Many staff members have been experiencing problems with iChat intermittently disconnecting when it is being accessed from outside the Heartland network. Another related issue that has been frustrating staff is slow computer startups. Tech Support staff have determined that these problems originate with our directory services, which run on the AEAServer. In order to remedy these problems, a new directory master server is being implemented with the latest operating system, and the agency file server is also being upgraded to the new operating system. These changes should give us better functionality and stability.
Even if you aren’t currently using iChat or the Heartland file server, ALL staff will need to complete a series of tasks in a timely manner. Ignoring these tasks can potentially have adverse effects on your computer.
On January 7 an e-mail was sent to all staff outlining the timelines and procedures that will be required to resolve the directory services problems. The instructions for completing the first step were sent in an all staff e-mail this morning. Each staff member must follow the instructions for running a script to delete the Directory Access setup on their computer by January 15.
Over the January 16-17 weekend, Tech Support staff will upgrade the agency file server and the new directory master server and will get the new iChat server running as well. Another e-mail communication will be sent on January 18, with instructions for staff to log in to the file server to change their password. This must be completed by January 22.
Instructions for completing the final step in the process will be sent on January 25. This will provide directions for adding Directory Services and setting up iChat accounts.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Creating a “Culture of Austerity”: Cost Saving Tips For Staff Members
If you have additional tips you’d like to share and have published in The Connection, please send them to comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.
January 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Click here to download the agenda for the January 12, 2010 Heartland Board of Directors meeting.
Payroll Dates & Information for 2010
Due Dates
Staff members frequently inquire when timesheets, addendum pay forms, direct deposit forms, income tax withholding forms and other changes need to be turned in to the Payroll Dept. in order to be processed for a particular pay date. To assist in your planning, below is a list of 2010 pay dates and corresponding due dates. Payroll needs to receive all information by the end of the day on the due date to ensure payments and/or changes are made on the corresponding pay date. Any information received in Payroll after the due date may be processed during the next payroll cycle.
For those staff members paid from a timesheet or addendum pay form, please keep in mind these items are to be completed, signed by a supervisor and submitted to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Any forms received after the due date may be processed on the next payroll.
Pay Dates & Due Dates
Pay dates are listed in the first column, and due dates are listed in the second column.
1/15 1/07
1/29 1/21
2/15 2/04
2/26 2/19
3/15 3/04
3/31 3/19
4/15 4/06
4/30 4/21
5/14 5/06
5/31 5/20
6/15 6/04
6/30 6/21
7/15 7/07
7/30 7/21
8/13 8/05
8/31 8/19
9/15 9/07
9/30 9/21
10/15 10/06
10/29 10/21
11/15 11/04
11/30 11/19
12/15 12/06
12/30 12/21
Addendum & Overtime Forms
As noted above, these forms are to be completed, signed by a supervisor and submitted to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Once a supervisor has signed these forms, the supervisor will return the pink copy of the form to the employee for his or her records. For addendum forms, the white and yellow copies are both to be submitted to Payroll. For overtime forms, only the white copy is to be submitted to Payroll.
PDF/Fax Timesheets
Questions have been raised about the use of PDF or faxed copies of timesheets. We recognize geographic location sometimes makes it difficult for employees and supervisors to consistently have timesheets to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Payroll will process pay from a PDF or faxed copy (a PDF copy is preferred) of the timesheet (must be signed by the employee and supervisor) so there is no delay in payment. However, the original copy of the timesheet must still be sent to Payroll for its permanent records.
Questions
Please contact Steve Jordan at ext. 14908.
Staff members frequently inquire when timesheets, addendum pay forms, direct deposit forms, income tax withholding forms and other changes need to be turned in to the Payroll Dept. in order to be processed for a particular pay date. To assist in your planning, below is a list of 2010 pay dates and corresponding due dates. Payroll needs to receive all information by the end of the day on the due date to ensure payments and/or changes are made on the corresponding pay date. Any information received in Payroll after the due date may be processed during the next payroll cycle.
For those staff members paid from a timesheet or addendum pay form, please keep in mind these items are to be completed, signed by a supervisor and submitted to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Any forms received after the due date may be processed on the next payroll.
Pay Dates & Due Dates
Pay dates are listed in the first column, and due dates are listed in the second column.
1/15 1/07
1/29 1/21
2/15 2/04
2/26 2/19
3/15 3/04
3/31 3/19
4/15 4/06
4/30 4/21
5/14 5/06
5/31 5/20
6/15 6/04
6/30 6/21
7/15 7/07
7/30 7/21
8/13 8/05
8/31 8/19
9/15 9/07
9/30 9/21
10/15 10/06
10/29 10/21
11/15 11/04
11/30 11/19
12/15 12/06
12/30 12/21
Addendum & Overtime Forms
As noted above, these forms are to be completed, signed by a supervisor and submitted to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Once a supervisor has signed these forms, the supervisor will return the pink copy of the form to the employee for his or her records. For addendum forms, the white and yellow copies are both to be submitted to Payroll. For overtime forms, only the white copy is to be submitted to Payroll.
PDF/Fax Timesheets
Questions have been raised about the use of PDF or faxed copies of timesheets. We recognize geographic location sometimes makes it difficult for employees and supervisors to consistently have timesheets to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Payroll will process pay from a PDF or faxed copy (a PDF copy is preferred) of the timesheet (must be signed by the employee and supervisor) so there is no delay in payment. However, the original copy of the timesheet must still be sent to Payroll for its permanent records.
Questions
Please contact Steve Jordan at ext. 14908.
Change to Health Insurance Coverage for Sports and School Physicals
Wellmark has informed us of the following policy change effective January 1, 2010.
