Best wishes to each of you for a joyful holiday season and New Year. Each day, I learn more about the many talents and skills of our Heartland staff. Your dedication and support of students, families and educators is impressive and truly makes a difference! I hope you have an enjoyable break with family and friends.
Happy Holidays,
Paula Vincent, Chief Administrator
Monday, December 20, 2010
Update on Setting the Direction of the Agency’s Future
Please visit the Setting Direction blog at http://direction.aea11.k12.ia.us/ to find a copy of the PowerPoint that Chief Administrator Paula Vincent is using this week when she visits our staff members to talk about the Agency’s future. Staff members are encouraged to read through the PowerPoint and bring any feedback and questions they have to one of the upcoming meetings. Attendance at the meetings is optional, but they will provide an opportunity to hear first-hand about some of the changes that will be coming to the Agency, including changes in our regional structure. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to leave a comment on the blog.
Date Added for Chief Administrator Q & A Session
A date has been added to the schedule of meetings being held by Chief Administrator Paula Vincent to share information about the Agency’s future and answer staff questions. A session will now be held on January 5 from noon-1:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Des Moines. Staff members are welcome to bring their lunch.
Reminder of additional meetings:
Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Date Added for Chief Administrator Q & A Session
A date has been added to the schedule of meetings being held by Chief Administrator Paula Vincent to share information about the Agency’s future and answer staff questions. A session will now be held on January 5 from noon-1:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Des Moines. Staff members are welcome to bring their lunch.
Reminder of additional meetings:
Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
December 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Recap
The Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting was held on December 14, 2010.
Public Forum
No one was present to address the Board.
Discussion Items
Interest-Based Bargaining
Mr. Jim Riordan from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) was present to talk about interest-based bargaining (IBB). IBB is a way of negotiating in an open way that notes both parties’ fundamental interests complement each other. Since board members are key stakeholders in the operation of the Agency, it’s important for them to know the three principals of IBB: 1. separate people from the problem, 2. focus on interests, not on positions and 3. use consensus decision-making. Members of the negotiation team should be active participants but the facilitator should remain neutral. Iowa law requires that there be two open negotiation meetings to exchange interests between parties. Following the meetings, there are steps to help reach consensus and finalize solutions. Each of the steps helps address the problem, why the problem is being raised, the criteria used to compare and judge options, generate potential solutions and evaluate options to reach a solution. A contract is a living organism that changes each time it comes up for renewal, and the team always has the power to review to see how it’s working and change when necessary. IBB is a civil and successful way to do business.
Closed Session
A MOTION was made by Mr. Cal Halliburton and seconded by Mr. Nels Turnquist to enter into closed session as provided in Section 21.9 of the Iowa Code to discuss the 2011-12 negotiation process.
The Board of Directors entered into closed session at 6:12 p.m. to discuss 2011-12 negotiations and returned to public session at 6:57 p.m.
Discussion Items Continued
Request for Proposal for 2011 Agency Auditor
The Agency is at the end of a three-year agreement with its auditor, Pittman & Company. Board members reviewed a draft of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be sent to qualifying companies seeking proposals for the 2011 audit. There is no dissatisfaction with the current auditor; it is good practice for the Agency to periodically seek other bids.
6500 Regional Education Center Progress Report
Mr. Steve Prall provided a memorandum for the Board that summarized the current progress of the Johnston Regional Education Center remodeling project.
Action Items
Iowa Association for Education Purchasing 28E Agreement
A MOTION was made by Dr. Jane Bell and seconded by Mr. Cal Halliburton to approve the Iowa Association for Education Purchasing 28E Agreement. Motion passed.
Purchase Request – ECS, Inc.
A MOTION was made by Ms. Ann Wilson and seconded by Mr. Bruce Christensen to approve the purchase request for ESC, Inc. pursuant to RFP#11-01 for Professional Development Classroom Audio Visual System in the amount of $156,669.95 contingent on ECS, Inc. providing a Performance Bond of five percent and a Certificate of Insurance within 10 days of approval. Motion passed.
Chief Administrator Comments
• The relocation of the print shop started today. The machines will be back up and running by December 17.
• The print shop is under a five-year agreement. There may be some pieces that need to be brought to the Board as we look at staffing issues, however there is nothing else to bring forward at this time.
• At the Chief Administrators’ meeting on December 16 and 17, we hope to receive an update on the AEA Study. Hopefully we will have a final draft of the study by the first of the year.
Public Forum
No one was present to address the Board.
Discussion Items
Interest-Based Bargaining
Mr. Jim Riordan from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) was present to talk about interest-based bargaining (IBB). IBB is a way of negotiating in an open way that notes both parties’ fundamental interests complement each other. Since board members are key stakeholders in the operation of the Agency, it’s important for them to know the three principals of IBB: 1. separate people from the problem, 2. focus on interests, not on positions and 3. use consensus decision-making. Members of the negotiation team should be active participants but the facilitator should remain neutral. Iowa law requires that there be two open negotiation meetings to exchange interests between parties. Following the meetings, there are steps to help reach consensus and finalize solutions. Each of the steps helps address the problem, why the problem is being raised, the criteria used to compare and judge options, generate potential solutions and evaluate options to reach a solution. A contract is a living organism that changes each time it comes up for renewal, and the team always has the power to review to see how it’s working and change when necessary. IBB is a civil and successful way to do business.
Closed Session
A MOTION was made by Mr. Cal Halliburton and seconded by Mr. Nels Turnquist to enter into closed session as provided in Section 21.9 of the Iowa Code to discuss the 2011-12 negotiation process.
The Board of Directors entered into closed session at 6:12 p.m. to discuss 2011-12 negotiations and returned to public session at 6:57 p.m.
Discussion Items Continued
Request for Proposal for 2011 Agency Auditor
The Agency is at the end of a three-year agreement with its auditor, Pittman & Company. Board members reviewed a draft of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be sent to qualifying companies seeking proposals for the 2011 audit. There is no dissatisfaction with the current auditor; it is good practice for the Agency to periodically seek other bids.
6500 Regional Education Center Progress Report
Mr. Steve Prall provided a memorandum for the Board that summarized the current progress of the Johnston Regional Education Center remodeling project.
Action Items
Iowa Association for Education Purchasing 28E Agreement
A MOTION was made by Dr. Jane Bell and seconded by Mr. Cal Halliburton to approve the Iowa Association for Education Purchasing 28E Agreement. Motion passed.
Purchase Request – ECS, Inc.
A MOTION was made by Ms. Ann Wilson and seconded by Mr. Bruce Christensen to approve the purchase request for ESC, Inc. pursuant to RFP#11-01 for Professional Development Classroom Audio Visual System in the amount of $156,669.95 contingent on ECS, Inc. providing a Performance Bond of five percent and a Certificate of Insurance within 10 days of approval. Motion passed.
Chief Administrator Comments
• The relocation of the print shop started today. The machines will be back up and running by December 17.
• The print shop is under a five-year agreement. There may be some pieces that need to be brought to the Board as we look at staffing issues, however there is nothing else to bring forward at this time.
• At the Chief Administrators’ meeting on December 16 and 17, we hope to receive an update on the AEA Study. Hopefully we will have a final draft of the study by the first of the year.
Holiday Office & Van Route Schedule
Heartland offices will be closed December 24, 27, 28 and 31 for holiday break. Vans will run on the following schedule:
• December 20-23, 2010 -- Regular Van Delivery
• December 27-31, 2010 -- No Van Delivery
• January 3, 2011 -- Regular Van Delivery Resumes
• December 20-23, 2010 -- Regular Van Delivery
• December 27-31, 2010 -- No Van Delivery
• January 3, 2011 -- Regular Van Delivery Resumes
Johnston REC Construction & New Professional Development Classroom Update
The first phase of the Johnston REC renovation project is near completion. As you may recall, the project is divided into two phases: Phase I began on October 25 and is very near completion.
To date, the Children’s Library was relocated throughout other parts of the building to facilitate renovation for the relocation of the Print Shop to that area. Demolition of this area was completed, and new walls, electrical and HVAC work is finished. The Print Shop equipment has been moved and is now up and running in its new location in the back of the building.
The former HR/Business Office areas of the building have been demolished to make way for the new large classroom, which is near completion. The classroom will have basic audio/visual technologies installed to allow the room to be used during the month of January. From January 31 through February 11, the room will temporarily be offline while new, state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment is installed. The classroom will be able to divide into two spaces, each having state-of-the-art high definition presentation capabilities including a projector and screen, presenter’s station with touch screen controls, document camera, smart pen display system, DVD/VCR, dedicated laptop, guest laptop interface, microphone(s), sound system controls, whiteboards, video recording and Polycom capability. The system is designed to be simple to use and will integrate in the near future with new ICN IP video conferencing on-demand.
Over the holiday break, workstations will be disassembled and moved from the regional office area to allow for new carpet installation. Once the carpet installation is complete, the workstations will be reassembled. In addition, new carpet will be installed throughout the reception and main hallway, new classroom and Conference Room 8. Time permitting, Conference Rooms 3 & 4, the ICN Room and the sound booth area will also be re-carpeted during this time.
Phase II of the project is scheduled to begin on January 3 and should be completed by February 28. This phase of the project will focus on the library area and the construction of an additional restroom.
If you have any questions about the project, contact Dustin Gean, Operations Manager or Steve Prall, Chief of Operations.
Also keep checking the Johnston REC remodeling project blog for updates: http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
To date, the Children’s Library was relocated throughout other parts of the building to facilitate renovation for the relocation of the Print Shop to that area. Demolition of this area was completed, and new walls, electrical and HVAC work is finished. The Print Shop equipment has been moved and is now up and running in its new location in the back of the building.
The former HR/Business Office areas of the building have been demolished to make way for the new large classroom, which is near completion. The classroom will have basic audio/visual technologies installed to allow the room to be used during the month of January. From January 31 through February 11, the room will temporarily be offline while new, state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment is installed. The classroom will be able to divide into two spaces, each having state-of-the-art high definition presentation capabilities including a projector and screen, presenter’s station with touch screen controls, document camera, smart pen display system, DVD/VCR, dedicated laptop, guest laptop interface, microphone(s), sound system controls, whiteboards, video recording and Polycom capability. The system is designed to be simple to use and will integrate in the near future with new ICN IP video conferencing on-demand.
