2012 Conference Registration Starts

It is time to register for the 2012 IAAE Conference!  Click here for a printable registration flyer.

February Administrators' Networking Meeting Announced

The next IAAE Administrators' Networking Meeting will be on Friday, February 24, 2012. It will be held on the DMACC Ankeny Campus in the FFA Enrichment Building, Rooms 114-115. Check in will start at 9:30 AM with presentations running from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. There will be a $7.00 charge for lunch. An agenda will be available in the next week or so.  Susan Walkup from the Iowa Department of Education is scheduled as one of the presenters.

Time to Submit Grant Requests and Award Nominations for 2012

Vincent C. Scavo Mini Grants
Every year the IAAE provides seed money to alternative schools and programs to jump start efforts to improve. Through the Vincent C. Scavo grant program last year, we provided grants to COMPASS Alternative Center toward a perennial garden, Missouri Valley Alternative Center for Education (ACE) towards a Wii for fitness, Buchanan County Success Center toward community learning opportunities, Creative Learning Center, Fort Madison toward fitness equipment, and Kimberly Center, Davenport toward Xbox for fitness.
Grants will be awarded at the 2012 Alternative Education Conference April 12-13th at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines.  If you would like to apply for a Vincent C. Scavo mini grant, send a letter and budget request to Pam Courtney-Kirsch at AERS Department, 1606 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803 orkirschp@davenportschools.org.  All requests need to be received by March 29th, 2012.

2012 IAAE Awards

The IAAE presents awards annually to outstanding educators who contribute to the work of alternative education in the state of Iowa.  Last year’s recipients include Linda Litterer from Creative Learning Center in Fort Madison for Newcomer of the Year.  Tascha Brown of Ankeny High School was the recipient of the Educator of the Year Award and $50.00 "bagel bucks" for a celebration with the staff.  The Jim Fenton Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Susan Holderness of Walnut Creek Campus, West Des Moines, and Dr. Charles Greenwood, a pioneer in alternative education in the state of Iowa, was inducted into the Iowa Alternative Education Hall of Fame.


If you would like to nominate someone for any of these awards please send required nomination materials to Pam Courtney-Kirsch, AERS Department, 1606 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803.  All requests need to be received by March 21th, 2012.  See awards descriptions and nomination process below.

IAAE Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented annually to alternative educators who have made a major contribution to the area of alternative education during their professional career. The award will honor individuals who have spent a minimum of 15 years in education as an alternative education professional. A teacher, counselor, supervisor, administrator, or any alternative educator that has met the above criteria may be nominated. The nominated individual’s contribution could include, but is not limited to , any of the following: improved services for students through innovative and creative thinking, advising, and counseling methods, administrative leadership and consistent work that has demonstrated improvements in alternative programming.

PROCESS: Submit no more than 5 letters detailing the individual’s contribution to alternative education.  More than one nomination is required for an individual to be considered.  Nominations can come from supervisors, coworkers, students, or community members in support of the nominee.  All nominations considered must be received in one complete packet of letters. Be as specific as possible about the contributions and efforts that should be recognized as an educator worthy of being awarded this recognition.  Please include the number of years the nominee has been in alternative education.  Detail the achievements this person has made in regard to improved services for students through innovative and creative thinking, advising and counseling methods, administrative leadership and consistent work that has demonstrated improvements in alternative programming.

Hall of Fame Award
Eligibility: Outstanding Alternative Educators will be inducted into the Iowa Alternative Education Hall of Fame annually. Inductees must have made a major contribution to the area of alternative education during their professional career, provided leadership, vision and momentum toward excellence in the field of Alternative Education. A teacher, counselor, supervisor, administrator, or any educator that has met the aforementioned criteria may be inducted into the Iowa Association of Alternative School’s Hall of Fame. The nominated individual’s contribution could include, but is not limited to, any of the following: improved services through innovation, consistent work that has demonstrated improvements in alternative programs, contributing to the body of knowledge through research and/or publication of books, articles and or journals that raises the level of professionalism within the field, refining existing programs to a higher level, or an engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and the community.

PROCESS: Submit no more than 5 letters detailing the individual’s contribution to alternative education.  More than one nomination is required for an individual to be considered.  Nominations can come from supervisors, coworkers, students, or community members in support of the nominee. All nominations considered must be received in one complete packet of letters. Be as specific as possible about the contributions and efforts that should be recognized as an educator worthy of being awarded this recognition.  Please include the number of years the nominee has been in alternative education.  Detail the achievements this person has made in regard to improved services for students through innovation, consistent work that has demonstrated improvements in alternative programs, contributing to the body of knowledge through research and/or publication of books, articles, and/or journals that raises the level of professionalism within the field, refining existing programs to a higher level, or an engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and the community.

Newcomer of the Year
The Newcomer of the Year is presented annually to an alternative educator who has less than five years of alternative education experience. The award may be presented to a teacher, supervisor, administrator, or counselor who is currently employed in an alternative education setting. This award will honor a person who is enthusiastic about alternative education, promotes a positive atmosphere in the school setting, and is an advocate for students.

PROCESS: Submit no more than 5 letters detailing the individual’s contribution to alternative education.  More than one nomination is required for an individual to be considered.  Nominations can come from supervisors, coworkers, students, or community members in support of the nominee.  All nominations considered must be received in one complete packet of letters. Be as specific as possible about the contributions and efforts that should be recognized as an educator worthy of being awarded this recognition.  Please include the number of years the nominee has been in alternative education.  Detail activities beyond his/or her designated responsibilities with which this person has been involved.

Educator of the Year
The Educator of the Year is presented annually to the alternative educator who is making a significant contribution to alternative education in Iowa. This award will honor one individual each year who is making an outstanding contribution to his/her students, school and community. Any alternative education teacher, supervisor, administrator, or counselor may be nominated.

PROCESS: Submit no more than 5 letters detailing the individual’s contribution to alternative education.  More than one nomination is required for an individual to be considered.  Nominations can come from supervisors, coworkers, students, or community members in support of the nominee.  All nominations considered must be received in one complete packet of letters. Be as specific as possible about the contributions and efforts that should be recognized as an educator worthy of being awarded this recognition.  Please include the number of years the nominee has been in alternative education.  Detail activities beyond his/or her designated responsibilities with which this person has been involved.  Describe the creative curriculum or other programs this person has developed.

Sir Ken Robinson: Alernative Education is Good Education

In August, GOOD ran a piece in their Education section by Liz Dwyer. The piece reviews a presentation given at a dropout prevention forum in Los Angeles by Sir Ken Robinson. The following is an excerpt from her piece entitled, "Why Alternative Education Needs to Go Mainstream."

"Robinson, whose lecture on how schools kill creativity is the most watched TEDTalk of all time, was part of a forum on dropout prevention hosted last week by the HeART Project, a Los Angeles-based arts education nonprofit. If what we now call 'alternative education' methods became mainstream, said Robinson, 'we wouldn't be discussing the dropout rate.' He also debunked the myth that students who drop out are reacting to the system as a whole: 'For any student, the classroom they sit in is the education system and that's what they're dropping out of.' But the kids who get into quality alternative programs fall in love with learning because they're getting an individualized experience--and the support they need to address particular life challenges, like being a teen mom or being homeless."

Sir Ken Robinson once again spread the good word about alternative education recently at a TEDx event in London where he said, "Alternative Education is good education."  You can watch his speech below.

In these uncertain times, it is good to know that one of the most renowned voices in education is a staunch supporter of alternative education!