Last week the Heartland Print Center transitioned from Xerox managed services to Laser Resources under the Board of Directors’ approval. The transition included equipment and electrical changes, and the process went so well that the Print Center was running some jobs by the end of last week!
We’d like to thank you for your patience while the Print Center was temporarily offline. If you have a chance, go check out the new equipment and meet the two Print Center employees, Rick Bingaman and Paul Lauritsen. The Print Center is located in the south quadrant of the Johnston REC by the loading dock and is open during agency business hours. You may contact the Print Center at printcenter@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14412 if you have questions about your printing needs.
As part of the agreement with Laser Resources, Heartland will continue using the WebCRD online ordering system. All agency support staff members have been trained to use WebCRD, and it is the preferred method to order printing. WebCRD has not yet been rolled out to our districts, but the Agency will soon pilot the system to a few schools.
Please contact Steve Prall at sprall@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14423 with any questions you may have about the Print Center.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test November 9
This Wednesday, November 9, will be the first national test (click here for more information) of the Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS). FEMA, DHS and FCC will conduct the test, which will run concurrently across all time zones and on all radio and TV, beginning at 1:00 p.m. (CST). Nothing like this has ever been conducted in the history of the United States. There is some concern the public will not be aware this is a test and the lack of a message might create panic. Please pass the word to co-workers, friends and family about this test so there is no undue public anxiety.
Human Resources Updates
Classified Non-Union Staff
Salary Study
We are continuing to work on the salary study and compensation review process. Since the salary survey was completed with last year’s salary figures, we need to update current salary information and meet with leaders for feedback. Then we will work to finalize the salary bands and position placement within those bands. We do not anticipate any mid-year salary adjustments given a review of current compensation in comparison to the draft salary bands in progress.
When we implement this system, we want to ensure that the system is accurate, competitive and sustainable over time. Classified Non-Union (CLNU) staff meetings will be scheduled in December/January so that everyone has the opportunity to provide input, learn about the development of the new system and to ask questions for clarification and understanding.
CLNU Performance Evaluation Kaizen Project
The CLNU Evaluation Kaizen team has been hard at work developing a new performance evaluation system for the CLNU staff. The new system will increase employee involvement and provide performance criteria that are more relevant, objective and measurable for CLNU staff. The new system also provides a conversation framework to foster clear, positive communication and create mutually understood performance expectations. We are currently developing the performance evaluation guidelines that will be used throughout the new system. The Human Resources team will be piloting the new system over the next couple of months. CLNU staff meetings will be scheduled in December/January so that everyone has the opportunity to provide feedback, with a target to implement the new system on July 1, 2012.
Classified Union Staff
Salary Study
We are in the initial stages of completing an “in-house” salary study for all positions within the Classified Union (CLU). You may recall that all job descriptions were reviewed and your suggestions for feedback were requested several months ago. Supervisors then reviewed and approved job descriptions that will be used as the foundation for the salary study and compensation review. We are working closely with the CLU collaboration team through this process.
Support Staff
Transition to Administrative Assistant Positions in 2012-13
We are working on the transition process for changes to support staff roles to be implemented July 1, 2012. Several support staff have provided feedback to their regional directors that will be considered in finalizing the transition process. If you have additional feedback please contact your supervisor. We will provide an update within the next couple of weeks with additional information to assist in planning.
Certified Union Staff
Staff Allocation
In the majority of situations, allocation of FTE to regions will remain status quo for 2012-13. This means, in the majority of situations, assignment of certified staff to regions will also remain status quo. Regional directors will determine assignment of staff within regions through a review of regional needs and according to reassignment and transfer procedures in the AEA/HEA comprehensive agreement. We are continuing to work on processes to determine contract and allocation titles, agency-wide assignments and parameters for flexibility of functions of FTE within regions.
Contract Length and Calendar Length
In the majority of situations, contract and calendar length will remain status quo for 2012-13 for current staff. Currently, certified staff members have a 192-, 201-, 210- or 225-day contract. Within the same job title, some contract lengths vary. Staff members with 192-day contracts either have 10-month (August through May) or 12-month (July through June) calendars. The Agency has an interest in determining appropriate contract and calendar length for all certified staff positions through development of decision criteria to guide the decision making process. While we have not yet determined the transition process for any contract or calendar length changes, we want to minimize the financial impact on staff to the greatest extent possible. At your Regional Planning Council meetings in November, this topic will be included on the agenda for discussion. If you have feedback you would like to share, please contact your regional director or a Regional Planning Council member.
Salary Study
We are continuing to work on the salary study and compensation review process. Since the salary survey was completed with last year’s salary figures, we need to update current salary information and meet with leaders for feedback. Then we will work to finalize the salary bands and position placement within those bands. We do not anticipate any mid-year salary adjustments given a review of current compensation in comparison to the draft salary bands in progress.
When we implement this system, we want to ensure that the system is accurate, competitive and sustainable over time. Classified Non-Union (CLNU) staff meetings will be scheduled in December/January so that everyone has the opportunity to provide input, learn about the development of the new system and to ask questions for clarification and understanding.