Over the holiday break, workstations will be disassembled and moved from the regional office area to allow for new carpet installation. Once the carpet installation is complete, the workstations will be reassembled. In addition, new carpet will be installed throughout the reception and main hallway, new classroom and Conference Room 8. Time permitting, Conference Rooms 3 & 4, the ICN Room and the sound booth area will also be re-carpeted during this time.
Phase II of the project is scheduled to begin on January 3 and should be completed by February 28. This phase of the project will focus on the library area and the construction of an additional restroom.
If you have any questions about the project, contact Dustin Gean, Operations Manager or Steve Prall, Chief of Operations.
Also keep checking the Johnston REC remodeling project blog for updates: http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Iowa Legislator Contact Sheet Available
Click here for a contact sheet for Iowa legislators for the 2011 and 2012 sessions. The next legislative session begins on January 10, 2011. Look for weekly legislative updates from AEA Government Relations Specialist Wayne Haddy when the session begins.
Open House in New Print Shop Dec. 21
If you’re at the Johnston Regional Education Center on Dec. 21, stop by the newly relocated print shop (in the former children's library) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for an open house. You can see the shop’s new set up and have a piece of cake courtesy of Xerox.
Changes Made to Leave Online System
Human Resources and Information Technology staff members are continuing to improve and integrate the Agency’s human resource information systems so that the systems are user-friendly, data is accurate, reporting is timely and data can be categorized and reported in a manner that improves data-based decision making.
In order to facilitate that improvement, integration and reporting of calendars and leaves, the Leave Online System has been slightly modified. Staff will no longer be able to enter one leave request that spans two calendar months (e.g., Jan 25 to Feb 4). Instead the system will prompt you to enter two separate requests (e.g., one request for the days in January and another request for the days in February).
Thank you for the attention to this change. Please contact Chris Pierson, Assistant Director of Human Resources, at ext. 14400 or cpierson@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have further questions about this change.
In order to facilitate that improvement, integration and reporting of calendars and leaves, the Leave Online System has been slightly modified. Staff will no longer be able to enter one leave request that spans two calendar months (e.g., Jan 25 to Feb 4). Instead the system will prompt you to enter two separate requests (e.g., one request for the days in January and another request for the days in February).
Thank you for the attention to this change. Please contact Chris Pierson, Assistant Director of Human Resources, at ext. 14400 or cpierson@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have further questions about this change.
Operations Workgroup Meeting Information
The Operations Workgroup meeting will be held January 26 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms 3 & 4 at the Johnston REC. Some of you may have it on your calendars for January 19, which isn’t the correct date.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Setting Our Direction Blog Created for Communication About the Agency’s Future
A “Setting Direction” blog has been created as a communications tool to provide up-to-date information as well as an opportunity for two-way Q & A around the topic of setting the future direction of our agency. Please visit http://direction.aea11.k12.ia.us/ to see current posts about Paula Vincent’s upcoming office visits, an archive of Paula’s video from this fall’s regional meetings, the outcome of the core values survey and the updated agency beliefs, mission and values.
December 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Click here to download the agenda for the December 14, 2010 Heartland Board of Directors meeting.
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/. Check out the new photos!
Upcoming December Payroll Timelines
Due to the upcoming agency holiday schedule, staff members paid from a timesheet must have their December 1-15 timesheets completed, approved by their supervisor and submitted to the Payroll Department by the end of the day on December 21 in order to ensure they receive pay at the end of the month.
Agency offices will be closed on December 31 for the New Year’s holiday. As a result, payday will be December 30 rather than the 31st. Please contact Steve Jordan, Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908 or Michelle Smith, Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14422 if you have any questions.
Agency offices will be closed on December 31 for the New Year’s holiday. As a result, payday will be December 30 rather than the 31st. Please contact Steve Jordan, Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908 or Michelle Smith, Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14422 if you have any questions.
Update on Special Education Teacher Professional Learning Opportunities
A few weeks ago a list of professional learning opportunities for school special education teachers was listed in The Connection. These sessions will be paid for by ARRA funding and are targeted specifically at instructional practices known to be effective with students with disabilities. Click here for a list of the sessions, now complete with registration numbers. Substitute costs will be reimbursed to districts to allow teachers to attend. If you work with special education teachers, please share this information. These classes are not open to AEA staff at this time.
Keeping Up-to-Date on Copyright Laws
Violation of copyright law is an ongoing and serious issue with Internet usage – especially with music and images. Click here to download Copyright Condensed, which will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about copyright! This document will provide proper guidance around copyright issues. Copyright Condensed is always available on the Heartland website under the Educators tab>Library & Online Catalog. If you ever have any questions about copyright issues, contact Susan Schrader, Resource & Publications Supervisor, at sschrader@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Monday, December 6, 2010
November 2010 Staff Advisory Council Meeting Notes
Click here to download the notes from the November 2010 Staff Advisory Council meeting. The Council meets again on January 19 in Ames.
Reminder: Opportunities Coming for Communication About the Agency’s Future
On December 20, 21 and 22, Paula Vincent will hold meetings throughout the Agency to share information and respond to questions about setting the future direction of the Agency. These meetings are optional and staff members may attend at any location. The schedule for the meetings follows:
o Dec. 20: Guthrie Center Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
o Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
o Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
o Dec. 20: Guthrie Center Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
o Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
o Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Update on Collecting Telephone Numbers for Inclement Weather Communication
Anyone who hadn’t already updated his or her telephone information for the Agency to use for inclement weather communication should have received a reminder e-mail last week to do so. If you haven’t yet updated your information, please so as soon as possible. It’s December, so we’re entering prime time snow season!
And as a reminder, here are the helpful hints about calls from SchoolReach, the online system the Agency will use to make calls to staff about office closings.
SchoolReach
This is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15 minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For instance, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will make one call to the staff members assigned to both offices to let them know of the office closure. Staff in other offices won’t automatically receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communication Department; they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to provide Human Resources with current and accurate phone information any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important information. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
And as a reminder, here are the helpful hints about calls from SchoolReach, the online system the Agency will use to make calls to staff about office closings.
SchoolReach
This is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15 minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For instance, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will make one call to the staff members assigned to both offices to let them know of the office closure. Staff in other offices won’t automatically receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communication Department; they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to provide Human Resources with current and accurate phone information any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important information. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
Use and Storage of Video/Audio/Photography of Eligible Students; Agency Media Consent Forms Consolidated
Some of our Special Education staff members are using Flip Video recorders for intervention work (e.g., video self-modeling) with students in special education. We wanted to inform you of the legal requirements for using and storing video/audio/photography with eligible students. We have summarized this information in a memo and flowchart as a support for both AEA and LEA special education staff. Click here to read this important memo.
If you have any questions about the contents of the memo or flowchart, please see your Discipline Program Assistant.
Also note that the video/audio/photo consent form under the Communications tab on the Intranet is now one single form. Prior to the revision of the Communications tab there were three forms for students, schools staff and Heartland staff. Those forms have been consolidated into one form to use, no matter the person you are seeking consent from.
If you have any questions about the contents of the memo or flowchart, please see your Discipline Program Assistant.
Also note that the video/audio/photo consent form under the Communications tab on the Intranet is now one single form. Prior to the revision of the Communications tab there were three forms for students, schools staff and Heartland staff. Those forms have been consolidated into one form to use, no matter the person you are seeking consent from.
Documenting Related Services on Page F of the IEP
Discipline Program Assistants and Special Education Program Assistants have been working on establishing a common practice for documenting related services on page F of the IEP. The guidance statements are as follows:
• If the student will be receiving services: Document in a “Support or Related Service” box using “Service with LRE Minutes” and the PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code (assign minutes in the right hand column). This should be used when the direct service provider is listed as one of the positions responsible for a goal and/or responsible for maintaining assistive technology (indicated on goal page).
• If the teacher (or staff) will be receiving services on a regular basis (e.g. specific minutes assigned to the IEP or required check-ins stated): Document in a “Support for School Personnel” box using “Service without LRE minutes” with PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code.
• If the teacher (or staff) will be receiving services on occasional basis (e.g. at teacher request or on a check in basis): Document in a “Support for School Personnel” box using “Activity/Support” with no PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code.
We hope this guidance will clarify expectations and increase internal consistency regarding the expected documentation of related services for all staff. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Discipline Program Assistant or Special Education Program Assistant for further guidance.
• If the student will be receiving services: Document in a “Support or Related Service” box using “Service with LRE Minutes” and the PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code (assign minutes in the right hand column). This should be used when the direct service provider is listed as one of the positions responsible for a goal and/or responsible for maintaining assistive technology (indicated on goal page).
• If the teacher (or staff) will be receiving services on a regular basis (e.g. specific minutes assigned to the IEP or required check-ins stated): Document in a “Support for School Personnel” box using “Service without LRE minutes” with PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code.
• If the teacher (or staff) will be receiving services on occasional basis (e.g. at teacher request or on a check in basis): Document in a “Support for School Personnel” box using “Activity/Support” with no PT/OT/SS/VI/DI/AU code.
We hope this guidance will clarify expectations and increase internal consistency regarding the expected documentation of related services for all staff. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Discipline Program Assistant or Special Education Program Assistant for further guidance.
Teacher Quality Update
Just a final reminder that staff members need to be registered for participating in a Teacher Quality activity by December 7, 2010. Those of you who have signed up for a study group will receive an e-mail about scheduling the times and locations for your group to meet after everyone has had an opportunity to register.
If you have additional questions, please contact Rob Brookhart, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14633 or Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership, at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14362.
If you have additional questions, please contact Rob Brookhart, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14633 or Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership, at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14362.
December 2010 Iowa Dept. of Education School Leader Update
Click here to download the December 2010 issue of the School Leader Update.
25th Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service on January 17
The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS), Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the Governor’s Office are encouraging agencies and nonprofits to celebrate the 25th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday (MLK Day) by participating in a Day of Service on January 17, 2011. The MLK Day of Service helps create a greater impact within Iowa’s communities by increasing the number of service projects and expanding community engagement to all ages.
Some examples of service projects include collection drives for winter coats, food or blankets; shoveling sidewalks of disabled or elderly citizens; mentoring, painting, reorganizing or cleaning a shelter; or helping children with homework after school. Additional project ideas and resources can be found at www.mlkday.gov.
