Iowa Department of Education

Community STEM Day was a success! Read more about how the Southeast Iowa STEM regional team and Collins Aerospace partnered to provide a fun, hands-on STEM learning event for students and families in Cedar Rapids. https://bit.ly/3Sg0KBU Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council

Community STEM Day energizes Eastern Iowa youth for futures in STEM Southeast Iowa STEM and Collins Aerospace hosted a STEM Community Day on Thursday, July 18.

Need a last-minute lunch for the kids? Visit a summer meal site today! When more families participate, it keeps the program strong for all of us. Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 to find a site or call 2-1-1. https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder

Join our team! The Department is currently seeking qualified candidates for an Education Program Consultant for School Finance – Accounting and Reporting. This critical position is a part of the Bureau of School Business Operations and will provide technical assistance and guidance to school districts on school finance issues. This job opportunity is open through Aug. 19.

For more information on this opportunity and other open positions with the Department, visit the Department of Administrative Services website. https://bit.ly/3SgiE7F

It’s day 2 of the Iowa Reading Research Center’s Science of Reading Summit! As pictured, there were many wonderful highlights from yesterday’s sessions and networking opportunities. Educators are back today for an additional day of collaboration and learning about evidence-based literacy instruction and how it can impact student learning and development.

Department staff will be leading a plenary session later today on our latest initiatives on literacy, such as LETRS, model K-5 personalized reading plans, summer reading program grants and teacher preparation programs.

Hands-on learning took center stage today at Community STEM Day in Cedar Rapids. Hosted at Collins Aerospace, the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council and Southeast Iowa STEM regional team welcomed young learners, students and their families for a fun day of learning and engagement with STEM activities. Community partners provided different games, projects and other activities for attendees and shared information on in-demand STEM-related careers. Director McKenzie Snow joined in the fun and met with several learners and students who shared their interests and excitement about STEM.

This morning, Director McKenzie Snow joined Dr. Shawn Datchuk, director of the Iowa Reading Research Center, and over 700 educators from across to the state to kick off the first day of the Science of Reading Summit in Cedar Rapids. This summit is providing Iowa teachers with an opportunity to learn more about evidence-based literacy instruction and how literacy changes lives for students and early learners. Unlocking a child’s potential begins with reading, and evidence-based literacy instruction can assist educators with developing literacy skills and closing achievement gaps with their students and learners.

Department team members Leigh Bellville, April Gosselink-Lemke, Wanda Steuri and Stephanie TeKippe are also participating in the two-day summit and will be featured in two breakout sessions.

Don’t forget to check out Iowa Student Outcomes, your one-stop resource for workforce preparation and educational outcomes data. https://bit.ly/3IqaS7n

Welcome, Ann Mincks! She has officially started her role as the 2024 Iowa Teacher of the Year. Read more about her goals to highlight evidence-based literacy practices and Multilingual Learners and how she will make an impact, both in Iowa and nationwide. Des Moines Public Schools

Iowa Teacher of the Year officially kicks off her new role It’s only the first few weeks of Ann Mincks’s year of service as the 2024 Iowa Teacher of the Year, but she is already hopefully excited.

It’s time to file your FAFSA. This is the No. 1 way to get free money for college and you need to submit it every year that you're in college. Some financial aid is first come, first served, so file ASAP at FAFSA.gov.

The Department is now offering over $320,000 in emergency grant funds to support Iowa school districts with students experiencing homelessness. These grants target areas impacted by recent weather disasters and can include assistance such as temporary housing, food, transportation, health services and other resources. The deadline to apply is July 31.

Iowa Department of Education announces more than $320,000 in emergency assistance grants to disaster-impacted school districts to serve students experiencing homelessness The Iowa Department of Education today announced over $320,000 in emergency grant funds.

The Iowa School for the Deaf has opened registration for an eight-week session of virtual American Sign Language classes. For more information, visit: https://iowaschoolforthedeaf.org/virtual-american-sign-language-classes/

Registration for the first session of eight-week American Sign Language classes via Zoom is now open! Eligibility guidelines and registration information at this link: https://iowaschoolforthedeaf.org/virtual-american-sign-language-classes/
Image: ISD logo, woman and girl signing, for families and educational staff, American Sign Language Classes, 8-week class, no charge, must be eligible. Iowa Department of Education

Summertime means local summer foods, like sweet corn! Learn more about this healthy local food option and Iowa staple crop. https://tinyurl.com/47nefh32

ICYMI: Thank you to our 2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year Krystal Colbert. Read about her year as Iowa’s education ambassador and what she is looking forward to when she returns to the classroom.

Thank you, Krystal Colbert! What a year it has been for Krystal Colbert!

Thinking of transferring from an Iowa community college to a four-year university next semester? Visit the Transfer in Iowa website, a one-stop shop for transfer information. https://www.transferiniowa.org/

It’s a beautiful day to visit Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council Teacher Externs Micaela Sciarrotta and Summer Teed!

