Yelick & Wilhelm Hired For Administrative Positions

The Agency will welcome back a former staff member and will welcome a new face when two individuals begin working in administrative positions on July 1.

Cindy Yelick has been hired for the Executive Director of Instructional Services position, and Lance Wilhelm has been hired for the Director of Technology position. The Executive Director of Instructional Services position will carry out the duties of the Director of Special Education, serve as an advocate for effective education for all children, promote prevention and early intervention, foster supportive and productive relationships with families, schools and communities and provide leadership regarding education for children and youth with disabilities.

For the past two years, Yelick has worked for the Iowa Department of Education as the administrator in charge of overseeing the development and implementation of the Iowa Core. For the two years prior to that, she was the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning at Heartland, leading all teaching and learning functions such as special education, curriculum and instruction and professional development. She also spent two years as a Heartland regional coordinator and three years as Director of Early Childhood, Assessment and Special Education at the Ames Schools. She has previous experience has a college instructor, elementary principal and classroom teacher.

Yelick holds an Ed.D. degree in educational leadership from Drake University, an M.Ed. degree from the University of Houston in curriculum and instruction and second language education and a B.A. degree in elementary education.

The Director of Technology position serves agency-wide and provides oversight for the development and implementation of the agency’s technology infrastructure, including policies, procedures, maintenance and deployment of technology resources.

For the past five years, Wilhelm has served as the director of technology for the Ames Schools, where he has been responsible for providing leadership and direction for the district’s technology initiatives including networks, servers and instructional integration. From 2002 to 2006, he was an assistant professor and lecturer in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at Arizona State University and from 1999-2002 he was the technology coordinator for the Ankeny Schools. He also spent 10 years as a computer applications and language arts teacher and technology coordinator at the Ogden Schools.

Wilhelm holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instructional technology, an M.S. degree in curriculum and instructional technology and a B.S. degree in distributed studies, all from Iowa State University.

Ottumwa Superintendent Named New Chief at Great Prairie AEA

Jon Sheldahl, currently the superintendent of the Ottumwa Community School District, was selected from a field of 16 applicants to succeed Joe Crozier as chief administrator at Great Prairie AEA. On July 1, Crozier will become the chief administrator at Grant Wood AEA, replacing retiring chief Ron Fielder.

Sheldahl has held administrative positions in Iowa for the past 15 years, including five years as superintendent in the Ottumwa district, five years as associate superintendent in Ottumwa, superintendent at Stuart-Menlo and West Central Valley and principal at Oak Street Middle School in Burlington.

Sheldahl is a graduate of the University of Iowa, and he earned his M.A. and Ed.D. degrees from Northern Arizona University.

AEA Legislative Report

A report from Wayne Haddy, AEA Government Relations Specialist, for the week ending June 24, 2011.

Vol. XXX No. 21

The Latest
While the General Assembly still attempts to find agreements that will allow them to finally adjourn, we have a pretty good feel for what awaits the AEAs when that adjournment finally and thankfully is reached.

Barring a last minute miracle, we anticipate a fund reduction of $20 million for the AEAs. The Governor and House Republicans had been requesting this figure. Senate Democrats were at a $10 million reduction, and this week agreed to go with the $20 million figure. The only issue then to be resolved is whether it is a one or two year reduction. The bill passed by the Senate this week is for just a one-year reduction, but with the Governor insisting on a two-year budget, we do not know where this will end up.

There has been a great deal of frustration with this session. Despite generating much information and making several presentations during the session detailing why AEAs need balances, that our administrative numbers are continually being reduced and that salaries are not out of line, we are continually bombarded with these issues, and they are used as a reason to reduce our budgets. Nothing rooted in fact, but a convenient excuse to take funding from us.

Allowable Growth
Also yet to be resolved is the allowable growth rate. The Governor and the House are still insisting on a 0% growth rate for the next two years. The bill passed by the Senate this past week provides for 0% in 2011-12 and 3% for 2012-13.

Setting the Agency’s Direction Update

Updates about the Agency’s future can be found on the Setting Direction blog at http://direction.aea11.k12.ia.us.

Staff Space

Name Changes
Amy Federer from Amy Wood
Sarah Nemitz from Sarah VanHook
Michelle Westcott from Michelle Smith

New Employees
Cindy Yelick (Executive Director of Instructional Services/JO)

Position Changes
Claire Spellman to Communications Specialist from Communications Administrative Assistant

Title Changes
Steve Iverson to Shelter Care Educational Program Administrator/Regional Director from Shelter Care Educational Program Administrator

July Birthdays
2 Sara Mercer
4 Tuan Dao
4 Kristin Rosenbeck
4 Donna Simpson
4 Jessica Vankamen
5 Brianna Sayre Geiser
6 Michelle Richardson
7 Sherise Ahlers
9 Laurie Flynn
9 Deb Kieler
10 Steve Iverson
11 Diane Baldrige
11 Sara Becker
11 Kelly Grissom
11 Lynn McCartney
12 Cynthia Burggraaf
12 Angela Reed
13 Paula Allen
13 Joshua Burke
14 Karen Cox
14 Dee May
14 Kerri Schwemm
15 Annette DeRouchey
15 Anne Robb
16 Libby Blazevich
16 Misty Christensen
16 Trent Holmberg
16 Robin Olberding
16 Brenda Parker
16 Michael Szymczuk
16 Stacie Thomas
16 Kimberly Zawacki
17 Christie Crouch
17 Lisa Graalfs
19 Linda Hoobin
19 Julie Soukup
20 Kristin Hoiberg
20 Amy Roberts
20 Camie Walker
21 Kandace McGuire
21 Lisa Smith
22 Kim Anderson
23 Deb Reynolds
24 Janel Lehmkuhl
25 Marg Clark
27 Denise Carlson
27 Phyllis Rewis
28 Janie Doobay
28 Rob Kleinow
28 Ruth Moore
29 Donna Wagner
30 Rhonda Anderson-Balch
30 Shannon Heller
30 Julie Hukee
30 Susan Sandor
31 Terry Anselme
31 Jennifer Downs