If you or an organization you are part of is interested in planning a day of service but are not sure where to start, a downloadable tool kit is available at www.mlkday.gov or you can contact the CNCS Iowa Office at 515-284-4817 or e-mail jafollette@cns.gov. Projects that need the assistance of community volunteers need to be registered by January 3, 2011. You can post your project(s) on www.volunteeriowa.org or through your local volunteer center’s volunteer posting system. For more detailed instructions, contact daysofservice@iowa.gov to request access to a recorded webinar with step-by-step instructions on how to post your project online.
If you have a project that is scheduled but you are not seeking the assistance of community volunteers, we still would like to know about it! You can send those projects details to daysofservice@iowa.gov.
Some examples of service projects include collection drives for winter coats, food or blankets; shoveling sidewalks of disabled or elderly citizens; mentoring, painting, reorganizing or cleaning a shelter; or helping children with homework after school. Additional project ideas and resources can be found at www.mlkday.gov.
If you or an organization you are part of is interested in planning a day of service but are not sure where to start, a downloadable tool kit is available at www.mlkday.gov or you can contact the CNCS Iowa Office at 515-284-4817 or e-mail jafollette@cns.gov. Projects that need the assistance of community volunteers need to be registered by January 3, 2011. You can post your project(s) on www.volunteeriowa.org or through your local volunteer center’s volunteer posting system. For more detailed instructions, contact daysofservice@iowa.gov to request access to a recorded webinar with step-by-step instructions on how to post your project online.
If you have a project that is scheduled but you are not seeking the assistance of community volunteers, we still would like to know about it! You can send those projects details to daysofservice@iowa.gov.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Opportunities Coming for Communication About the Agency’s Future
Agency leadership has been working on plans for setting future agency direction. At regional office meetings in October, Chief Administrator Paula Vincent provided an introduction to these planning efforts. In order to keep all staff in the communication loop about upcoming changes and to provide opportunity for feedback, several communication forums will be implemented. These forums are a result of recommendations made by Staff Advisory Council (SAC II) at its November meeting.
• In the month of December you will be provided with a link to a blog for Setting Agency Direction that is similar to the Construction blog already in use. This blog is intended to provide up-to-date information about progress as well as an opportunity for two-way Q & A.
• On December 20, 21 and 22, Paula Vincent will hold meetings throughout the Agency to share information and respond to questions. These meetings are optional and staff members may attend any location. The schedule for the meetings follows:
o Dec. 20: Guthrie Center Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
o Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
o Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• SAC II will represent staff input at monthly meetings that resume in January. Please continue to share your ideas with a SAC II member.
• In the month of December you will be provided with a link to a blog for Setting Agency Direction that is similar to the Construction blog already in use. This blog is intended to provide up-to-date information about progress as well as an opportunity for two-way Q & A.
• On December 20, 21 and 22, Paula Vincent will hold meetings throughout the Agency to share information and respond to questions. These meetings are optional and staff members may attend any location. The schedule for the meetings follows:
o Dec. 20: Guthrie Center Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
o Dec. 21: Ames Office, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 21: Indianola Office, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
o Dec. 22: Zion Lutheran Church, Des Moines, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
o Dec. 22: Newton Office, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• SAC II will represent staff input at monthly meetings that resume in January. Please continue to share your ideas with a SAC II member.
Intranet Communications Tab Gets a Facelift
The Communications tab on the Intranet has been given a facelift. The name of the tab has been changed from “Critical Communication” to “Communications” and the resources have been re-categorized so that you can more easily find the resources you need. Below is how the information is now categorized.
Archives: Find links to official agency communications pieces and information on how to submit content for them.
o Administrator Connection
o Staff Connection
o HeartBeat
Communication Resources & Publications: Included under this link are resources and guides staff can use to conduct agency business. Also available are the 2010-2011 publications such as the regional contact sheet, regional map, directories and the current van routes.
Resources
o Agency Style Guide
o Glossary of Educational Terms
o Grammar & Usage
o Heartland Vision/Mission
o Heartland Logo
o Manual Guidelines
o Non-discrimination Clause
o PeopleBox Style Guide
Publications
o 2010-2011 Regional Contact Sheet
o 2010-2011 Regional Map
o 2010-2011 Staff & Schools Directory
o 2010-2011 Superintendent Directory
o 2010-2011 Van Routes
Forms: Find the fillable pdf forms that staff members need for communication-related needs.
o Brochure Approval Form
o Business Card Order Form
o Consent Form (for photos & video—now just one form)
o Printing Request Form
o Production Request Form
Tell Us Your Good News: We know our staff are doing great things in the Agency, and we want to share those stories! If you have good news to share, take just a few minutes to complete the simple web form, and we'll do all of the follow-up.
Templates: This section contains important materials for staff to carry out agency business. Find your office’s fax memo and letterhead template. Also available is a meeting agenda and PowerPoint templates (new ones coming soon!). All materials are correctly branded with the Heartland logo and are ready for use.
o Electronic Fax Memo Templates
o Electronic Interoffice Memo Templates
o Electronic Letterhead Templates
o Manual Template o Meeting Agenda Template
o PowerPoint Templates
If you have any questions or suggestions about these resources, please e-mail the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Archives: Find links to official agency communications pieces and information on how to submit content for them.
o Administrator Connection
o Staff Connection
o HeartBeat
Communication Resources & Publications: Included under this link are resources and guides staff can use to conduct agency business. Also available are the 2010-2011 publications such as the regional contact sheet, regional map, directories and the current van routes.
Resources
o Agency Style Guide
o Glossary of Educational Terms
o Grammar & Usage
o Heartland Vision/Mission
o Heartland Logo
o Manual Guidelines
o Non-discrimination Clause
o PeopleBox Style Guide
Publications
o 2010-2011 Regional Contact Sheet
o 2010-2011 Regional Map
o 2010-2011 Staff & Schools Directory
o 2010-2011 Superintendent Directory
o 2010-2011 Van Routes
Forms: Find the fillable pdf forms that staff members need for communication-related needs.
o Brochure Approval Form
o Business Card Order Form
o Consent Form (for photos & video—now just one form)
o Printing Request Form
o Production Request Form
Tell Us Your Good News: We know our staff are doing great things in the Agency, and we want to share those stories! If you have good news to share, take just a few minutes to complete the simple web form, and we'll do all of the follow-up.
Templates: This section contains important materials for staff to carry out agency business. Find your office’s fax memo and letterhead template. Also available is a meeting agenda and PowerPoint templates (new ones coming soon!). All materials are correctly branded with the Heartland logo and are ready for use.
o Electronic Fax Memo Templates
o Electronic Interoffice Memo Templates
o Electronic Letterhead Templates
o Manual Template o Meeting Agenda Template
o PowerPoint Templates
If you have any questions or suggestions about these resources, please e-mail the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Dependent Care Reminder: Claims Reimbursement Deadline
Two dates are important to remember for employees enrolled in Heartland’s Dependent Care flexible benefit program:
• All expenses for the 2010 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2010.
• All claims for the 2010 plan year must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement no later than 60 days after the end of the plan year. This year, the last day they will be accepted is March 1, 2011.
These dates relate to the dependent care flexible spending account and do not relate to the medical flex spending account. The plan year for the medical FSA is June 1 through May 31. If you have questions about the balance you have remaining in your dependent care account, please contact Kabel Business Services at (515) 224-9400 or (800) 300-9691.
• All expenses for the 2010 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2010.
• All claims for the 2010 plan year must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement no later than 60 days after the end of the plan year. This year, the last day they will be accepted is March 1, 2011.
These dates relate to the dependent care flexible spending account and do not relate to the medical flex spending account. The plan year for the medical FSA is June 1 through May 31. If you have questions about the balance you have remaining in your dependent care account, please contact Kabel Business Services at (515) 224-9400 or (800) 300-9691.
Reminder: Update Your Phone Number to Receive Office Closing Information
One more reminder! The Agency is changing the way it communicates about office closings for inclement weather and other emergency situations to make sure the information is communicated correctly, consistently and in a timely manner. The information will no longer be communicated via TV and radio stations, but through a live voice call, the agency website, a cancellation hotline and Facebook and Twitter.
If you haven’t already done so, click here to access a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm. Please submit and/or confirm your information as soon as possible!
If you haven’t already done so, click here to access a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm. Please submit and/or confirm your information as soon as possible!
Special Education Winter Institute
During both the August and November Special Education webinars, all staff who complete special education evaluations were asked to use the FIE Implementation Checklist with at least two cases this fall. We will use the Winter Institute as a time to revisit the checklist, and we need all staff members who attend to bring a copy of an EER with the completed checklist attached to this training. If you did not complete an FIE this fall but did complete one last year, use that EER. If you are not responsible for completing initial evaluations for special education eligibility in your current role, you are not required to bring an EER with the checklist.
The tentative agenda for the Winter Institute includes the following:
• Keynote Address: Randy Allison
• Changes to the State EER
• Revisiting the FIE Implementation Checklist
We look forward to seeing you and for this opportunity to learn together. Please contact Sarah Brown, Program Assistant, Internal Professional Development, at sbrown@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14380 if you have any questions.
The tentative agenda for the Winter Institute includes the following:
• Keynote Address: Randy Allison
• Changes to the State EER
• Revisiting the FIE Implementation Checklist
We look forward to seeing you and for this opportunity to learn together. Please contact Sarah Brown, Program Assistant, Internal Professional Development, at sbrown@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14380 if you have any questions.
ARRA Funding Provides Opportunities for Special Education Teachers
With funding from America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Heartland will be providing special education teachers with opportunities to attend professional learning that is targeted specifically at instructional practices known to be effective with students with disabilities. Click here for a summary of the sessions. Substitute costs will be reimbursed to their districts to allow them to attend. If you work with special education teachers, please share this information. These classes are not open to AEA staff at this time.
Teacher Quality Update
Just a reminder that Certified Staff members need to sign up for Teacher Quality activities by December 7, 2010 to participate in this year’s TQ learning opportunities. If you have questions about learning options, please contact your discipline program assistant for the list of activities or click here.
If you have additional questions, please contact Rob Brookhart, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14633 or Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership, at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14362.
If you have additional questions, please contact Rob Brookhart, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant, at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14633 or Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership, at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14362.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, Nov. 24: Staff Members Can Leave an Hour Early & Wear Jeans
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, staff members are welcome to leave work an hour early on November 24 if their workload will allow. You do not have to submit a leave request, and if you fill out a timesheet, mark the time down as normal time worked. And since Wednesday is the last day of the workweek, staff members are allowed to wear jeans on the 24th. We hope you all have a very happy holiday!
