Sharing Our Stories, Again!

Here is another story about the power of Alternative Education in Iowa! Read about a Kimberly Center graduate and young mother who is an example of another success story. Congratulations!

Sharing our Stories

Lisa Hackman from Missouri Valley Alternative Center for Education sent a link to an excellent news story featuring her program! Check out the story in the Missouri Valley Times News

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The IAAE loves to share success stories about alternative students, programs and schools. Please send your stories to iaaenewsletter@gmail.com for inclusion in our quarterly newsletter and on this blog.

New IAAE Board Members Elected at Conference

Joel Schutte, Central Region IAAE Representative

Joel Schutte, principal of Harbor Alternative in Altoona, was elected to serve the Central Region. He will serve on the IAAE Board of Directors for a term of two years.

Schutte is a graduate of Des Moines Lincoln High School. He is a 1992 graduate of Central College and received his Masters of. Education in Educational Counseling from the University of Phoenix (Main campus, Phoenix, Az). He earned his Endorsement in Administration from Viterbo University in 2004. Schutte spent three years working for Orchard Place/Des Moines Child Guidance/PACE in a couple of different capacities, with his last position there as Casework Therapist in the S.T.O.P. program. In 1998, he began working as a counselor in the Oasis Program at Southeast Polk High School. Schutte became Principal Joel Schutte, Central Region IAAE Representative of Harbor Alternative (SE Polk) in the fall of 2006. He lives in Pleasant Hill with his wife, Marna, and four children (Jorie 18, Cade 9, Quinn 8, and Beck 6).

According to Schutte‘s application to run for this office, "I have dedicated my career to alternative education. For the past five years I have been principal of Harbor Alternative in the Southeast Polk School District, and before that spent eight years as an at-risk counselor at Southeast Polk High School. Recently I joined Rich Blonigan from SCAVO and Kim Davis from Walnut Creek on the planning committee for the Risky Business conference in the fall."

Ken Burrington, Northeast Region IAAE Representative

Ken Burrington of Osage Alternative program was elected to serve a two-year term representing the
Northeast Region.

This excerpt was taken from Ken‘s application: "Alternative education‘s place in the overall scheme of education is here to stay and growing. I feel we need to continue to work on organizing and communicating. There are many very successful programs out there, so what are they doing and how did they get to be successful. How can we better help each other? I also feel we need to educate the public on what Alternative Education is and what it looks like. There are so many misconceptions out there about our programs and our students."

Brian Friesner, Northwest Region IAAE Representative

Brian Friesner from Sergent Bluff flexible Learning Center will be serving the Northwest Region for the next two years. Brian graduated from Morningside College in the Spring 2003. He was a 5th grade teacher and a substitute teacher before coming to the Flexible Learning Center in the Fall of 2005. Brian teaches high school math, science, social studies courses. He has been a athletic coach going for more than 15 years. He has coached high school vol- leyball and currently is a coach of high school cross coun- try, boys basketball, boys/girls track and field at Sergeant Bluff-Luton. Brian says, "I truly enjoying working with young people. My free time is spent with my lovely wife of ten years, Michealeen, my energetic son, Luke, and our two dogs. We enjoy spending time together outdoors and understanding why "why" is good question to everything
for my son!"

2011 IAAE Vincent C. Scavo Grant Winners

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, the IAAE  provided Northeast Alternative High School with $500 to purchase high interest books to add to their library.

We had many requests this year. The following five schools were awarded $300 each in grant money:

• Bernie Kraft, COMPASS Alternative Center: toward a perennial garden
•  Lisa Hackman, Missouri Valley Alternative Center for Education (ACE): towards a Wii for fitness
• Jayme Hurley, Buchanan County Success Center: toward community learning opportunities
• Tina Turner, Creative Learning Center, Fort Madison: toward fitness equipment
• Kristin Flynn, Kimberly Center, Davenport: toward Xbox for fitnes

2011-12 IAAE Board Member Contact Information

Have questions for your 2011-12 IAAE Board? Feel free to contact them!