Micaela and Summer have been working with Jasper County Conservation on numerous camps this summer through the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships program. They’ve worked alongside knowledgeable and skilled naturalists to bring the classroom curriculum to life through summer programming including Junior Naturalist Camp, Wildlife Explorers Camp, Astronomy Camp, Survival Camp, and today’s Water Sports Camp.

Thank you Micaela and Summer for your great work and to Marc, their STEM Externships mentor. Thanks also to Jasper County Conservation for partnering with Iowa STEM and hosting this Externships opportunity.

ICYMI: State officers from Iowa’s eight career and technical student organizations met last month for a full-day of leadership development, networking and fun.

Student training sparks leadership skills for school year and beyond The State Capitol was the perfect backdrop last week as student leaders from across the state took part in the annual Career and Technical Student Organizations

Local summer meal sites are providing free meals for kids and teens 18 and under all summer long. No sign up is required. Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 or call 2-1-1 to find your local meal site. https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder

Students at Iowa City Community School District West High shared with Director McKenzie Snow and Superintendent Degner how the district’s entrepreneurship program is preparing them to be future business and community leaders through career exploration, work-based learning and leadership experiences. Students, including BPA Executive Council Student President Layan Ahmed, partnered with the director and superintendent in a round of DesignDash startup simulations, where students work to address business challenges with industry and community mentors. The nationally recognized entrepreneurship program is provided in partnership with the University of Iowa Jacobson Institute BizInnovator and provides students the opportunity to earn college credit in entrepreneurship. Iowa Business Professionals of America

What's the link between handwriting and early literacy skills? Check out this recent blog post from the Iowa Reading Research Center and learn more about the connection.

Notably in the blog, a new online tool is promoted to help develop handwriting skills. Through our continued partnership with the Iowa Reading Research Center, this evidence-based handwriting intervention tool is slated for release later this month to help improve letter recognition and reading skills.

How does handwriting impact early reading skills? How can teachers support the handwriting development of their students? IRRC Director Shawn Datchuk addresses these questions and more in our new blog post, “Handwriting: Beneficial to Reading and Often Misunderstood.” https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2024/07/handwriting-beneficial-reading-and-often-misunderstood

As last school year ended, Director McKenzie Snow joined Superintendent Degner, Principal Bacon and Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) officials Wendy Mihm-Herold and Rebecca Vasquez at Iowa City Community School District City High to meet with iJAG students and their dedicated instructors. Students shared how iJAG programs are helping them set and achieve goals through high school graduation and beyond, including preparing resumes, developing interview skills and exploring careers with local employers. With support from their educators and iJAG peers, these students are developing the knowledge and skills to succeed in what comes next.

Earlier this summer, Director McKenzie Snow welcomed over 100 CTE administrators and educators to the 2024 Iowa ACTE Conference in Altoona. Along with Iowa ACTE Executive Director Kristen Bandy and President-elect Doralene Abdel-Halim, Director Snow celebrated the recent successes of CTE programs across Iowa and thanked CTE educators for their dedication to students, who they empower with high-quality CTE and work-based learning experiences. The Department’s CTE team–including Chief Dennis Harden, Heather Meissen, Joe Collins, Jeffrey Fletcher, Cale Hutchings, and Alan Spencer–led breakout sessions, supporting the conference’s professional development and networking opportunities.

Happy 4th of July! We wish you a festive and safe holiday today as we honor the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Yesterday, Director McKenzie Snow joined Rock Valley Sup. Matt Van Voorst and Rock Valley Christian Principal Marcus De Jager with Rep. Skyler Wheeler and then later met with Spencer Community Schools Sup. Terry Hemann to discuss disaster-impacted school needs and progress towards restoring the learning environment. The Director and Iowa Department of Education leaders also met dedicated school board members, principals and administrators, teachers and staff, and numerous volunteers working together to best support the school community. These resolute school leaders and communities are working tirelessly with local, state, and federal partners to safely welcome students, families, and teachers back to school.

Building lifelong readers starts early. LETRS training can help early childhood educators apply evidence-based literacy instruction with young learners. Learn more about LETRS today! https://tinyurl.com/44cbbtvz

Although students are on summer break, it doesn’t mean opportunities for learning are over. For July’s National Make a Difference to Children Month, support their education and future by spending quality time, reading books, making meals together and more. You can make an impact!

Got some free time this summer? Relive some amazing highlights from the 2023-24 school year. Check out the Department’s Flickr account and see photos from this year’s exciting events and visits, featuring Iowa educators, students, community partners and more! https://tinyurl.com/bdf7nmbn

Over thirty school bus driver trainers attended the "Train the Trainer" session with Iowa Department of Education staff today. These individuals will train the 9,000+ bus drivers in the state of Iowa, helping to ensure students arrive to school safely.