil. See Sched for the schedule and your sessions.
Art, Music, PE, Reading Specialists, Title I Reading, Teacher Librarians, ESOL	Location:  Four Mile Elementary Library	We will learn about AI and how to use MagicSchool tools to increase student engagement and productivity in Core instruction. Please bring your laptop to the session.
Preschool Teachers	Location: TLRC	Will meet as a PLC with Jackie White.
Counselors	Location: Centennial Elementary	Will meet as a PLC with Amy Anderson.

We look forward to collaborating on Wednesday! 

Youth Mental Health First Aid

This summer Southeast Polk will again be partnering with Heartland AEA to certify interested staff in Youth Mental Health First Aid. We will be offering this one-day training for up to 30 staff members on Monday, June 3 from 8:00-4:00 in the Clay Media Center.

Youth Mental Health First Aid introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges among adolescents age 12-18. Participants learn how to use a five-step plan to help an adolescent in crisis. 

Please note: While Youth Mental Health First Aid focuses on adolescents, it is appropriate for all staff. Elementary staff in the past have found it valuable.

If selected, certified staff will be paid $35 per hour. Those who complete the entire course (including post-test and course evaluation - around 30 minutes of work) will also receive Mental Health First Aid certification, which is good for three years. The course is not available for license renewal credit. 

If you are interested, please complete the form below by Friday, April 5. You will be notified in April if there is a spot available for you or if you will be added to a waitlist. Our goal is to get representation from all of our buildings, so we will offer seats on a first come, first served basis by available building slots first and then by timestamp.

YMHFA Interest Form

Iowa History Month

Did you know that March is Iowa History month??  Take the quiz below and see how much you know about our state.  You may want to have your students try it as well.   

How Much Do You Know About Iowa History?

Below are some additional resources to explore during the remainder of the month of March.

Join Goldie's Kids Club

Participate in Goldie’s Kids Club to introduce children aged 12 and under to Iowa history – starting with Goldie the eastern goldfinch, the state bird. Delve into the online library of past activities and find fun ways to learn about Iowa history from your own home.

• Innovative Iowans highlights an Iowan through interactive activities that connect history with STEAM education – science, technology, engineering, art and math. Learn about the historic Iowans and try a hands-on activity connected to the historical topic.

• Storytime presents a book recommendation and hands-on activity with an Iowa connection. Iowa's past has many exciting stories to tell.

• With At-Home Collections historians of all ages can learn more about State Historic Sites, National Historic Landmarks and Iowa history topics through Innovative Iowans activities, crosswords, coloring sheets and more!

Interested in Goldie’s Kids Club? Join Today! 

Visit the State Historical Museum of Iowa

Discover the stories of Iowa’s growth and development through exhibits displaying a rich collection of artifacts and documents. Visit the State Historical Museum of Iowa, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. The museum is free to visit for all ages.

If you can’t visit the museum in person, tour the museum’s exhibit Iowa’s People & Places from your home or attend an upcoming virtual program such as the Iowa History 101 series or the Iowa History Book Club.

Research the Past at the Historical Library & Archives Research Center

Explore the renovated State Historical Library & Archives Iowa History Research Center in Des Moines, now open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. 

Visitors will find numerous upgrades and improvements and can dive into collections filled with state government records, books and periodicals, newspapers, county records, manuscripts, photographs and more.

Saturday, March 23
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
11 a.m. Presentation

• Des Moines - Caring for Personal Collections
  Museum Collections Coordinator Kay Coats and Special Collections Archivist Jessica Nay will share how items in the State Historical Society’s collections are stored for long term preservation and will offer advice on caring for your own collections of personal and family treasures, including objects, photographs, documents, scrapbooks, and more.
   

• Iowa City - Collections Care: Preserving an Iowa Map
  Our lead conservator and instructor, Paige Wilkinson, will demonstrate how to preserve an historical Iowa map from our collection, including dry-cleaning, mending and encapsulation.

1 p.m. Presentation

• Des Moines - Intro to Vital Records/Where to Find Online
  Records of Birth, Marriage and Death are some of the most in demand and utilized records the government creates. Join us for an overview of what vital records are, where to find them and how to access them.
   

• Iowa City - Objects from the Artifact Loft
  In an exciting new project at our Iowa City location, two University of Iowa students are currently working to catalog and organize historical artifacts. They will present a diverse selection of historical artifacts from our artifact storage in Iowa City along with detailing their project and future plans.

Friday, March 29
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
11 a.m. Presentation

• Des Moines - Overview to the Underground Railroad in Iowa
  Dave Holmgren with the Iowa Freedom Trail Project at the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines will share highlights from the ongoing study of the Underground Railroad in Iowa before and during the Civil War.
   

• Iowa City - Iowa Musicians Project
  Come see our music collections by Iowa artists, including vinyl, cassette tapes, posters, and more! We will be listening to selections from the collection and available to answer questions about the project.

1 p.m. Presentation

• Des Moines - Military Records in State Archives
  Military records in the State Archives of Iowa are voluminous and well documented. In this presentation, State Government Records Archivist Kelsey Berryhill will discuss records regarding the Civil War, World Wars I and II, as well as the National Guard and how to use them to find an ancestor or use them for more general military research.
   

• Iowa City - Intro to Conducting Property Research
  This program provides an overview on historical resources available to conduct property research in the State of Iowa.

Professional Development Make-Up Plan Follow Up

Many of you have begun your work on the make-up plan for our missed professional development day due to weather on January 15th.  Below are some questions we have received and some additional information for your work. 

Southeast Polk University

• Not all teacher groups had access to Canvas in order to access Southeast Polk University.  This has been adjusted, and we believe all teachers now have access.  If you are not able to access Canvas, please submit a tech ticket.  A few other helpful hints:
• Make sure you are accessing Canvas through the 'waffle grid' in Google Drive.  This will take you to the Southeast Polk account.
• Make sure you are using your SEP credentials to sign in, particularly those who may have children at the secondary level, and you also may access Canvas as a parent. 
• The window for completing one of the 2 EL Modules is between February 15 and May 1.  
• Reflection questions around practices to support English Learners will be compiled and addressed as we continue our support of this area. 
• Your work in the module will be reviewed by members of the Teaching and Learning team.  As we return from Spring Break, you may expect feedback within 1-2 weeks of submitting your work.
• Once the course is completed and reviewed, you will receive a certificate of completion. 
• Please submit this certificate to your building principal. 
• As a reminder, if you choose to take additional modules beyond this, you are eligible for credit (and possible TQ funds) once you complete 6 modules. 

ISASP Test Administration

• If you are not able to see all of the ISASP modules, click on "Catalog" on the menu of the left side of the platform. 
• Completion will be electronically stored, and your building principal will have access to this. 
• If you are not required to take the ISASP training, please work with your building principal on an alternate task. 

To review the protocols for the make-up time, either scroll down to the original blog or click on the link below.

Southeast Polk Professional Development Make-Up Plan