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.
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