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Reminder: Update Your Phone Number to Receive Office Closing Information
Reminder: The Agency is changing the way it communicates about office closings for inclement weather and other emergency situations to make sure the information is communicated correctly, consistently and in a timely manner. The information will no longer be communicated via TV and radio stations, but through a live voice call, the agency website, a cancellation hotline and Facebook and Twitter.
If you haven’t already done so, please click here to go to a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm. We know that many of you have not yet confirmed your information through this web form—please do so as soon as possible!
If you haven’t already done so, please click here to go to a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm. We know that many of you have not yet confirmed your information through this web form—please do so as soon as possible!
Tips for Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
As winter approaches, so does cold and flu season. Here are some tips you can use to protect yourself and help limit the spread of illness:
1. Avoid close contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are ill. When you are ill, keep your distance from others to protect them from becoming ill, too.
2. Stay home when you are ill.
If possible, stay home from work, school and doing errands when you are ill. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. If you have flu symptoms, please contact your physician. Flu symptoms include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Other possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting, body aches, headaches, runny nose, congestion and diarrhea.
3. Cover your mouth and nose.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from becoming ill.
4. Clean your hands often.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from spreading germs. Hand sanitizer can help protect you from germs as well. All Heartland offices have hand sanitizer on hand for your use. We also have replacement pumps and eight gallons of additional sanitizer on hand at the Johnston office. If your local supply of hand sanitizer is getting low or you need a new pump, please contact Carolyn Jones in Human Resources at cjones@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14614 to request a replacement.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food. These steps will help maintain a strong immune system that is ready to fight infection.
7. Get vaccinated.
The September 26 edition of The Connection listed your options for getting the flu vaccine. To learn about the vaccine for the 2010-2011 flu season, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/fluvax_whatsnew.htm. Please note that there is no separate vaccination for the H1N1 strain this year. This year’s flu vaccine will protect against the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season, and no separate vaccination for H1N1 is needed.
1. Avoid close contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are ill. When you are ill, keep your distance from others to protect them from becoming ill, too.
2. Stay home when you are ill.
If possible, stay home from work, school and doing errands when you are ill. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. If you have flu symptoms, please contact your physician. Flu symptoms include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Other possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting, body aches, headaches, runny nose, congestion and diarrhea.
3. Cover your mouth and nose.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from becoming ill.
4. Clean your hands often.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from spreading germs. Hand sanitizer can help protect you from germs as well. All Heartland offices have hand sanitizer on hand for your use. We also have replacement pumps and eight gallons of additional sanitizer on hand at the Johnston office. If your local supply of hand sanitizer is getting low or you need a new pump, please contact Carolyn Jones in Human Resources at cjones@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14614 to request a replacement.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food. These steps will help maintain a strong immune system that is ready to fight infection.
7. Get vaccinated.
The September 26 edition of The Connection listed your options for getting the flu vaccine. To learn about the vaccine for the 2010-2011 flu season, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/fluvax_whatsnew.htm. Please note that there is no separate vaccination for the H1N1 strain this year. This year’s flu vaccine will protect against the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season, and no separate vaccination for H1N1 is needed.
Kabel Business Services Holiday Hours
Kabel Business Services, the administrator of the Agency’s medical and dependent care flex spending plans and Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plan, will be closed for Thanksgiving on November 25 & 26, 2010. There will be no disbursements for claims on these days. It will also be closed for the Christmas holiday on December 24, 2010 and for New Year’s on December 31, 2010. There will be no disbursements for claims on either of these days.
Agency Launches Google Search and Google Analytics For Its Website
Heartland’s website recently received a serious power boost from Google. The site supercharge came from the deployment of our new Google Mini search appliance and our site-wide roll-out of Google Analytics.
The new Google Mini search appliance impacts our site-wide search capabilities by allowing us to control the portions of the website that get searched and how the results are displayed to users. The power contained in the Google Mini gives the Agency best-in-class site search capabilities and will allow us to fix several issues with our current site’s search results.
The search results are being cleaned up right now in an attempt to exclude items that are out-of-date. This is where we need your help. The Google Mini is now the live search agent on our site. Please do a search for your own items and make sure the items you want to display appear properly indexed and are searchable. Please contact Joshua Burke, Web Manager and Telecommunications Specialist, at webmanager@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14619 and let him know of any items that are returning in the results that you do not want.
The Google Mini presents an unprecedented opportunity to make our website a model for others both in form and functionality. The new search capabilities provide a means of real control over our search results so they return the most up-to-date and timely information possible.
The sidekick in this dynamic duo is Google Analytics. Google Analytics provides in-depth reporting and site statistics for any pages that are published through the Agency’s content management system (CMS). This gives us the opportunity to add some research and relevance to the work of so many that contribute to our agency’s official web presence.
Google Analytics gives us a clear view of users visiting our site, where they are going, how long they stay and other bits of relevant demography. We hope to use the data to underscore areas of high use and better promote areas of relevance that are under-utilized.
If you have any questions about the Google Mini or Analytics, please contact Joshua Burke.
The new Google Mini search appliance impacts our site-wide search capabilities by allowing us to control the portions of the website that get searched and how the results are displayed to users. The power contained in the Google Mini gives the Agency best-in-class site search capabilities and will allow us to fix several issues with our current site’s search results.
The search results are being cleaned up right now in an attempt to exclude items that are out-of-date. This is where we need your help. The Google Mini is now the live search agent on our site. Please do a search for your own items and make sure the items you want to display appear properly indexed and are searchable. Please contact Joshua Burke, Web Manager and Telecommunications Specialist, at webmanager@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14619 and let him know of any items that are returning in the results that you do not want.
The Google Mini presents an unprecedented opportunity to make our website a model for others both in form and functionality. The new search capabilities provide a means of real control over our search results so they return the most up-to-date and timely information possible.
The sidekick in this dynamic duo is Google Analytics. Google Analytics provides in-depth reporting and site statistics for any pages that are published through the Agency’s content management system (CMS). This gives us the opportunity to add some research and relevance to the work of so many that contribute to our agency’s official web presence.
Google Analytics gives us a clear view of users visiting our site, where they are going, how long they stay and other bits of relevant demography. We hope to use the data to underscore areas of high use and better promote areas of relevance that are under-utilized.
If you have any questions about the Google Mini or Analytics, please contact Joshua Burke.
Professional Learning Update
During the webinar, some questions about professional learning were posed. Answers are provided below. If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14362.
Q: To whom exactly do they send the requests to on the workgroup professional development committees?
A: Your discipline program assistant typically facilitates your workgroup professional development committees. The program assistant would be a great place to start.
Q: Does professional leave come out of our sick leave or OPL?
A: Professional leave does not come out of either your sick leave or OPL. It is another type of leave, and therefore, does not impact other leave options.
Q: What is the FIE checklist? We have to complete two? Some SLPs don’t know what this is.
A: The FIE checklist was introduced during the August special education professional development. The link for the video about it is here: http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/p29562915/. If you need to follow up and hear the information again, please review the video. Again, you were asked in August to complete the checklist for at least two evaluations that you complete this fall. We will follow up and use your work during the Special Education Winter Institute in December/January.
Q: When you say “request professional leave” from your supervisor, are you meaning actually go on to the online leave request and complete a leave request for professional leave?
A: Yes. You will request professional leave using the same system you use for OPL and sick leave.
Q: To whom exactly do they send the requests to on the workgroup professional development committees?
A: Your discipline program assistant typically facilitates your workgroup professional development committees. The program assistant would be a great place to start.
Q: Does professional leave come out of our sick leave or OPL?
A: Professional leave does not come out of either your sick leave or OPL. It is another type of leave, and therefore, does not impact other leave options.
Q: What is the FIE checklist? We have to complete two? Some SLPs don’t know what this is.
A: The FIE checklist was introduced during the August special education professional development. The link for the video about it is here: http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/p29562915/. If you need to follow up and hear the information again, please review the video. Again, you were asked in August to complete the checklist for at least two evaluations that you complete this fall. We will follow up and use your work during the Special Education Winter Institute in December/January.
Q: When you say “request professional leave” from your supervisor, are you meaning actually go on to the online leave request and complete a leave request for professional leave?
A: Yes. You will request professional leave using the same system you use for OPL and sick leave.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Inclement Weather Policy Updated/New Procedure for Communicating Office Closings & Class Cancellations
Click here to read the Agency’s Inclement Weather policy, which has been recently updated. Changes to the policy include:
• All Staff: The Temporary Remote Workplace Program can be used in extraordinary circumstances with supervisor approval.
• For Staff Members Who Complete Timesheets: The additional option of unpaid time has been added. Typically unpaid time can only be taken if a staff member has used all other paid leaves. In an inclement weather circumstance, staff members have the option to take unpaid leave, even if they have other leaves available.
If you have any questions about the Inclement Weather Policy, contact Chris Pierson, Assistant Director of Human Resources, at cpierson@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14400 or Nola Bond, Director of Human Resources, at nbond@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14318.
Communicating Office Closures
The Agency is also changing the way it communicates about office closings for inclement weather and other emergency situations to make sure the information is communicated correctly, consistently and in a timely manner. Trying to get our message out through TV and radio stations was proving to no longer be effective, so we have decided to forgo contacting those outlets when offices close. The Agency will move forward with the following four venues to communicate about office closures:
SchoolReach
This is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15 minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For instance, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will make one call to the staff members assigned to both offices to let them know of the office closure. Staff in other offices won’t automatically receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communication Department; they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach.
Click here to go to a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to provide Human Resources with current and accurate phone information any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important information. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
Website
We will continue to post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) at the top of the Latest News section.
Cancellation Hotline
We will continue to record closing information on a “cancellation hotline” that staff members can call into at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14041. When you call in you will hear a recorded message that says the date and which offices are closed if there are closings. If there are no closings the message will reflect that.
Social Media
We will begin to post closing information on the Agency’s Facebook & Twitter accounts (www.facebook.com/heartlandaea & twitter.com/HeartlandAEA).
Communicating Professional Development Class Cancellations
If a professional development class is canceled, the cancellation will be communicated via the agency website, cancellation hotline and social media. We will no longer use TV and radio to communicate these cancellations.
If you have any questions about inclement weather communications, please contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, at ccroatt@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14474.
• All Staff: The Temporary Remote Workplace Program can be used in extraordinary circumstances with supervisor approval.
