The telephone systems in each of Heartland’s offices need to be taken down for a system upgrade. The upgrade will be performed over spring break week to reduce the impact on our offices, staff and clients. Below is the tentative schedule for the upgrades. Each site will require 2-3 hours of down time to complete the work. Office secretaries will be kept informed as much as possible regarding specific timelines, so if you have questions please use other means of communication with them as necessary.
Carroll, Guthrie Center, Adel & Indianola offices – March 14
Newton & Knoxville offices – March 15
Ames & Johnston offices (Johnston after hours) – March 16
During the upgrades, the offices will not be able to receive new voicemail messages but will be able to check existing messages from a mobile phone or land line connection. The Johnston upgrade has been scheduled for after-hours to minimize impact on staff access to voicemail services. During the upgrade for the Johnston office on March 16, there will be no access to voicemail from any location.
We have chosen spring break week to minimize inconvenience. We hope for a very smooth upgrade and will coordinate with each office individually if there are schedule changes. If you have any questions, contact Joshua Burke, Web Manager & Telecommunications Specialist, at jburke@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Monday, March 7, 2011
March 2011 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Click here to download the agenda for the March 8, 2011 Heartland Board of Directors meeting.
Annual AEA Customer Satisfaction Survey Launched Today
A link to the annual Iowa AEA Customer Satisfaction Survey was sent to school district staff earlier today. The input collected in the survey will be used to measure our progress on our objectives and make decisions about programs and services we provide to our schools, children and families.
The survey will remain open from March 7 to April 8. We ask that you encourage school administrators and educators you work with to participate in this survey.
If you hold professional development trainings or meetings with school district staff between March 7 and April 8, please include a PowerPoint slide found here during breaks and/or at the end of the meeting to encourage participation in the survey.
If you get questions such as the ones below, there are answers you can use in reply.
Q: I’m really busy. Why should I take the time to do this since it doesn’t affect me?
A: As an agency, Heartland uses data to make decisions that affect every LEA and its staff. Your voice needs to be heard.
Q: Lots of people will be filling this survey out; one person won’t make a difference.
A: Only 21% of our LEA staff filled out the survey last year. That means approximately 2 out of every 10 individuals’ thoughts were used to make decisions for everyone. We know that having more individuals filling out the survey gives us more representative data to make better decisions.
Q: Will I be able to see the information gathered?
A: Yes. Each year we report information from this survey in our annual progress report. In addition, we share specific findings at various stakeholder meetings throughout the year. You can also contact your Partnership Director to request summary information.
The survey will remain open from March 7 to April 8. We ask that you encourage school administrators and educators you work with to participate in this survey.
If you hold professional development trainings or meetings with school district staff between March 7 and April 8, please include a PowerPoint slide found here during breaks and/or at the end of the meeting to encourage participation in the survey.
If you get questions such as the ones below, there are answers you can use in reply.
Q: I’m really busy. Why should I take the time to do this since it doesn’t affect me?
A: As an agency, Heartland uses data to make decisions that affect every LEA and its staff. Your voice needs to be heard.
Q: Lots of people will be filling this survey out; one person won’t make a difference.
A: Only 21% of our LEA staff filled out the survey last year. That means approximately 2 out of every 10 individuals’ thoughts were used to make decisions for everyone. We know that having more individuals filling out the survey gives us more representative data to make better decisions.
Q: Will I be able to see the information gathered?
A: Yes. Each year we report information from this survey in our annual progress report. In addition, we share specific findings at various stakeholder meetings throughout the year. You can also contact your Partnership Director to request summary information.
Setting the Agency’s Direction Updates Found on Blog
Remember that updates about the future of the Agency can be found on the Setting Direction blog at http://direction.aea11.k12.ia.us. Look for an update to the blog on Wednesday of this week.
AEA Legislative Report
Click here to download the weekly legislative report from AEA Government Relations Specialist Wayne Haddy.
March 1 Editions of Special Education Procedures, Special Education Procedures Documentation Guide & Release Notes Now Available
Please click the links to find the March 1, 2011 editions of the Special Education Procedures, Special Education Procedures Documentation Guide and the March 1, 2011 Release Notes.
