Chief Administrator Update: Agency’s Planning Councils are Up and Running

As we move forward with the Agency’s new mission, goals and structure, we will provide periodic updates through The Connection. The focus this week is on the planning council structure. Planning councils are representative structures intended to improve communication, planning and learning. A few of the key functions of the planning councils include: coordination of joint learning among team members and members of local schools, integration of services throughout the agency, and coordination of service plan implementation.

The members of each council are listed below. If you have questions about the work of these councils, please contact any of the council members.

Agency Planning Council (APC)
Laura Gillon, Executive Director of Human Resources
David King, Chief Financial Officer
Sheila King, Executive Director of Instructional Services
Steve Prall, Executive Director of Operations
Paula Vincent, Chief Administrator
Cindy Yelick, Executive Director of Instructional Services

Learning and Leadership Planning Council (LLPC)
Grace Bargstadt, Regional Director
Leanne Chapman-Thill, Regional Director
Misty Christensen, Regional Director
Rachelle Dawson, Regional Director
Jerry Gruba, Regional Director
Steve Iverson, Regional Director and Shelter Care Program Administrator
Charlie Johnson, Regional Director
Karla Jones, Regional Director
Sheila King, Executive Director of Instructional Services
JoAnn Klocke, Regional Director
Sharon Kurns, Regional Director
Ron Lorenz, Regional Director
Chris Pierson, Regional Director
Wendy Robinson, Regional Director
Nikki Roorda, Regional Director
Mari Stirler, Regional Director
Kim Thuente, Regional Director
Dave Tilly, Regional Director
Kristi Upah, Regional Director
Jim Verlengia, Regional Director
Paula Vincent, Chief Administrator
Tinna Walberg, Regional Director
Anita Westerhaus, Regional Director
Dave Wood, Regional Director
Cindy Yelick, Executive Director of Instructional Services

Shared Services Planning Council (SSPC)
Laura Gillon, Executive Director of Human Resources
David King, Chief Financial Officer
Steve Prall, Executive Director of Operations
Paula Vincent, Chief Administrator
Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology

Regional Planning Councils (RPC)
Region 1
Gwen Hoffman, Special Education Clerk
Tammy Hulsing, Assistive Technology Specialist and Speech-Language Pathologist
JoAnn Klocke, Regional Director
DeAnn Leiting, School Social Worker
Barb Shutt, Reading Curriculum Consultant
Julie Soukup School Psychologist
Julia Thompson, Special Education Consultant
Kim Thuente, Regional Director

Region 2
Matt Cretsinger, Special Education Program Assistant and School Psychologist
Misty Christensen, Regional Director
Emily Donovan, Challenging Behavior & Autism Consultant
Carla Grasty, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Jody Kerchal, Special Education Consultant
Denise Krefting, Instructional Technology Consultant
Keyea Meyer-Fowles, School Psychologist
Janet Norman, Speech-Language Pathologist
Keri Renze, School Social Worker
Donna Simpson, Secretary
Tinna Walberg, Regional Director
Sue Young, Assistive Technology Specialist

Region 3
Rhonda Anderson-Balch, Speech-Language Pathologist
Theresa Barkey, Special Education Consultant
Leanne Chapman-Thill, Regional Director
Lori Eekhoff, Early Childhood Special Education Consultant
Sheila Fay, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Ron Lorenz, Regional Director
Julie McGinnis, Special Education Consultant
Mary Montgomery, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Marla Roush, Regional Secretary
Kristin Orton, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Kristy Sadler-Teidt, School Social Worker
Nicole Siemens, Speech-Language Pathologist
Lisa Smith, Physical Therapist
Dave Wood, Regional Director

Region 4
Martha Condon, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Anita Davids, Administrative Assistant
Julie Hukee, Mathematics Curriculum Consultant
Rob Kleinow, Science Curriculum Consultant
Sharon Kurns, Regional Director
Lynn McCartney, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Linda Moehring, Reading Curriculum Consultant
Lori Pearson, Reading Curriculum Consultant
Cheryl Risen, External Professional Development Program Assistant
Sue Severson, Special Education Program Assistant
Dana Strother, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Mike Szymczuk, Assessment Consultant
Becky Teut, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Dennis Vogel, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Toy Waterman, Instructional Technology Consultant