• For Staff Members Who Complete Timesheets: The additional option of unpaid time has been added. Typically unpaid time can only be taken if a staff member has used all other paid leaves. In an inclement weather circumstance, staff members have the option to take unpaid leave, even if they have other leaves available.
If you have any questions about the Inclement Weather Policy, contact Chris Pierson, Assistant Director of Human Resources, at cpierson@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14400 or Nola Bond, Director of Human Resources, at nbond@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14318.
Communicating Office Closures
The Agency is also changing the way it communicates about office closings for inclement weather and other emergency situations to make sure the information is communicated correctly, consistently and in a timely manner. Trying to get our message out through TV and radio stations was proving to no longer be effective, so we have decided to forgo contacting those outlets when offices close. The Agency will move forward with the following four venues to communicate about office closures:
SchoolReach
This is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15 minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For instance, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will make one call to the staff members assigned to both offices to let them know of the office closure. Staff in other offices won’t automatically receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communication Department; they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach.
Click here to go to a web form that shows the phone number(s) that we currently have in your Human Resources file. If the number(s) listed isn’t current, please update it and/or add another number. If you provide us with both a home and cell phone number, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing. If the information that is currently listed for you is correct, please click the Submit button on the form to confirm.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to provide Human Resources with current and accurate phone information any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important information. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
Website
We will continue to post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) at the top of the Latest News section.
Cancellation Hotline
We will continue to record closing information on a “cancellation hotline” that staff members can call into at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14041. When you call in you will hear a recorded message that says the date and which offices are closed if there are closings. If there are no closings the message will reflect that.
Social Media
We will begin to post closing information on the Agency’s Facebook & Twitter accounts (www.facebook.com/heartlandaea & twitter.com/HeartlandAEA).
Communicating Professional Development Class Cancellations
If a professional development class is canceled, the cancellation will be communicated via the agency website, cancellation hotline and social media. We will no longer use TV and radio to communicate these cancellations.
If you have any questions about inclement weather communications, please contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, at ccroatt@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14474.
Current Post-Employment Benefit Extended For One More Year
At last week’s Board of Directors meeting, the Board approved the extension of the current post-employment benefit for one more year. Click here to read the post-employment benefit policy.
This means that eligible employees who reach their 58th birthday by June 30, 2012, and have a minimum of 15 consecutive full-time years of employment with the Agency, will be able to submit their application for the post-employment benefit by December 1, 2011 to be effective June 30, 2012.
For qualified participants, the Agency agrees to pay the same coverage for monthly insurance rates (health and dental) as was in effect during the employee’s last year of employment. The Agency’s contribution toward the coverage for the employee terminates when the employee becomes eligible for other insurance coverage, including Medicare.
The Post-Employment Benefit Committee will be providing more data to the Board to help it clarify the policies, philosophy and parameters of the post-employment benefit. During the next six months, the Board plans to make decisions regarding the long-term direction of the benefit after July 2012.
If you have questions about the current post-employment benefit and your eligibility, contact Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14385.
This means that eligible employees who reach their 58th birthday by June 30, 2012, and have a minimum of 15 consecutive full-time years of employment with the Agency, will be able to submit their application for the post-employment benefit by December 1, 2011 to be effective June 30, 2012.
For qualified participants, the Agency agrees to pay the same coverage for monthly insurance rates (health and dental) as was in effect during the employee’s last year of employment. The Agency’s contribution toward the coverage for the employee terminates when the employee becomes eligible for other insurance coverage, including Medicare.
The Post-Employment Benefit Committee will be providing more data to the Board to help it clarify the policies, philosophy and parameters of the post-employment benefit. During the next six months, the Board plans to make decisions regarding the long-term direction of the benefit after July 2012.
If you have questions about the current post-employment benefit and your eligibility, contact Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14385.
It’s American Education Week—Thanks For All You Do to Positively Impact Students!
For 35 years, the AEAs have been providing quality services to help Iowa’s students achieve. American Education Week is a great time to recognize 35 programs/services through which AEA employees make a difference. No matter what your role, you are appreciated!
1. Child Find
2. Physical Therapy
3. Literacy Consulting
4. Iowa AEA Online
5. Audiology & Hearing
6. Early Childhood
7. Social Work
8. Iowa Core
9. Media Library
10. Speech-Language Therapy
11. Science Consulting
12. Autism Resources
13. Learning Supports
14. Print & Production
15. Internet Aggregation
16. School Psychology
17. Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports
18. Occupational Therapy
19. Differentiated Instruction
20. Social Studies Consulting
21. Technology Consulting
22. Professional Development
23. Mentoring & Induction
24. Student Events
25. Transition Services
26. Brain Injury Resources
27. Parent & Educator Connection
28. Crisis Response Services
29. English Language Learner Support
30. Iowa Educators Consortium
31. Math Consulting
32. Special Education Consulting
33. Vision Services
34. Gifted and Talented Consulting
35. Assistive Technology
1. Child Find
2. Physical Therapy
3. Literacy Consulting
4. Iowa AEA Online
5. Audiology & Hearing
6. Early Childhood
7. Social Work
8. Iowa Core
9. Media Library
10. Speech-Language Therapy
11. Science Consulting
12. Autism Resources
13. Learning Supports
14. Print & Production
15. Internet Aggregation
16. School Psychology
17. Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports
18. Occupational Therapy
19. Differentiated Instruction
20. Social Studies Consulting
21. Technology Consulting
22. Professional Development
23. Mentoring & Induction
24. Student Events
25. Transition Services
26. Brain Injury Resources
27. Parent & Educator Connection
28. Crisis Response Services
29. English Language Learner Support
30. Iowa Educators Consortium
31. Math Consulting
32. Special Education Consulting
33. Vision Services
34. Gifted and Talented Consulting
35. Assistive Technology
November 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Recap
The November 2010 Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting was held on November 9, 2010.
Public Forum
No one was present to address the Board.
Board Recognition
Ms. Arletta Dawson, Heartland Director of Technology, recognized Heartland staff members Joshua Burke, Tuan Dao, Truong Dao, Dustin Gean, Rod Howell, Jim Lagnese, Steve Prall and Maureen Whited for their work in the planning and design of the Agency’s new server bunker. The server bunker is a 65,000-pound state-of-the-art facility with fire suppression and a back-up generator for the Agency’s servers and data storage. It offers a much safer and secure site to store the Agency’s data and puts the Agency in a place to assist districts and the Department of Education with their data needs. Conversations have also begun with Grant Wood AEA about options for backing up each other’s data. Dr. Earl Bridgewater presented certificates to Ms. Dawson, Mr. Burke and Mr. Dao and commended all the employees involved for their contributions.
Discussion Items
Post Employment Policy
No further discussions were held on the Post Employment Policy.
Board Learning
Dr. Steve Rose facilitated the Board’s learning from the book How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins. Board members discussed highlights from chapters 2 and 3. Dr. Rose agreed to facilitate chapters 4 and 5 for the December meeting and Ms. Margaret Borgen will facilitate chapters 6 and 7 in January.
Board Self-Evaluation
Board members reviewed options for completing their self-evaluation. While many of the options were very detailed in their questions, they were not in line with the Board’s work. Dr. Vincent presented an option that included a short survey for board members to complete. Based on the results, the information would be used for this year’s evaluation and to help develop next year’s process. Dr. Vincent will add the four goals to the survey and email it to board members. The survey will need to be completed by November 20 and results will be shared at the December meeting. Board members discussed if the survey should be completed anonymously. No preference was determined.
Board Leadership Structure
Dr. Earl Bridgewater discussed the current Board leadership structure that consists of the president, vice president and past president. At last month’s meeting, Board members discussed adding a fourth member to the structure or holding additional board meetings so more members could be involved. Dr. Bridgewater shared the input he received and noted that the leadership team met specifically to review upcoming agendas and was not a decision-making body. Ms. Wilson commented that during her tenure as board president there were unforeseen circumstances and legal issues that had to be discussed. These were extraordinary circumstances that board members were later made aware of in closed session. Board members discussed having public meetings in which all members were invited and could attend if they were able.
Action Items
Post Employment Policy
A MOTION was made by Ms. Ann Wilson and seconded by Ms. Margaret Borgen to continue the present post employment policy for one more year so board members could continue to study all options. Motion passed. The current policy will expire June 30, 2012. Ms. Nola Bond will continue working with the Post Employment Committee to gather further data, and the topic will be added to future board agendas.
Proposed Board Operational Procedures
A MOTION was made by Dr. Steve Rose and seconded by Mr. Nels Turnquist to establish a formal Board Agenda and Problem Solving Committee for 2010-11. The Committee would consist of three permanent members and all board members could attend at their discretion and would have voting rights. A roll call vote was taken and the motion failed 7-2. A MOTION was made by Ms. Marcy Sparks and seconded by Dr. Steve Rose to add a fourth member to the Board Agenda Planning Committee for the next six months. The meeting agendas will be posted and would be open to all board members and the public with full board participatory rights. Motion passed 8-1.
Board Comments
• Board members would like to tour the server bunker and remodeling at the Johnston Regional Education Center 6500 sometime after the new year, as deemed possible by construction and weather.
• Mr. Cal Halliburton, Mr. Bruce Christensen and Ms. Margaret Borgen will begin work on developing a process to evaluate the chief administrator.
• Dr. Earl Bridgewater appreciated hearing compliments from the Department of Education about Heartland’s special education services.
• As a reminder, the Iowa Association of School Boards Conference will be held on Thursday, November 18 at Hy-Vee Hall. Dr. Bridgewater noted that board members have a responsibility in helping support IASB and assisting them in reestablishing their credibility.
• Dr. Earl Bridgewater and Dr. Paula Vincent will be attending the Urban Education Network meeting next week.
Chief Administrator Comments
• Dr. Vincent is appreciative of the help from board members with developing a process for her evaluation. She will add it as a board work session topic in December.
• Further information will be available at the December or January board meeting regarding the Agency’s compensation study that is currently in progress.
• Board members received the final draft of recommendations from the AEA Task Force for the AEA Study. If board members have any questions or concerns, they should submit them to David King by Monday, November 15. There is no guarantee that ideas will be considered or added to the final report.
Public Forum
No one was present to address the Board.