Our health plan covers a yearly routine physical examination as a preventive benefit. It does not routinely cover “periodic physicals or health examinations, screening procedures, or immunizations performed solely for school, sports, employment, insurance, licensing, or travel.” However, in the past these types of physicals may have been allowed under preventive benefits if this was the member’s only routine physical in a calendar year.
As of January 1, 2010, providers must perform a complete routine physical exam for the service to be covered. This administrative change is meant to encourage members to use their preventive benefits for a full well-child visit. In addition to performing a physical exam for a school or sports physical, the provider will be able to discuss other health concerns. Sports and school physicals will not be covered under your Wellmark BC/BS policy. Any questions may be sent to Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Our health plan covers a yearly routine physical examination as a preventive benefit. It does not routinely cover “periodic physicals or health examinations, screening procedures, or immunizations performed solely for school, sports, employment, insurance, licensing, or travel.” However, in the past these types of physicals may have been allowed under preventive benefits if this was the member’s only routine physical in a calendar year.
As of January 1, 2010, providers must perform a complete routine physical exam for the service to be covered. This administrative change is meant to encourage members to use their preventive benefits for a full well-child visit. In addition to performing a physical exam for a school or sports physical, the provider will be able to discuss other health concerns. Sports and school physicals will not be covered under your Wellmark BC/BS policy. Any questions may be sent to Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Changes Made to Outgoing Van Mail Procedures at Johnston Office
While this does not pertain to all staff members, we wanted you to be aware of the changes that have been made to the procedures that staff in the Johnston office follow for sending mail to our schools and other partners via our van delivery system. These changes were implemented to cut down on misdirected mail, to consolidate the methods that have been used to ready mail for delivery and to streamline the overall process. They should be helpful to the Agency and to our partners.
The mail slots that staff have been accustomed to putting their mail in have been replaced by mail bins that will hold all of the mail for each stop along a van driver’s route. For instance, if a district’s administration office is in the same building as its high school, the two would be on the same “stop,” so the mail for the administration office and the high school will now be put in the same bin. The bins are clearly labeled as such.
Mail for our Monday-Thursday routes should be put in the mail bins the day before the delivery day if at all possible. For example, if you would like something to go out on a Wednesday route, please put it in the appropriate bin on Tuesday. If you are not able to wait and put in your items in the bins the day before, there will be a shelf labeled “Off Day Delivery” that you can leave your items on.
These changes DO NOT affect the route numbers for any buildings. As always, please be sure to mark all of your envelopes clearly and legibly and include the route number for the appropriate building. If you have any questions, please contact Dustin Gean at ext. 14460 or Jason Elliott at ext. 14358.
The mail slots that staff have been accustomed to putting their mail in have been replaced by mail bins that will hold all of the mail for each stop along a van driver’s route. For instance, if a district’s administration office is in the same building as its high school, the two would be on the same “stop,” so the mail for the administration office and the high school will now be put in the same bin. The bins are clearly labeled as such.
Mail for our Monday-Thursday routes should be put in the mail bins the day before the delivery day if at all possible. For example, if you would like something to go out on a Wednesday route, please put it in the appropriate bin on Tuesday. If you are not able to wait and put in your items in the bins the day before, there will be a shelf labeled “Off Day Delivery” that you can leave your items on.
These changes DO NOT affect the route numbers for any buildings. As always, please be sure to mark all of your envelopes clearly and legibly and include the route number for the appropriate building. If you have any questions, please contact Dustin Gean at ext. 14460 or Jason Elliott at ext. 14358.
Adult Learning Workshop Being Offered in February
Professional Development is excited to offer our professional developers the opportunity to take an engaging two-day course on Facilitating Adult Learning, to be held at Heartland on February 20 and 27, 2010. The class will be offered for one license renewal or one graduate credit. To register for this course, go to the Heartland website and click on Professional Development Catalog. On the catalog search page, scroll down to “or enter an activity number” and type in AD013292111001 and then click “go.” Choose your fee and credit options, click on “add to cart” and follow the prompts.
Also, if you are planning to offer Professional Development courses during the summer, please submit your course proposals online at the Heartland website (click on Classes, Workshops & Trainings, then Course Proposal Forms and then Catalog Course). We recommend you submit your proposals as early as possible to maximize the time for participants to register. Heartland is offering a summer institute for educators June 15-17, so we ask that you avoid those dates when scheduling your classes.
Also, if you are planning to offer Professional Development courses during the summer, please submit your course proposals online at the Heartland website (click on Classes, Workshops & Trainings, then Course Proposal Forms and then Catalog Course). We recommend you submit your proposals as early as possible to maximize the time for participants to register. Heartland is offering a summer institute for educators June 15-17, so we ask that you avoid those dates when scheduling your classes.
Celebrate the AEAs’ 35th Anniversary in 2010
The AEAs are celebrating their 35th anniversary in 2010! Watch for some ways that the AEAs will be celebrating, and as you have conversations with people about where you work, be sure to let them know the AEAs are celebrating 35 years of quality service to Iowa’s students, families and educators.
To mark the 35th anniversary, the AEA logo has been modified to reflect the occasion. Please use this logo (click here) from January through December 2010 in any place that you would use the AEA system logo. You may also use this secondary logo (click here) if it is a better fit for the size of your project.
To mark the 35th anniversary, the AEA logo has been modified to reflect the occasion. Please use this logo (click here) from January through December 2010 in any place that you would use the AEA system logo. You may also use this secondary logo (click here) if it is a better fit for the size of your project.
January 2010 Department of Education School Leader Update
Click here to download the January 2010 edition of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.
Correction to AEA 267 Fax Number
The AEA 267 fax number that is in the 2009-10 Heartland directory is incorrect. The number should be (319) 273-8219.
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