Region 5
Pam Childers, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Mariann Culver, Assessment Consultant
Cathy Hansen, Special Education Consultant
Ellie Holland, Speech-Language Pathologist
Joy Lyons, Assistive Technology Specialist
Kathy Randel, Secretary
Tanya Richards, School Psychologist
Courtney Robinson, School Social Worker
Vicki Stumme, Special Education Program Assistant
Stacy Volmer, Challenging Behavior & Autism Program Assistant and Challenging Behavior & Autism Consultant
Michelle Weinberger, Early Childhood Special Education Consultant

Region 6
Nicole Craun, Challenging Behavior & Autism Consultant
Amy Garrett, Assistive Technology Specialist
Candice Gravett, Early Childhood Special Education Consultant
Jeri Gustafson, Reading Curriculum Consultant
Shannon Heller, School Social Worker
Mary Johnson, Secretary
Becca Lindahl, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Linda McAtee, Speech-Language Pathologist
Judy Oltman, Special Education Consultant
Jennifer Riedemann, Assessment Consultant

Region 7
Lisa Barnett, Special Education Consultant
Denise Carlson, Mathematics Curriculum Consultant
Beth Dedic, Special Education Program Assistant
Nancy Dunn, Assistive Technology Specialist
Jennifer Funk, School Psychologist
Laura Frescoln, Special Education Clerk
Charlie Johnson, Regional Director
Chris Rial, School Social Worker
Berrett Rice, Assessment Consultant
Wendy Robinson, Regional Director
Lisa Taylor, Speech-Language Pathologist
Kristi Upah, Regional Director
Linda Wegner, Special Education Nurse
Natalie Welter, Early Childhood Consultant

Region 8
Mary Boshart, School Psychologist
Nichole Coe, Early Childhood Special Education Consultant
Linda Hoobin, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Gina Koehler, Special Education Consultant
Terri Paulson, Secretary
Jessica Pottebaum, Occupational Therapist
Kerri Schwemm, Speech-Language Pathologist
Valerie Steinbach, Parent & Educator Connection Coordinator
Stephanie Ver Helst, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant
Denise White-Staecker, Challenging Behavior & Autism Consultant
Todd York, School Social Worker

Required Action: Standard Agency Email Signature

What is an email signature?
A signature is text that appears at the end of any email messages you send.

Why have a standard email signature?
For our clients, external partners and colleagues, we want a more formal sign-off that includes a staff’s full name and contact details. We want to avoid broadcasting information and/or quotes that might be personal or potentially controversial while using the Agency’s email accounts.

What should be included in the Agency’s standard email signature?
A staff employee should have no more than the following pieces of information.

Name
Title
Heartland Area Education Agency 11
Street Address
City, State Zip
Phone
Fax
Agency mission statement:

EXAMPLE
John Smith
Speech-Language Pathologist
Heartland Area Education Agency 11
602 Visions Parkway
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-4596 ext. 11111
Fax: (515) 993-4598

Heartland AEA 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.

NOTE: You should use the title that Human Resources has assigned you and what appears on your contract for the 2011-2012 year. You may look up your current title in PeopleBox or contact Human Resources.

What about a confidentiality notice?
Notices of this type give people a false sense of security. As a public agency, every email we send on an agency computer and/or through our email server can be requested by members of the public. We would, of course, redact information that is covered by confidentiality laws, FERPA, etc., but that's the exception, rather than the rule. Merely saying an email is confidential does not make it so.

Agency Facts & Figures For 2011-2012 School Year

We would like to provide you with these facts and figures about the Agency. The available data is from the 2010-2011 school year and comes from the Iowa Department of Education. We will use these data for the 2011-2012 school year and will update it each autumn. Please use these data as you see fit.

Number of students, PK-12 in public school districts
130,962

Number of students, PK-12 in accredited non-public schools
8,625

Total number of students, PK-12
139,587

Number of public school districts
53

Number of public school buildings, PK-12
354

Number of accredited non-public schools
30

Number of full-time principals and superintendents in public schools
314

Number of full and part-time teachers in public schools
8,919

Number of full-time administrators in accredited non-public schools
33

Number of full and part-time teachers in accredited non-public schools
570

Total number of administrators and teachers
9,489