Board Recognition
Ms. Arletta Dawson, Heartland Director of Technology, recognized Heartland staff members Joshua Burke, Tuan Dao, Truong Dao, Dustin Gean, Rod Howell, Jim Lagnese, Steve Prall and Maureen Whited for their work in the planning and design of the Agency’s new server bunker. The server bunker is a 65,000-pound state-of-the-art facility with fire suppression and a back-up generator for the Agency’s servers and data storage. It offers a much safer and secure site to store the Agency’s data and puts the Agency in a place to assist districts and the Department of Education with their data needs. Conversations have also begun with Grant Wood AEA about options for backing up each other’s data. Dr. Earl Bridgewater presented certificates to Ms. Dawson, Mr. Burke and Mr. Dao and commended all the employees involved for their contributions.
Discussion Items
Post Employment Policy
No further discussions were held on the Post Employment Policy.
Board Learning
Dr. Steve Rose facilitated the Board’s learning from the book How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins. Board members discussed highlights from chapters 2 and 3. Dr. Rose agreed to facilitate chapters 4 and 5 for the December meeting and Ms. Margaret Borgen will facilitate chapters 6 and 7 in January.
Board Self-Evaluation
Board members reviewed options for completing their self-evaluation. While many of the options were very detailed in their questions, they were not in line with the Board’s work. Dr. Vincent presented an option that included a short survey for board members to complete. Based on the results, the information would be used for this year’s evaluation and to help develop next year’s process. Dr. Vincent will add the four goals to the survey and email it to board members. The survey will need to be completed by November 20 and results will be shared at the December meeting. Board members discussed if the survey should be completed anonymously. No preference was determined.
Board Leadership Structure
Dr. Earl Bridgewater discussed the current Board leadership structure that consists of the president, vice president and past president. At last month’s meeting, Board members discussed adding a fourth member to the structure or holding additional board meetings so more members could be involved. Dr. Bridgewater shared the input he received and noted that the leadership team met specifically to review upcoming agendas and was not a decision-making body. Ms. Wilson commented that during her tenure as board president there were unforeseen circumstances and legal issues that had to be discussed. These were extraordinary circumstances that board members were later made aware of in closed session. Board members discussed having public meetings in which all members were invited and could attend if they were able.
Action Items
Post Employment Policy
A MOTION was made by Ms. Ann Wilson and seconded by Ms. Margaret Borgen to continue the present post employment policy for one more year so board members could continue to study all options. Motion passed. The current policy will expire June 30, 2012. Ms. Nola Bond will continue working with the Post Employment Committee to gather further data, and the topic will be added to future board agendas.
Proposed Board Operational Procedures
A MOTION was made by Dr. Steve Rose and seconded by Mr. Nels Turnquist to establish a formal Board Agenda and Problem Solving Committee for 2010-11. The Committee would consist of three permanent members and all board members could attend at their discretion and would have voting rights. A roll call vote was taken and the motion failed 7-2. A MOTION was made by Ms. Marcy Sparks and seconded by Dr. Steve Rose to add a fourth member to the Board Agenda Planning Committee for the next six months. The meeting agendas will be posted and would be open to all board members and the public with full board participatory rights. Motion passed 8-1.
Board Comments
• Board members would like to tour the server bunker and remodeling at the Johnston Regional Education Center 6500 sometime after the new year, as deemed possible by construction and weather.
• Mr. Cal Halliburton, Mr. Bruce Christensen and Ms. Margaret Borgen will begin work on developing a process to evaluate the chief administrator.
• Dr. Earl Bridgewater appreciated hearing compliments from the Department of Education about Heartland’s special education services.
• As a reminder, the Iowa Association of School Boards Conference will be held on Thursday, November 18 at Hy-Vee Hall. Dr. Bridgewater noted that board members have a responsibility in helping support IASB and assisting them in reestablishing their credibility.
• Dr. Earl Bridgewater and Dr. Paula Vincent will be attending the Urban Education Network meeting next week.
Chief Administrator Comments
• Dr. Vincent is appreciative of the help from board members with developing a process for her evaluation. She will add it as a board work session topic in December.
• Further information will be available at the December or January board meeting regarding the Agency’s compensation study that is currently in progress.
• Board members received the final draft of recommendations from the AEA Task Force for the AEA Study. If board members have any questions or concerns, they should submit them to David King by Monday, November 15. There is no guarantee that ideas will be considered or added to the final report.
United Way Online Auction Begins Today!
The Heartland United Way Online Auction site is now up and running! Go to http://209.56.207.21/ to begin shopping!
To place your bid
Log-in to the site using your PeopleBox username and password. Click on the item name to view the description and a larger photo. To place your bid, simply fill in the “Your New Bid” field and click on “Place Bid.” You will receive an e-mail notification if you are outbid, which will include a link back to the auction site if you wish to re-bid. New this year is the ability to bid on items from anywhere, not just at a Heartland office. The auction is available anywhere, anytime—until bidding closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 19!
Winners will be notified by e-mail the week of November 22 to send in their payments. When all the payments are received, we will announce the winners of each item in the December 3 HeartBeat.
Don’t forget the Pledge Cards!
You can also show your support to United Way by submitting a pledge card. Download the card here. When opening the form, choose “Save” instead of “Preview,” so your information gets saved to the form. E-mail the completed card to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us or send it through the interoffice/van mail to Claire Spellman in the Johnston Administration Center. Remember that everyone who hands in a pledge card donation of any amount will receive a casual day sticker. Employees who donate a minimum of $2 per pay period or a $48 one-time donation will be entered to win one of five United Way Days – a day you may take time from work to give back to the community. Pledge cards are due November 19.
To place your bid
Log-in to the site using your PeopleBox username and password. Click on the item name to view the description and a larger photo. To place your bid, simply fill in the “Your New Bid” field and click on “Place Bid.” You will receive an e-mail notification if you are outbid, which will include a link back to the auction site if you wish to re-bid. New this year is the ability to bid on items from anywhere, not just at a Heartland office. The auction is available anywhere, anytime—until bidding closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 19!
Winners will be notified by e-mail the week of November 22 to send in their payments. When all the payments are received, we will announce the winners of each item in the December 3 HeartBeat.
Don’t forget the Pledge Cards!
You can also show your support to United Way by submitting a pledge card. Download the card here. When opening the form, choose “Save” instead of “Preview,” so your information gets saved to the form. E-mail the completed card to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us or send it through the interoffice/van mail to Claire Spellman in the Johnston Administration Center. Remember that everyone who hands in a pledge card donation of any amount will receive a casual day sticker. Employees who donate a minimum of $2 per pay period or a $48 one-time donation will be entered to win one of five United Way Days – a day you may take time from work to give back to the community. Pledge cards are due November 19.
Thanksgiving Week Van Delivery Schedule
Take note that that Agency is closed November 25 & 26 and there will be no van delivery November 24-26.
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Johnston REC Computer Lab Not Being Relocated to Conference Room 8
On October 18, an article in the Construction blog indicated that Conference Room 8 in the Johnston REC would be the temporary home of the Computer Lab during the building’s remodeling. Due to limited space and a limited number of sessions requiring computers, the Computer Lab will not be set up in Room 8. The Computer Lab will not be back to its former location until March.
If staff members need computers for a training or meeting prior to March, the following options are available:
• Laptops can be reserved through the equipment check-out and can be brought to the meeting location by the meeting organizer.
• The mobile laptop cart may be reserved by contacting Greg Wilcox, Technology Support Specialist, at ext. 14618.
• If desktop iMacs are needed, contact Greg Wilcox at ext. 14618, to arrange to have the computers set up in any meeting room that is available in the Johnston REC.
If you have any questions, please contact Arletta Dawson, Director of Technology, at adawson@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14324.
If staff members need computers for a training or meeting prior to March, the following options are available:
• Laptops can be reserved through the equipment check-out and can be brought to the meeting location by the meeting organizer.
• The mobile laptop cart may be reserved by contacting Greg Wilcox, Technology Support Specialist, at ext. 14618.
• If desktop iMacs are needed, contact Greg Wilcox at ext. 14618, to arrange to have the computers set up in any meeting room that is available in the Johnston REC.
If you have any questions, please contact Arletta Dawson, Director of Technology, at adawson@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14324.
Reminder: Teacher Quality Class/Activity Registration Now Open
Reminder: The Teacher Quality (TQ) activities that Certified Staff can participate in are now open for registration. TQ registration will be open through December 7, 2010. Staff members need to be registered before December 8 to participate for TQ money.
Below is the list of activities open all discipline groups. You should have received an e-mail from your program assistant providing information about courses designed for your group. Click here for a list of all TQ activities.
Activities Designed for All Groups:
• IN010592111101 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN010592111102 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN017892111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 1-2
• IN022392111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 3-4
• IN037992111101 TQ: Supporting Under-Resourced Students and Families
• IN038892111101 TQ: Examining Cultural Competence Through Current Media
Registration Directions
Go to www.aea11.k12.ia.us.
Under the Quick Links area, click on Course Catalog.
On the catalog search page, enter the activity number of the session you want to attend.
On the Activity Detail page, click Add to Cart.
Please verify or correct your personal information and click Submit.
To register for additional sessions, on Your Shopping Cart page, click Return to Search and enter the Activity Number of the next session.
On the Activity Detail page, click Add to Cart.
When you have all sessions listed on Your Shopping Cart page, click on Register Me!
Below is the list of activities open all discipline groups. You should have received an e-mail from your program assistant providing information about courses designed for your group. Click here for a list of all TQ activities.
Activities Designed for All Groups:
• IN010592111101 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN010592111102 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN017892111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 1-2
• IN022392111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 3-4
• IN037992111101 TQ: Supporting Under-Resourced Students and Families
• IN038892111101 TQ: Examining Cultural Competence Through Current Media
Registration Directions
Go to www.aea11.k12.ia.us.
Under the Quick Links area, click on Course Catalog.
On the catalog search page, enter the activity number of the session you want to attend.
On the Activity Detail page, click Add to Cart.
Please verify or correct your personal information and click Submit.
To register for additional sessions, on Your Shopping Cart page, click Return to Search and enter the Activity Number of the next session.
On the Activity Detail page, click Add to Cart.
When you have all sessions listed on Your Shopping Cart page, click on Register Me!
Literature Review to Your Desktop
The Heartland library offers a Table of Contents service from the latest journals in its collection—you’re among the first to know the latest in your field. Another service is available that will alert you via e-mail (or RSS feed) to journal articles on a specific topic. This service will provide continuous professional development. The only downside is that the journals are embargoed anywhere from 2-18 months.