President: Brett Eubank, Red Oak Alternative School, 904 Broad Street, Red Oak, IA 51566; 712- 623-6610; Fax 712-623-6603; eubankb@roschools.com

President Elect: Lisa Demuth, Walnut Creek Campus, 815 South Eighth Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265; 515-633-6415; demuthl@wdmcs.org

Past President: Brian Galusha, Associate Principal, Clinton High School, 811 Eighth Avenue South, Clinton, IA 52732; 563-243-7540, x 4010; Fax 563-243-9612; bgalusha@clintonia.org

Secretary: Dawn Young, COMPASS Alternative Center, 2999 North 10th Street Marion, IA 52302, 319-730-3621, fax 319-730-3622, dyoung@linnmar.k12.ia.us

Treasurer: Rachelle Brown, Expo Alternative Learning Center, 1410 Independence Ave, Waterloo, IA 50703, 319-433-1930, Fax 319-433-1933; brownrr@waterloo.k12.ia.us

Central: Joel Schutte, Harbor Alternative SE Polk, 1301 1st Ave N., Altoona, IA 50009, 515-957-8811; schuttej@se-polk.k12.ia.us

Central: Steve Peters, Scavo High School, 3725 52nd Street, Des Moines, IA 50310; 515- 242-7589, x 4706; Fax 515-242-7591; stephen.peters@dmps.k12.ia.us

Northeast: Ken Burrington, Osage Alternative Education, 820 Sawyer Dr., Osage, IA 50461; 641-732-5172; kburrington@osage.k12.ia.us

Northeast: Josh Dean, Carrie Lane High School, 502 N. Jackson Street, Charles City, IA 50616-3846, 641-426-5975, jdean@charlescityschools.org

Northwest: Pat Johansen, Jefferson-Scranton Alternative School, 204 West Madison, Jefferson, IA 50129; 515-386-3856; pjohansen@jefferson-scranton.k12.ia.us

Northwest: Brian Friesner, Flexible Learning Center, 903 Topaz Ave., Sergeant Bluff, IA 51054; 712-943-2565, fax 712-943-2567; friesbri@sblschools.com

Southwest: Gina Scheffler, Success Center SWS, 800 Third Ave. Audubon, IA 50025. 712- 563-2607, fax 712-563-3607 gscheffler@audubon.k12.ia.us

Southwest: Lisa Hackman, Missouri Valley ACE, 109 E. Michigan Street, Missouri Valley, IA 51555, 712-642-9360, fax 712-642-2456, lhackman@movalleycsd.org

Southeast: Robyn Naberhaus, Basics and Beyond Alternative School, 600 N. 2nd Ave.West, Newton, IA 50208 naberhausr@newton.k12.ia.us

Southeast:

At-Large: Jen Duncan, New Directions Alternative High School Program, 401 West 9th Street, Tipton, IA, 52772, 563-886-3451, fax 319-398-1054; jen.duncan@tipton.k12.ia.us

At-Large: Pam Courtney, Davenport Schools, Administrative Services Center, 1606 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803; 563-336-3819; courtneyp@davenportschools.org

Community Colleges: Marlana Schnell, 3420 MLK Parkway, Des Moines, IA 50310; 515-697-7736; mdschnell@dmacc.edu

Department of Education: Susan Walkup, Department of Education, 400 East Fourteenth Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146; 515-281-5718; Fax 515-242-6019; susan.walkup@iowa.gov

Universities: Linda Rosulek , University of Northern Iowa; linda.rosulek@uni.edu

Ex-Officio: Ray Morley, 3706 Southwest Court Avenue, Ankeny, IA 50023; 515-964-8903; raymondmorl@gmail.com

Residential Education: Bob Howlett, 317 Ridgeview Dr., Independence, IA 50644; 319-334-4191; iaresed@gmail.com

