If you will remember, we let you know last fall that our agency website would be undergoing a redesign. During some of chief administrator Paula Vincent’s recent “Chat with the Chief” sessions, staff members have been curious about the status of the website project, and we’re pleased to offer the following update on the site’s progress.
Since we no longer have a web manager on staff, the Agency’s Communications Department has taken on the oversight of the website, keeping the front page updated and supporting maintenance of the site’s inside pages. The Agency has contracted with Global Reach, a professional website design and hosting firm from Ames, to redesign our site from the ground up. Much time has been spent on the process of the site’s design, and the feedback that staff members provided last fall by taking our short web use survey helped guide that process. Above you will see a screen shot of a sample front page.
We are beginning to add content to the new site, and over the next month, we will work with staff who have been providing information on our current site to ensure a smooth transition to our new format.
You can read below for some of the big picture ideas that the Communications Department has used during the redesign process.
What are we trying to accomplish with our website?
Heartland AEA is an educational service organization, and we want our website to positively reflect who we are, who we serve and what we do. A website is today’s front door into any business or organization. A quality website should provide our “customers” with a good first impression and give them a broad snapshot into what we do. It should have a professional and consistent look and feel, common language, jargon-free terminology and timely and accurate information. Having a website that is useful to customers builds our reputation and helps customers instill trust in us.
Who is our audience?
• Educators in 53 public school districts and 30 accredited non-public schools
• School-aged students
• Parents, especially whose children receive special education and related services
• Job applicants
• Staff members
• Other educators (Department of Education, other AEAs)
• External community agencies
What do they search for? (as measured by our Google Analytics statistics)
• Professional Development classes and registration
• Jobs and application process
• Media and library resources, including reservation and delivery
• Online instructional and technology resources
• Information on agency programs and services
• Information about the schools we serve
• Information about agency employees
• Information about Iowa’s AEA system
What do they expect from us:
• High quality services and supports that are easily understood and accessed
• Accurate, relevant and timely information
• Consistent language, look and feel
You are always welcome to provide feedback to the Communications Department (comms@aea11.k12.ia.us) about the website and to let us know when you find content on the site that needs updated. Note that there are webpages that have been deleted from our site that still appear in a Google search. We are aware of this, but please note that there is nothing we can do about this until the current site is taken offline.
Click here to download the April issue of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education.
Thousands of talented Iowa educators lead and inspire their students, but only one is chosen annually as the state’s top teacher. The deadline to nominate the 2014 Iowa Teacher of the Year is April 26. The award is an opportunity to recognize an exceptional Iowa teacher who is helping to redefine education.
Nominations will be accepted from anyone, including students, parents, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members and associations. Nomination forms can be found here.
The Iowa Teacher of the Year award was established in 1958. The annual program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education through an appropriation from the Iowa legislature. Winners are chosen by a committee that includes representatives of the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa State Education Association, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Parent Teachers Association and the current Iowa Teacher of the Year.
The Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador to education and as a liaison to primary and secondary schools, higher education and organizations across the state. Tania Johnson of Cedar Rapids was named the 2013 Teacher of the Year. The 2014 Teacher of the Year will be announced this fall.
As spring (finally) approaches, the Wellness Committee is ready to roll out our second “Know Your Numbers” campaign.
Just like last year, part of knowing your numbers means you will need to schedule your routine physical (if you haven’t had one in the 2013 calendar year) as soon as possible. If you’ve already had a physical this year, or aren’t scheduled to get another physical until later in the year, you can simply call your primary care physician and request your numbers.
Once you have your physical or have called your physician, you’ll take your numbers (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, TC/HDL ratio, triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference) and input them into the Well-Being Assessment on your Personal Wellness website called myWellmark.
You can register for myWellmark through the Wellness tab on your Employee Dashboard. Just click the link that says “Register for the Wellmark Website.” Once you register, you will be able to fill out the Well-Being Assessment. You will also have access to your personal information, such as copies of your Explanation of Benefit forms, how much of your deductible and out-of-pocket maximums you have met and much more.
We are asking that everyone in the Agency participate this year and fill out the Well-Being Assessment. The deadline for filling out the assessment is May 31, 2013. All information you submit through the Well-Being Assessment is private health information and is confidential. Nothing will be shared with Wellmark, and the only data the Agency will receive will be confirmation of completion of the assessment, along with an aggregate report like we received last year (see your Wellness tab for last year’s report).
Anyone who completes the assessment before May 31 will be entered into a drawing to win wellness-themed prizes, including one grand prize, where the winner will get to choose from the following:
• Paid enrollment to 10-week Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping™
• Paid enrollment to Hy-Vee’s Begin: Weight Loss and Healthy Lifestyle Program
• 1 year paid gym membership through Healthways
• $250 gift certificate to Hy-Vee
(Prizes may be taxable as required by law)
So be sure to fill out the Well-Being Assessment online by May 31! E-mail Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Generalist, at tchiaramonte@aea11.k12.ia.us or contact your Regional Wellness Coordinator (see below) if you have any questions.
Wellness Coordinators
Region 1 - Corrine Breitsprecker
Region 2 - Bess Wood
Region 3 - Karen Junko
Region 4 - Cheryl Risen
Region 5 - MaryAnn Strawhacker
Region 6 - Sandy Anderson
Region 7 - Robin Olberding
Region 8 - Bryce Chidester
Shelter Care - Christina Allen
Central Staff - Doug Schuster and Heng Fongkhamdeng
HR Support - Kathy Martin and Tony Chiaramonte
Click here to read the latest update of the Iowa legislative session from the AEA system’s lobbyists, Matt Eide and John Pederson, of the Eide & Heisinger firm.
Chief administrator Paula Vincent and the other AEA chiefs held their annual legislative breakfast last week to discuss education issues with legislators. Paula is pictured at the breakfast with Jon Sheldahl, chief administrator of Great Prairie AEA, (left) and Rep. Kevin Koester (R-Ankeny).
Get your family and home ready for a tornado with the official Tornado App from the American Red Cross. The tornado warning app puts everything you need to know to prepare for a tornado – and all that comes with it – in the palm of your hand. With interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice, it’s never been easier to be ready.
The app features an audible siren that automatically goes off even if the app is closed when NOAA issues a tornado warning, helping to reduce the chance of sleeping through an actual warning.
You can download the app directly from the iTunes or Google Play app stores. More information can be found here.
The round tables that have been in Conf. Room 18 at the Johnston REC have been replaced with rectangular 8 ft. tables. The rectangular tables allow for more flexibility in setting up the room for meetings and trainings. The tables can be set in pods or classroom style to seat 42, or they can be set in a square to comfortably seat 20. Please keep this new set-up in mind when you are scheduling meetings in this room. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dustin Gean at dgean@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Last week the Mississippi Bend AEA Board of Directors unanimously approved the hiring of Bill Decker as chief administrator of the Bettendorf-based agency, beginning July 1, 2013. Decker has been superintendent of the Muscatine Community School District since 2009 and will replace Glenn Pelecky, who is retiring after serving as the chief for 25 years.