CLNU Performance Evaluation Kaizen Project
The CLNU Evaluation Kaizen team has been hard at work developing a new performance evaluation system for the CLNU staff. The new system will increase employee involvement and provide performance criteria that are more relevant, objective and measurable for CLNU staff. The new system also provides a conversation framework to foster clear, positive communication and create mutually understood performance expectations. We are currently developing the performance evaluation guidelines that will be used throughout the new system. The Human Resources team will be piloting the new system over the next couple of months. CLNU staff meetings will be scheduled in December/January so that everyone has the opportunity to provide feedback, with a target to implement the new system on July 1, 2012.
Classified Union Staff
Salary Study
We are in the initial stages of completing an “in-house” salary study for all positions within the Classified Union (CLU). You may recall that all job descriptions were reviewed and your suggestions for feedback were requested several months ago. Supervisors then reviewed and approved job descriptions that will be used as the foundation for the salary study and compensation review. We are working closely with the CLU collaboration team through this process.
Support Staff
Transition to Administrative Assistant Positions in 2012-13
We are working on the transition process for changes to support staff roles to be implemented July 1, 2012. Several support staff have provided feedback to their regional directors that will be considered in finalizing the transition process. If you have additional feedback please contact your supervisor. We will provide an update within the next couple of weeks with additional information to assist in planning.
Certified Union Staff
Staff Allocation
In the majority of situations, allocation of FTE to regions will remain status quo for 2012-13. This means, in the majority of situations, assignment of certified staff to regions will also remain status quo. Regional directors will determine assignment of staff within regions through a review of regional needs and according to reassignment and transfer procedures in the AEA/HEA comprehensive agreement. We are continuing to work on processes to determine contract and allocation titles, agency-wide assignments and parameters for flexibility of functions of FTE within regions.
Contract Length and Calendar Length
In the majority of situations, contract and calendar length will remain status quo for 2012-13 for current staff. Currently, certified staff members have a 192-, 201-, 210- or 225-day contract. Within the same job title, some contract lengths vary. Staff members with 192-day contracts either have 10-month (August through May) or 12-month (July through June) calendars. The Agency has an interest in determining appropriate contract and calendar length for all certified staff positions through development of decision criteria to guide the decision making process. While we have not yet determined the transition process for any contract or calendar length changes, we want to minimize the financial impact on staff to the greatest extent possible. At your Regional Planning Council meetings in November, this topic will be included on the agenda for discussion. If you have feedback you would like to share, please contact your regional director or a Regional Planning Council member.
Be Aware of Scent Sensitivity
This is a friendly reminder asking all staff members to be aware of the perfumes, colognes and lotions you wear and the flowers and plants you bring into the office. Many people are sensitive to scents and can even have dangerous reactions to strong scents. While we don’t expect everyone to stop wearing perfume or lotion or stop bringing flowers to the office, we just ask that you be aware of these activities and how they may affect co-workers or visitors at our offices.
Reminder: Dependent Care Flexible Benefit Plan Deadlines
2012 Dependent Care Enrollment Period is November 1-30
The dependent care flexible benefit plan allows you to pre-tax child, spouse or elder care expenses that you incur in order to allow you (and your spouse, if married) to work. If married, both spouses must be working to claim dependent care expenses. A dependent is defined as:
• A dependent of the employee who is under 13 years of age
• A dependent, spouse or parent who is physically or mentally disabled
The deadline for submitting your dependent care enrollment form for the 2012 plan year is November 30. Forms may be faxed to Kathy Martin at (515) 270-6562 or e-mailed to kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us. Please follow up by sending your form with original signature to Kathy at the Johnston Administration Center.
Dependent Care Claims Reimbursement Deadline
Two dates are important to remember for employees enrolled in Heartland’s dependent care flexible benefit plan:
• All expenses for the 2011 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2011.
• All claims for the 2011 plan year must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement no later than 60 days after the end of the plan year. This year, the last day they will be accepted is February 29, 2012.
If you have questions about the balance you have remaining in your dependent care account, please contact Kabel Business Services at (515) 224-9400 or (800) 300-9691.
The dependent care flexible benefit plan allows you to pre-tax child, spouse or elder care expenses that you incur in order to allow you (and your spouse, if married) to work. If married, both spouses must be working to claim dependent care expenses. A dependent is defined as:
• A dependent of the employee who is under 13 years of age
• A dependent, spouse or parent who is physically or mentally disabled
The deadline for submitting your dependent care enrollment form for the 2012 plan year is November 30. Forms may be faxed to Kathy Martin at (515) 270-6562 or e-mailed to kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us. Please follow up by sending your form with original signature to Kathy at the Johnston Administration Center.
Dependent Care Claims Reimbursement Deadline
Two dates are important to remember for employees enrolled in Heartland’s dependent care flexible benefit plan:
• All expenses for the 2011 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2011.