AEA: Doug Harrold, Northwest AEA, 1520 Morningside Avenue, Sioux City, IA 51106; 800- 352-9040, x 6202 or 712-222-6202; Fax 712-222-6108; dharrold@nwaea.org

4/8/11 IAAE Board Meeting Minutes

IAAE Board Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2011     
Airport Holiday Inn
Des Moines, Ia

1. Call to Order

1. In Attendance: Rachelle Brown, Ken Burrington, Pam Courtney, Josh Dean, Lisa Demuth, Jen Duncan, Brett Eubank,  Brian Friesner, Brian Galusha, Lisa Hackman, Doug Harrold, Steve Iverson, Pat Johansen, Robyn Naberhaus, Steve Peters, Linda Rosulek, Gina Scheffler,  Marlana Schnell, Joel Schutte, Dawn Young

2. New Business
1. Welcome new members
2. Steve Iverson shared some information/handouts with the group regarding transitioning that can be used with students.
3. A date has been set for the 2012 IAAE State Conference: April 12-13, 2012.
1. Lisa D. previously distributed a copy of a new contract from the Airport Holiday Inn Des Moines outlining their proposal to be the host site for the event in 2012.  Upon working out the final details, Lisa D has authority to sign the contract with the Airport Holiday Inn for next year.
4. The Iowa residential educators will be represented on the IAAE Board and at subsequent IAAE state conferences.
5. Pat Johansen agreed to do one more hard copy of the IAAE newsletter.  After that, the newsletter will be in digital form.
6. The next IAAE Board meeting will be Friday May 6, 2011 at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.  We will meet in the FAA building room 208.
1. Please come prepared to talk about themes and speakers for the next conference.

3. Adjournment

***Next meeting: Friday May 6, 2011: Room 208, FFA Building 10:00-2:00

Respectfully submitted,
Dawn Young

4/6/11 IAAE Board Meeting Minutes

IAAE Board Meeting Minutes
April 6, 2011 8:30PM
Airport Holiday Inn
Des Moines, IA

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of March 25th Board Meeting Minutes
1. Minutes approved.

3. Conference Details
1. The board discussed details for the spring conference, finalizing the order of events and particular duties during the conference.
2. There was a request to give $200 to cover the cost of printing the Mandala.  A motion was made, seconded and approved.

4. Adjournment

Respectfully submitted,
Dawn Young

2011 IAAE Award Winners Announced

The Newcomer of the Year Award was presented to Linda Litterer from Creative Learning Center in Fort Madison. In the two years that Linda has been in alternative education, significant changes have been made to strengthen the program.  Among other things, she has been instrumental in creating an attendance policy, goal setting with staff and students, increasing community involvement, and boosting participation in the credit recovery program.  She diagnoses students’ needs by reviewing the data, interviewing the students and families, and creates an individual education plan for students based on their specific needs. She models the expected behavior and makes the alternative classroom a welcoming and successful environment for her students. Congratulations Linda!!

The Educator of the Year Award and $50.00 "bagel bucks" for a celebration with the staff was presented to Tascha Brown of Ankeny High School.   She volunteers time to work with students after school and during the summer school program. She has branched out to other staff members and has assisted them in differentiating and understanding the variety of needs that students have and continues to advocate for school wide change to better meet the needs of all students.  Tascha is dedicated to at-risk students, working tirelessly to improve reading skills, has become a mentor to students and finds ways to reach the most unreachable.  Congratulations Tascha!!

Susan Holderness

The Jim Fenton Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Susan Holderness of Walnut Creek Campus.  She has provided exposure to a world that many students would never have the chance to experience, providing learning opportunities by taking them to performances, historical sites, large cities to experience art, food, architecture, and fashion, as well as bringing the world into the school through guest artists and speakers.  Her many years working in the area of family consumer science have focused students in finding their careers and better personal lives.  She continues to be an advocate for education in the arts, especially with alternative students. Thank you, Susan, for your  hard work and dedication!! Congratulations!