Scenarios:
Monthly notices of articles on a specific medical condition.
Bi-weekly notices of articles by a specific author/researcher.
Weekly notices of newspaper articles on a current topic.
Follow the steps below or watch the demonstration video at https://aea111.eduvision.tv/Default.aspx?q=CT1wecDsedDm5GtbhJyuwA%253d%253d
Go to http://search.ebscohost.com.
Enter the online database username/password (this step might be optional depending on IP access).
Click Sign In and create your own personal account.
Click Choose Databases and click the boxes next to the appropriate databases and click OK. You’ll probably want to check Academic Search Elite and Professional Development (and maybe Newspaper Source).
Enter your search topic—note the various search options of full-text, peer reviewed, reading level, journal name, etc.
Click Search.
Peruse your results in case the search strategy needs to be changed.
Click Alert/Save/Share in the blue bar.
Choose E-mail Alert. Add your e-mail information and select your settings.
Click Save Alert.
Scenarios:
Monthly notices of articles on a specific medical condition.
Bi-weekly notices of articles by a specific author/researcher.
Weekly notices of newspaper articles on a current topic.
Follow the steps below or watch the demonstration video at https://aea111.eduvision.tv/Default.aspx?q=CT1wecDsedDm5GtbhJyuwA%253d%253d
Go to http://search.ebscohost.com.
Enter the online database username/password (this step might be optional depending on IP access).
Click Sign In and create your own personal account.
Click Choose Databases and click the boxes next to the appropriate databases and click OK. You’ll probably want to check Academic Search Elite and Professional Development (and maybe Newspaper Source).
Enter your search topic—note the various search options of full-text, peer reviewed, reading level, journal name, etc.
Click Search.
Peruse your results in case the search strategy needs to be changed.
Click Alert/Save/Share in the blue bar.
Choose E-mail Alert. Add your e-mail information and select your settings.
Click Save Alert.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) Installed in All Agency Offices
Heartland recently purchased and installed Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in each agency office. AEDs are designed to help people survive through sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). During SCA, heart function ceases suddenly and often without warning. AEDs can greatly increase the probability of survival in the event of SCA, which is one of the leading causes of death in the workplace.
All Heartland employees should learn the location of the AED in their office and know that AEDs are available in all agency offices. You are also strongly encouraged to click on the link below to view a video that demonstrates how to use the specific AEDs that were purchased for our offices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIGSb1zxGlA&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
While the video does have a slight marketing feel, it will help you to understand how the AED is used and what the voice prompts from the device will be during a rescue. Note that of the two models presented, Heartland has the Automatic version.
The video also mentions pediatric pads. These pads are designed to give a less powerful shock to children under age 8 and under 55 pounds. These pads are available in the AED cabinets in the Ames, Guthrie Center, Indianola and Knoxville offices and the Johnston REC. These offices were chosen due to the presence of our sound booths in these locations.
Additional training on AEDs will be provided to all agency crisis responders. Please direct any questions about the AEDs to Steve Zimmerman at ext. 14534 or szimmerman@aea11.k12.ia.us.
All Heartland employees should learn the location of the AED in their office and know that AEDs are available in all agency offices. You are also strongly encouraged to click on the link below to view a video that demonstrates how to use the specific AEDs that were purchased for our offices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIGSb1zxGlA&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
While the video does have a slight marketing feel, it will help you to understand how the AED is used and what the voice prompts from the device will be during a rescue. Note that of the two models presented, Heartland has the Automatic version.
The video also mentions pediatric pads. These pads are designed to give a less powerful shock to children under age 8 and under 55 pounds. These pads are available in the AED cabinets in the Ames, Guthrie Center, Indianola and Knoxville offices and the Johnston REC. These offices were chosen due to the presence of our sound booths in these locations.
Additional training on AEDs will be provided to all agency crisis responders. Please direct any questions about the AEDs to Steve Zimmerman at ext. 14534 or szimmerman@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Voice Your Thoughts on The Agency’s Beliefs & Mission
In office meetings over the past couple of weeks, Dr. Vincent shared the most recent draft of the Agency’s “Setting Our Direction” work, which contained the following statements:
At Heartland AEA, we believe:
• Education is every one’s responsibility.
• Learning impacts the quality of life people enjoy.
• An educated citizenry is essential for a civil, prosperous and democratic society.
Our Mission:
• To provide essential services and leadership;
• in partnership with families, schools, and communities;
• that improve the learning outcomes and well being of all children and youth.
• We are fueled by a passion for excellence in all that we do and strive to provide caring, innovative and equitable services.
The core values of our organization describe how we go about our work, how we interact with each other and which strategies we employ to fulfill our mission. As we look toward the future, it is important that all staff members have an opportunity to provide input on these values for our agency. Please click on the link below to respond to a short survey about our beliefs and mission. Thank you for your input!
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDdIUUdDNnk3MTZDVlpqcnd6UzUyR2c6MQ
At Heartland AEA, we believe:
• Education is every one’s responsibility.
• Learning impacts the quality of life people enjoy.
• An educated citizenry is essential for a civil, prosperous and democratic society.
Our Mission:
• To provide essential services and leadership;
• in partnership with families, schools, and communities;
• that improve the learning outcomes and well being of all children and youth.
• We are fueled by a passion for excellence in all that we do and strive to provide caring, innovative and equitable services.
The core values of our organization describe how we go about our work, how we interact with each other and which strategies we employ to fulfill our mission. As we look toward the future, it is important that all staff members have an opportunity to provide input on these values for our agency. Please click on the link below to respond to a short survey about our beliefs and mission. Thank you for your input!
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDdIUUdDNnk3MTZDVlpqcnd6UzUyR2c6MQ
November 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Click here to download the agenda for the November 9, 2010 meeting of the Heartland Board of Directors.
2010-11 Staff & Schools Directory Now Available
You’re waited long enough! Click here for the 2010-11 edition of the Heartland Staff & Schools Directory. Once again we won’t be printing hard copies of the directory. If you feel that you absolutely need a hard copy of the directory, please submit a request to the Print Shop to have it printed; don’t print it on an office printer.
Join in the Fun of the 2010 United Way Campaign!
Thank you to all who participated in the kick-off United Way fundraising activities. We’ve already had a tremendous start to our campaign! In case you were unable to attend one of the office meetings or didn’t quite catch all that was shared; we wanted to fill you in on Heartland’s 2010 United Way activities.
Online Auction
Our online auction will kick off next week on November 15. As was announced at the office meetings, staff will not have to be in a Heartland office to participate! You will be able to access the auction while in the schools or at home. The auction will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 19.
To have an online auction, we first need items to bid on! We’ve heard many fantastic ideas, now we need you to share them with us. Send a digital photo and short description of your item to the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us by November 12. We ask that you keep items until the close of the auction.
Winners will be notified by e-mail the week of November 22 to send in their payments. Make checks payable to “United Way.” Items will be sent to you through the van mail after you have sent your checks to Claire Spellman at the Johnston Administration Center. (Private delivery arrangements must be made for items too large or heavy for Heartland van delivery.) When all the payments are received, we will announce the winners of each item in the December 3 HeartBeat.
Pledge Cards
Pledge cards are an easy way to donate to the United Way. You may designate in the lower left-hand corner of the card where you would like your donation to go. This year, we would prefer that you give on the local United Way level and choose one of the United Way offices in Heartland’s area.
United Way of Central Iowa (Dallas, Polk, Warren counties)
United Way of Carroll (Audubon and Carroll counties)
United Way of Boone County
United Way of Jasper County
Marion County United Way
United Way of Story County
There are many options on how you can donate, but our staff members prefer the pay deduction or one-time donation. It is important that your total contribution is evenly divisible by 24 pay periods into whole dollar amounts if you choose to have your pledge deducted from your paycheck. Remember that pay deduction pledges from last year’s drive continue to be in effect until December 31, 2010. Deductions for this year’s drive will start in January and continue through December. The form also allows you to give a one-time donation instead of payroll deduction if you prefer.
There are a few incentives for completing and handing in pledge cards.
1.) Staff who submitted pledge cards the day of the office meetings were entered in a drawing for a “Heartland Cares” goodie bag. Congratulations to our goodie bag winners!
2.) Everyone who hands in a pledge card donation of any amount will receive a casual day sticker. Casual day stickers will be distributed after the pledge cards have been processed.
3.) Employees who donate a minimum of $2 per pay period or a $48 one-time donation will be entered to win one of five “United Way Days.” Winners may take time from work to give back to the community. A “United Way Day” is “your day, your way” to support your community. Winners will be notified by e-mail and announced in the December 3 HeartBeat.
If you did not receive a pledge card at the office meetings, you may download one here. When opening the form, choose “Save” instead of “Preview” so your information gets saved to the form. E-mail the completed form to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us or send it through the interoffice/van mail to Claire Spellman in the Johnston Administration Center. Pledge cards are due November 19.
Your participation in the Agency’s United Way events is voluntary. It is not the Agency’s intention to pressure any Heartland staff into donating. We have tried our best to make this year’s campaign events fun and enjoyable for staff. We hope you find donated to the United Way as an easy way to reach out and help the communities we live in.
Online Auction
Our online auction will kick off next week on November 15. As was announced at the office meetings, staff will not have to be in a Heartland office to participate! You will be able to access the auction while in the schools or at home. The auction will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 19.
To have an online auction, we first need items to bid on! We’ve heard many fantastic ideas, now we need you to share them with us. Send a digital photo and short description of your item to the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us by November 12. We ask that you keep items until the close of the auction.
Winners will be notified by e-mail the week of November 22 to send in their payments. Make checks payable to “United Way.” Items will be sent to you through the van mail after you have sent your checks to Claire Spellman at the Johnston Administration Center. (Private delivery arrangements must be made for items too large or heavy for Heartland van delivery.) When all the payments are received, we will announce the winners of each item in the December 3 HeartBeat.
Pledge Cards
Pledge cards are an easy way to donate to the United Way. You may designate in the lower left-hand corner of the card where you would like your donation to go. This year, we would prefer that you give on the local United Way level and choose one of the United Way offices in Heartland’s area.