• All claims for the 2011 plan year must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement no later than 60 days after the end of the plan year. This year, the last day they will be accepted is February 29, 2012.
If you have questions about the balance you have remaining in your dependent care account, please contact Kabel Business Services at (515) 224-9400 or (800) 300-9691.
Google Docs EER Webinar Available Soon
Thanks to all of you who attended one of the 21 Google Docs EER sessions. If you missed one of the sessions, a webinar will soon be available. Rather than a live session, we will provide a link to a recorded webinar that you can view at a time that is convenient for you. The link will be available in the November 14 Connection.
Reminder: Process for Communicating Office Closings & Class Cancellations
It’s that time of year…time to start thinking about the winter months and the not-so-pleasant weather that comes with it. In preparation for the possibility of office closings and class cancellations due to inclement weather, please read below for the process that the Agency uses to communicate about these events.
Communicating Office Closures
Last year the Agency implemented a new system for notifying staff members of office closures due to inclement weather. Using the media to communicate our closings was no longer effective, so we decided to use the following four venues to communicate about office closures:
SchoolReach
SchoolReach is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15-minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For example, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will only call the staff members who are assigned to those offices. Staff in other offices won’t receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communications Department—they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach. We have previously asked you to update your phone contact information in the Agency’s Employee Online system. If you have provided both a home number and a cell phone number in Employee Online, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number, (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to update your contact information in Employee Online any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important communication. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
Website
We will post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) at the top of the Latest News section.
Cancellation Hotline
We will record closing information on a “cancellation hotline” that staff members can call into at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14041. When you call in you will hear a recorded message that says the date and which offices are closed if there are closings. If there are no closings, the message will reflect that.
Social Media
We will post closing information on the Agency’s Facebook & Twitter accounts (www.facebook.com/heartlandaea & twitter.com/HeartlandAEA).
Communicating Professional Development Class Cancellations
If a professional development class is canceled, the cancellation will be communicated via the agency website, cancellation hotline and social media. If you have any questions about inclement weather communications, please contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, at ccroatt@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14474.
Communicating Office Closures
Last year the Agency implemented a new system for notifying staff members of office closures due to inclement weather. Using the media to communicate our closings was no longer effective, so we decided to use the following four venues to communicate about office closures:
SchoolReach
SchoolReach is an online system that is able to send voice messages to staff when there is an office closure. When used, the service will call selected phone numbers in our employee contact list and will deliver a recorded message. The service will deliver the message to both live answer and answering machines. No answers (phones ringing over 40 seconds) and busies will be automatically retried twice in 15-minute intervals after the initial call.
We will contact only those staff members who are assigned to offices that close. For example, if the Newton and Indianola offices are closed, we will only call the staff members who are assigned to those offices. Staff in other offices won’t receive a call. The calls that SchoolReach makes will be generated by the Agency’s Communications Department—they will not come directly from a person at SchoolReach. We have previously asked you to update your phone contact information in the Agency’s Employee Online system. If you have provided both a home number and a cell phone number in Employee Online, we will call you at both numbers in the event of an office closing.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT SCHOOLREACH:
When SchoolReach places a call, if your phone has caller ID, the ID will display the Agency’s main number, (515) 270-9030. When you get a call from the system, there will be a short pause at the beginning of the message. This usually is only a few seconds pause. Answer your phone as you normally would with “hello” and hold for the message to begin. Multiple “hellos” will delay the message. Please inform all family members who may answer your phone of this process.
If you rely on your answering machine to screen calls, the system will detect that your machine has answered and will play the recorded message to your machine. The phone will ring for up to 40 seconds. Make sure that your machine answers after four rings or you may miss the message.
At the end of the message you will be prompted to “press any key” to hear the message again. This can be helpful if a child answers the phone and hands it to a parent, who can then have the message repeated in its entirety.
What can be done to avoid any problems in message delivery:
• Do not say “hello” more than once. If the system detected your answer incorrectly, all noise will reset the three-second counter.
• If, after you answer, the message does not immediately play, cover the mouthpiece of the phone to cutout all background noise. The message should begin after three seconds.
Please make every effort to update your contact information in Employee Online any time there is a change to ensure that you do not miss important communication. Your phone data will be used exclusively by Heartland to communicate important information to you; it won’t be accessible to anyone else.
Website
We will post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.aea11.k12.ia.us) at the top of the Latest News section.
Cancellation Hotline
We will record closing information on a “cancellation hotline” that staff members can call into at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14041. When you call in you will hear a recorded message that says the date and which offices are closed if there are closings. If there are no closings, the message will reflect that.
Social Media
We will post closing information on the Agency’s Facebook & Twitter accounts (www.facebook.com/heartlandaea & twitter.com/HeartlandAEA).
Communicating Professional Development Class Cancellations
If a professional development class is canceled, the cancellation will be communicated via the agency website, cancellation hotline and social media. If you have any questions about inclement weather communications, please contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, at ccroatt@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14474.
November 2011 School Leader Update
Click here to download the November 2011 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.
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