Monday, March 18, 2024

2024 - 2025 Food Program Cooperative Purchasing Agreements

 Annual agreements for AEA Purchasing's Food program were distributed in February. Please contact Barb Adams, barb@aeapurchasing.org, to submit your agreement, effective July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. 

This agreement provides food, small wares, and ware wash supplies and services for your school nutrition program. 

We are proud to report that AEA Purchasing members were returned $0.23 of every $0.50 per case invested in fiscal year '23, a total rebate of $352,500.00.  

Thank you AEA Purchasing members for your dedication in providing excellent meals for Iowa students!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

School Health Supply Lists

Don't let your year-end budget go unspent! Save time and money by using School Health's premade supply lists created for educational professionals just like you.

Use these lists to check off items you already have or restock on the essentials you need.

Already have a list? Request a quote from us!

Remember to utilize your AEA Purchasing/AEPA contract to make the best use of your year-end budget! Under the contract, Iowa schools can save 13% off published prices across most School Health catalogs. (Some exclusions apply.)

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

SPRING Into Art with Blick Art Materials


Spring into creative action with FREE lessons from Blick Art Materials, using old and new materials from your classroom!  


Be sure to use code QD20AEP during checkout, and request your FREE 2024 Materials for Art Education catalog at https://www.dickblick.com/customer-service/catalogs/.

Blick Art Materials - Contract #AEPA 022.5-B (Industrial Arts & Career and Tech Supplies) and AEPA 023-D (School & Instructional Supplies)

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Mackin Monthly Digest: March 2024

Curious as to what's new with Mackin? Their March monthly digest features:

  • Author interview with Peter Brown
  • Dates and authors for upcoming Storyteller Spotlights
  • Take home/summer reading book packs for K-5 info
  • Kubo partnership...
...and so much more. Click here to catch it all!

As a reminder, Iowa schools and AEAs are eligible for contract benefits when using the AEA Purchasing/AEPA contract (AEPA 024-C). Benefits include:
  • Additional 8% off Mackin.com for print books
  • Additional 7% off Mackin.com for eBooks and digital audiobooks
  • Additional 3% off Mackin.com for Makerspace
  • Additional 3% off Mackin.com for Multimedia (DVDs, Blu-Rays, MP3s)
For additional information on Mackin services and how to take advantage of our contract, contact:

Mackin
Mindy Romero, Local Sales Rep
Contract #AEPA 020-C/AEPA 024-C
Cell: 319.899.9717
Toll-Free: 800.245.9540

Monday, March 4, 2024

Schools Thrive with Better Design - Demco

This blog post comes to you from Demco. To view the original post, click here.

Thoughtful spaces can attract the best teachers to your school  — and keep them there.

Excellence is shaped in exceptional places. From Broadway theaters to state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the best of the best reach their potential in spaces that are tailored to what they do. Naturally, the same is true for learning environments — and the benefits of thoughtful space design reach far beyond students’ academic success. Better learning spaces can also help you recruit and retain top teaching talent. 

Even in substandard spaces, teachers do amazing things for our kids. Because so many educators are driven by a personal mission that motivates them to go above and beyond, they’ll use the tools they have to do what they can. But in today’s education landscape, good teachers are in high demand and have their pick of available roles. School leaders need to leverage every possible advantage to bring them on board and ensure they’re well-equipped and happy once they arrive. This includes sharing a clear vision, fostering a positive environment, and investing in practical support for the realities of their work. 

Empower teachers with the tools they need

Have you ever tried to make a recipe without all of the ingredients, complete a DIY project with the wrong materials, or play a round of golf with only a putter? Sometimes ingenuity and luck let you muddle through, but more often than not you end up with a poor result. 

No matter how passionate they are about their work or how creative their ideas, teachers will struggle when they lack the resources they need: the writable space required for big-picture thinking, the flexible furniture that makes it easy to adapt and collaborate, the materials and storage that keeps spaces organized and distraction- free, and the integrated technology that today’s students need to maximize discovery. 

And even the most extraordinary educators are only human. Don’t let them spend their limited time and energy on adapting to less-than-ideal conditions. Give them a better chance at excellence by designing their spaces with care. 


Relieve stress and foster positivity in your schools

Teachers who work in optimized learning spaces can see firsthand how invested their leaders are in their success. It’s inherently motivating because it sends the message that the whole school community is on the same team, working toward the same goal, and that the district will use its resources to get there. Even more importantly, it reassures teachers that leadership has their backs and will help them navigate future challenges. This alone can relieve a major source of anxiety and uncertainty. 

The physical space can also eliminate many barriers teachers need to overcome to complete essential tasks. Badly designed environments zap energy and creativity, add daily frustration, provoke misbehavior and distraction, and overstimulate the senses; well-designed ones reduce stress, foster a sense of care and belonging, promote focus and engagement, and ease the pressure on teachers and students alike. This enables teachers to bring their best content and learning processes to the table, and it gives students a chance to get locked into learning. 

When teachers are surrounded by this kind of support and learning-centered design, they want to return to the space and continue the work. It becomes easier not only to manage the challenges that arise each day, but also to recover after hard moments. A restorative environment combined with confidence in school leaders’ support can combat the burnout that’s so common these days. Teachers who work in optimized learning spaces can see firsthand how invested their leaders are in their success. 

Lead by example to achieve excellence

Some of this space design work can be facilitated by teachers, but it can be difficult to ask them to do something different and more impactful if they’re already overwhelmed. That’s why school leaders need to be at the forefront, not only making learning space design a priority, but also emphasizing that great spaces equip teachers for excellence and make them want to stick around. Consider making explicit efforts in the areas below to get quick wins, to showcase the importance of space design, and to set teachers up for greater success. 

Get rid of excess stuff. One of the quickest ways to improve a learning space is to remove things that are no longer needed. Ask teachers what gets in their way and what they wish they could offload. Reassuring them that they don’t have to keep everything they’ve been given can liberate them to think about their instructional design in new ways. 

Take care of the details. Model how to take responsibility for the school environment and encourage the entire community to participate. Remind them that anyone can pick up items from the ground, remove outdated posters, and report areas that need repair. Be clear that this doesn’t reflect poorly on those who clean the building; instead, it’s an effort to involve teachers and students in maintaining a tidy space for learning. 

Look at the big picture and prioritize. Before making major changes, gather ideas from teachers themselves or from an education-focused design team. Consider all of the stated needs and what you know about the science of learning, then build a priority list and assign phases of implementation. You’ll be able to leverage this plan when you talk about budget and other resources (such as support from maintenance). Having this list starts to build momentum toward real solutions. 

Remember common spaces. All spaces are learning spaces. Classroom design is vital, but keep in mind that entry ways, offices, hallways, libraries, and other common spaces also impact students and teachers on a daily basis. These areas can welcome students and families, send a message about excellence, foster calm and well- being, and promote both personal learning and greater collaboration. 

Tell the story of your space. Outstanding spaces are a team effort and require buy-in from across your community. It’s crucial that everyone, from district leaders to local families, understands how the space currently functions, what needs to change, and the long-term impact those changes will make. Once you tell that story, you’ll win the enthusiastic support you need to succeed.  

Whether your school is poised for a full transformation or small, thoughtful optimizations, the changes you make can make all the difference. Focus on the fundamentals — what every teacher and student needs to excel in their environment — and you can ensure greater teacher recruitment, satisfaction, and retention. 

To start your conversation with Demco, contact:

Demco
Andrea Jones
Contract #AEPA 022-A, Bid # C10903