United Way of Central Iowa (Dallas, Polk, Warren counties)
United Way of Carroll (Audubon and Carroll counties)
United Way of Boone County
United Way of Jasper County
Marion County United Way
United Way of Story County
There are many options on how you can donate, but our staff members prefer the pay deduction or one-time donation. It is important that your total contribution is evenly divisible by 24 pay periods into whole dollar amounts if you choose to have your pledge deducted from your paycheck. Remember that pay deduction pledges from last year’s drive continue to be in effect until December 31, 2010. Deductions for this year’s drive will start in January and continue through December. The form also allows you to give a one-time donation instead of payroll deduction if you prefer.
There are a few incentives for completing and handing in pledge cards.
1.) Staff who submitted pledge cards the day of the office meetings were entered in a drawing for a “Heartland Cares” goodie bag. Congratulations to our goodie bag winners!
2.) Everyone who hands in a pledge card donation of any amount will receive a casual day sticker. Casual day stickers will be distributed after the pledge cards have been processed.
3.) Employees who donate a minimum of $2 per pay period or a $48 one-time donation will be entered to win one of five “United Way Days.” Winners may take time from work to give back to the community. A “United Way Day” is “your day, your way” to support your community. Winners will be notified by e-mail and announced in the December 3 HeartBeat.
If you did not receive a pledge card at the office meetings, you may download one here. When opening the form, choose “Save” instead of “Preview” so your information gets saved to the form. E-mail the completed form to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us or send it through the interoffice/van mail to Claire Spellman in the Johnston Administration Center. Pledge cards are due November 19.
Your participation in the Agency’s United Way events is voluntary. It is not the Agency’s intention to pressure any Heartland staff into donating. We have tried our best to make this year’s campaign events fun and enjoyable for staff. We hope you find donated to the United Way as an easy way to reach out and help the communities we live in.
Reminder: Check the Construction Blog for Johnston REC Project Updates
Johnston REC remodeling project updates can be found at http://construction.aea11.k12.ia.us/.
Reminder: Due to construction in the building at various points in time, meetings previously scheduled for some of the rooms in Johnston have been moved to new locations. Please check the internal calendar before coming to meetings in Johnston to verify the location of your meeting. We will be using Zion Lutheran, St. Mary's, Lion's Club and other off site locations during the remodeling. If you are the organizer of a meeting, please help by notifying participants.
Reminder: Due to construction in the building at various points in time, meetings previously scheduled for some of the rooms in Johnston have been moved to new locations. Please check the internal calendar before coming to meetings in Johnston to verify the location of your meeting. We will be using Zion Lutheran, St. Mary's, Lion's Club and other off site locations during the remodeling. If you are the organizer of a meeting, please help by notifying participants.
Nevada E-mail Addresses Have Changed
The Nevada School District’s e-mail addresses have changed. Example: John Doe is now jdoe@nevada.k12.ia.us, changed from jdoe@mail.nevada.k12.ia.us.
Last Week’s Regional Special Education Webinar Available
Last Thursday a webinar was held for regional special education staff members. Below is the link to the webinar in case you missed it. Answers to the questions submitted will be posted in future Connections so watch for the information!
http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/p25559997/
http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/p25559997/
Appropriate Use of Special Education Funds Document Available
In October 2010, the Iowa Department of Education released a question and answer document about appropriate use of special education funds in local school districts and area education agencies. This clarification is the result of conversations and questions that have been discussed throughout recent months both in local school districts and AEAs. At Heartland we are discussing the answers that are provided and confirming that our practices are in alignment with the guidance contained in this recent Department of Education document, which you can download by clicking here.
Teacher Quality Class/Activity Registration Now Open
The Teacher Quality (TQ) activities that Certified Staff can participate in are now open for registration. There are some activities that are open to all discipline groups and some that are just specific to a discipline. You should receive an e-mail next week with the options for your discipline group. Registration for TQ will be open through December 7, 2010. Staff members need to be registered before December 8 to participate for TQ money. The following activities are available across all discipline groups:
• IN010592111101 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN010592111102 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN017892111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 1-2
• IN022392111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 3-4
• IN037992111101 TQ: Supporting Under-Resourced Students and Families
• IN038892111101 TQ: Examining Cultural Competence Through Current Media
Below are questions and answers about TQ activities and classes.
Q: I looked online and can’t find the options for TQ.
A: You will receive an e-mail with the options for your discipline area from your discipline program assistant. The options that are available to all disciplines are listed above. You will need the activity number to go online and register through Universal Registration.
Q: Can I do more than one activity?
A: Yes, you can do more than one activity. You will only be able to receive TQ money for participating in one activity.
Q: What do we need to do a study group?
A: Study groups need to have at least four people to form a group (one person to be the facilitator and three people to participate in the study). Participants will be notified (this will be e-mailed on 12/10/10) of the people who signed up for the same study group so they can determine who will be their facilitator and the dates/times/location where their study group will meet.
Q: What if the activity I sign up for does not have enough people?
A: If a course or study group does not have enough people, you will have an opportunity to sign up for a different activity. You will be notified after 12/8/10 if an activity does not have enough people.
Q: Can I use the credit to move on the salary schedule?
A: These can be used to move on the salary schedule. A memo from Chris Pierson was sent to Certified Staff on the requirements around using credits to move on the salary schedule. Please make sure you review those procedures and complete the needed steps for using TQ to move on the salary schedule.
Q: How much money will I receive for participating in TQ this year?
A: After registration closes and we know how many people are participating, we will be able to determine the amount of money people will receive for TQ. We are anticipating that the amounts will be similar to last year. People who will are facilitating or teaching a course will receive extra for the additional duties they are taking as a part of the group as they have in the past.
Q: What are the deadlines?
A: Registration for TQ courses and study groups is from 11/7/10 through 12/7/10. Classes and study groups will take place between 1/15/11 and 6/30/11. Groups should not start before 1/15/11 in order to make sure they will have all the materials they need for the group. Groups need to complete all of their activities by 6/30/11.
If you have further questions about Teacher Quality contact Rob Brookhart at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us, Sharon Kurns at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or your discipline program assistant.
• IN010592111101 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN010592111102 TQ: Digital Literacy and 21st Century Learning Tools
• IN017892111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 1-2
• IN022392111201 TQ: Cognitive Coaching Days 3-4
• IN037992111101 TQ: Supporting Under-Resourced Students and Families
• IN038892111101 TQ: Examining Cultural Competence Through Current Media
Below are questions and answers about TQ activities and classes.
Q: I looked online and can’t find the options for TQ.
A: You will receive an e-mail with the options for your discipline area from your discipline program assistant. The options that are available to all disciplines are listed above. You will need the activity number to go online and register through Universal Registration.
Q: Can I do more than one activity?
A: Yes, you can do more than one activity. You will only be able to receive TQ money for participating in one activity.
Q: What do we need to do a study group?
A: Study groups need to have at least four people to form a group (one person to be the facilitator and three people to participate in the study). Participants will be notified (this will be e-mailed on 12/10/10) of the people who signed up for the same study group so they can determine who will be their facilitator and the dates/times/location where their study group will meet.
Q: What if the activity I sign up for does not have enough people?
A: If a course or study group does not have enough people, you will have an opportunity to sign up for a different activity. You will be notified after 12/8/10 if an activity does not have enough people.
Q: Can I use the credit to move on the salary schedule?
A: These can be used to move on the salary schedule. A memo from Chris Pierson was sent to Certified Staff on the requirements around using credits to move on the salary schedule. Please make sure you review those procedures and complete the needed steps for using TQ to move on the salary schedule.
Q: How much money will I receive for participating in TQ this year?
A: After registration closes and we know how many people are participating, we will be able to determine the amount of money people will receive for TQ. We are anticipating that the amounts will be similar to last year. People who will are facilitating or teaching a course will receive extra for the additional duties they are taking as a part of the group as they have in the past.
Q: What are the deadlines?
A: Registration for TQ courses and study groups is from 11/7/10 through 12/7/10. Classes and study groups will take place between 1/15/11 and 6/30/11. Groups should not start before 1/15/11 in order to make sure they will have all the materials they need for the group. Groups need to complete all of their activities by 6/30/11.
If you have further questions about Teacher Quality contact Rob Brookhart at rbrookhart@aea11.k12.ia.us, Sharon Kurns at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us or your discipline program assistant.
November 2010 School Leader Update From Iowa Department of Education
Click here to download the November 2010 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.
Literature Review to Your Desktop
The Heartland Professional Library offers a “Table of Contents” service from the latest journals in the library’s collection, which allows staff members to be the first to know the latest in their respective fields. Another service is available that will alert you via e-mail (or RSS feed) to journal articles on a specific topic. This service will provide continuous professional development. The only downside is that the journals are embargoed anywhere from 2-18 months.
Scenarios:
• Monthly notices of articles on a specific medical condition
• Bi-weekly notices of articles by a specific author/researcher
• Weekly notices of newspaper articles on a current topic
Follow these steps or watch the demonstration video at https://aea111.eduvision.tv/Default.aspx?q=CT1wecDsedDm5GtbhJyuwA%253d%253d
• Go to http://search.ebscohost.com.
• Enter the online database username/password (this step might be optional depending on IP access).
• Click Sign In and create your own personal account.
• Click Choose Databases and click the boxes next to the appropriate databases and click OK. You’ll probably want to check Academic Search Elite and Professional Development (and maybe Newspaper Source).
• Enter your search topic—note the various search options of full-text, peer reviewed, reading level, journal name, etc.
• Click Search.
• Peruse your results in case the search strategy needs to be changed.
• Click Alert/Save/Share in the blue bar.
• Choose E-mail Alert. Add your e-mail information and select your settings.
• Click Save Alert.
Scenarios:
• Monthly notices of articles on a specific medical condition
• Bi-weekly notices of articles by a specific author/researcher
• Weekly notices of newspaper articles on a current topic
Follow these steps or watch the demonstration video at https://aea111.eduvision.tv/Default.aspx?q=CT1wecDsedDm5GtbhJyuwA%253d%253d
• Go to http://search.ebscohost.com.
• Enter the online database username/password (this step might be optional depending on IP access).
• Click Sign In and create your own personal account.
• Click Choose Databases and click the boxes next to the appropriate databases and click OK. You’ll probably want to check Academic Search Elite and Professional Development (and maybe Newspaper Source).
• Enter your search topic—note the various search options of full-text, peer reviewed, reading level, journal name, etc.
• Click Search.
• Peruse your results in case the search strategy needs to be changed.
• Click Alert/Save/Share in the blue bar.
• Choose E-mail Alert. Add your e-mail information and select your settings.
• Click Save Alert.
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