Pam Courtney and Lisa Demuth present the Hall of Fame Award

Dr. Charles Greenwood, a pioneer in alternative education in the state of Iowa, was inducted into the the Iowa Alternative Education Hall of Fame.  Dr. Greenwood was instrumental in creating the first alternative school in Iowa; the Des Moines Alternative School, now known as Scavo High School, and the Iowa Association for Alternative Education.  He has been an advocate for alternative education, often standing up to mainstream ideology that wanted all schools to be alike.  His early efforts to form a statewide association to continue to address and expand alternative school philosophies and educational strategies, to stand for student-centered education, and to find a pathway for all students to meet the education goals of their community are recognized in this award.  Thank you, Dr. Greenwood, and congratulations!

Dr. Charles Greenwood

New IAAE President Encourages Member Interaction on Website

New IAAE President, Brett Eubank, encourages IAAE members to visit his new blog on the IAAE Website http://www.iaae.net/site/. Brett will be posting his thoughts, as well as happenings from across the state. He encourages all members to sign up for a username to use this interactive feature on the IAAE website.

Here's how to sign up to use the blog feature for creating your own IAAE blog OR commenting on other's blogs:

1. Click this link to get to create a new account. http://iaae.net/site/?q=user/register  (Note: this registration is NOT the same as the registration needed to join the IAAE mail list)
2. Type in a unique username and your school email address (educational email addresses are the only ones automatically approved by the site administrator)
3. Click the "Create New Account" button and wait for an email that verifies your new account.

After receiving your verification email, visit the IAAE site's Member Blogs area to comment on Brett's blog or create your own!

Don't forget to join the IAAE MailList!
Members of the IAAE MailList can ask questions any time via email to all other members who have joined the list. This year MailList members have posted questions about billing and contracts for alternative programs, alternative school attendance requirements, and the IAAE State Conference. The MailList is an easy way to find out what other alternative schools and programs are doing and to share information about IAAE events. To join the MailList:

• Click this link for the maillist sign up page http://mail.iaae.net/mailman/listinfo/maillist_iaae.net
• Fill in the information (name, email address) and choose a password
• Click the "Subscribe" button

If you use an educational email address (like k12.ia.us or .schools) you should receive an instant email verification that you are now subscribed to the maillist. Non-educational email addresses will not be automatically accepted and you will have to wait for the site administrator to verify your identity.

Once you are subscribed, you can email the list members by sending a message to maillist@iaae.net
There is a size limit for messages, so please make sure your messages are smaller than 4MB. Be sure to add maillist@iaae.net to your address book so that emails from the list can make it through your spam filter. If you have problems accessing the MailList, please contact an IAAE Board Member or leave a comment on this blog. Your problems will be shared with the IAAE site administrator.

How do you feel about the IAAE MailList? What are your thoughts about the IAAE Member Blogs feature? Leave your comments below in the comment section by clicking the word "comments".

David Zollo Wows 2011 Conference Attendees at All in the Family

IAAE members attend the annual State Conference to share ideas about curriculum, teaching, learning and dropout prevention. But those aren't the only reasons we attend. We also value the opportunity to network, socialize and share stories with colleagues who understand us better than anyone else--other alternative educators!

This year IAAE members had two opportunities for networking: first, in the Hospitality Room, sponsored this year by IAAE Board Members who graciously contributed snacks and beverages for all; and second at the Conference Social held at the All in the Family Lounge. This year's entertainment was Iowa native, David Zollo.

 

David Zollo performs with drummer, Brian Cooper

David wowed the audience with his soulful, bluesy style and his barefoot dancing feet. His music drove alternative educators and other All in the Family patrons to the dance floor for a night of fun-filled, soul-boosting music. David asked IAAE audience members, "So are you alternative teachers? or teachers of alternative students?" He obviously knows us well!

Check out David's Facebook page, his website http://davezollo.com/ and his YouTube channel for more information about his music, albums, and upcoming performances.

Did you enjoy the entertainment at this year's conference? Share your memories and feedback below in the comment section.