Key changes include:
• Deferring standards-based IEP requirements to July 1, 2011
• Extended Educational Decision Maker procedures
• Early Childhood Setting Code procedures that reflect December 1, 2010 Web IEP changes
• Clarification of the two IMS codes (RRC & RRT) that denote a return to general education
These documents are also posted on the Iowa IDEA website. If you have any questions, contact Grace Bargstadt, Director of Special Education, at gbargstadt@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Key changes include:
• Deferring standards-based IEP requirements to July 1, 2011
• Extended Educational Decision Maker procedures
• Early Childhood Setting Code procedures that reflect December 1, 2010 Web IEP changes
• Clarification of the two IMS codes (RRC & RRT) that denote a return to general education
These documents are also posted on the Iowa IDEA website. If you have any questions, contact Grace Bargstadt, Director of Special Education, at gbargstadt@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Remodeled Library Leads to Better Access & More Check-Out Opportunities
The remodeled library in the Johnston Regional Education Center will be finished this week. The library was reconfigured so staff and visitors will have better access to library services and all the instructional materials (children/young adult books, professional materials, videos, audiobooks, etc.) We encourage visitors and staff to browse during the day, evenings and weekends. As many of you teach evening and weekend classes, we thought you might like a handout (click here) that explains how educators in Heartland’s service area can self-checkout books and journals. There will also be a paper copy at the front desk and in the library.
Handwriting Without Tears Workshop to be Offered This Summer
Description: This workshop features curriculum and instruction materials, Pre-K through cursive instruction. Participants will have knowledge of handwriting instruction and strategies to help struggling writers, as well as the materials necessary. The workshop also includes a morning session on strategies to develop children’s hand skills.
Presenter: Jan Olsen, OTR is the author and developer of Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) and an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience specializing in handwriting. HWT has been accepted as a statewide writing curriculum by Departments of Education across the U.S. For more information about Handwriting Without Tears, including the research supporting this curriculum, go to http://www.hwtears.com.
Dates & Times: July 13 & 14, 2011 (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Location: Zion Lutheran Church, 4300 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa
Registration: Activity Number RE011499991201. NOTE: Space is very limited. Preference is being given to professionals working within Heartland AEA. Others may apply as space permits.
Presenter: Jan Olsen, OTR is the author and developer of Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) and an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience specializing in handwriting. HWT has been accepted as a statewide writing curriculum by Departments of Education across the U.S. For more information about Handwriting Without Tears, including the research supporting this curriculum, go to http://www.hwtears.com.
Dates & Times: July 13 & 14, 2011 (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Location: Zion Lutheran Church, 4300 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa
Registration: Activity Number RE011499991201. NOTE: Space is very limited. Preference is being given to professionals working within Heartland AEA. Others may apply as space permits.
March 2011 Iowa Department of Education School Leader Update
Click here to download the March 2011 edition of the School Leader Update.
Opportunities to Join Iowa Council for Early ACCESS
The Iowa Council for Early ACCESS has openings available on the Council. Some of the openings are for partial terms so the governor may appoint someone for 1-3 year terms. The Council meets five time per year and will reimburse members for meals, travel and lodging. If they are not compensated to attend the council meeting, members are eligible for a $100 honorarium.
The current openings include the following:
• 5 at-large positions
• 4 Parents
• 1 Insurance representative
• 1 Head Start representative
• 1 Provider of early intervention services
Below is a link to the Governor’s website where individuals can apply for an appointment to the Iowa Council for Early ACCESS.
https://openup.iowa.gov/
If you have any questions, contact Marion Kresse, Early ACCESS Consultant, at mkresse@dhs.state.ia.us or (515) 281-8472.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not infer sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
The current openings include the following:
• 5 at-large positions
• 4 Parents
• 1 Insurance representative
• 1 Head Start representative
• 1 Provider of early intervention services
Below is a link to the Governor’s website where individuals can apply for an appointment to the Iowa Council for Early ACCESS.
https://openup.iowa.gov/
If you have any questions, contact Marion Kresse, Early ACCESS Consultant, at mkresse@dhs.state.ia.us or (515) 281-8472.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not infer sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
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