Leadership Assignments and Supports for 2013-2014

The Agency Planning Council (APC) wants to provide clear and timely communication to you as work continues on leadership assignments and program supports for 2013-14.

As you know, we have based decisions on the feedback we’ve had from regional planning councils, agency staff and district staff, our observations and our collaborative work with the Department of Education and the statewide AEA system.  Some of the themes:
• District and agency staff members are requesting additional technical support for special education.
• District and agency staff members are requesting greater access to regional directors.
• Due to the increase in the number of schools with a SINA designation, we need capacity to provide those supports to schools.
• Since we will be providing more intense support for literacy and Response to Intervention as a result of our statewide effort, Collaborating for Kids, we need to adjust our agency structures to provide the services and supports to schools.

To help address these themes, we will be adjusting responsibilities for some regional director assignments.
• JoAnn Klocke will continue in Region 1 working directly with Audubon, Carroll, Coon Rapids-Bayard, Exira and Glidden–Ralston.
• Keri Steele will continue in Region 1 working directly with Earlham, I-35, West Central Valley and Winterset.
• Tinna Walberg will serve in Regions 1 and 2 working directly with Adair-Casey, Guthrie Center, Panorama and Perry.
• Misty Christensen will continue in Region 2 working directly with ADM, Dallas Center-Grimes and Woodward-Granger. Since she will continue providing significant technical support to special education and to the data specialists, Misty’s title will be adjusted to Regional Director/Assistant Director of Special Education to reflect her current work.

We will also post a vacancy on Wednesday for a Regional Director/Assistant Director of Special Education. This additional director will be working directly with Waukee and Van Meter and will help to provide the technical supports we’ve identified for special education.

In addition to adjustments with regional directors, we are also working on the alignment of executive director duties. Any changes about staff supervision for 2013-14 will be communicated when they are known. APC will continue to use the Connection to update you about any decisions regarding leadership assignments and responsibilities.

AEA Legislative Update

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.

May 2013 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda

Click here to download the agenda for the May 14, 2013 Heartland AEA Board of Director’s meeting.

2013-2014 Agency Calendar Coming Soon

There have been some requests for the 2013-2014 Agency calendar. The calendar will be made available for staff sometime this week, and staff will receive an email when it is ready.

Reminder: Upcoming Retirement Receptions

Deb Moon Davis, Bill Helms & Deb Mountiser
May 14
3:00-4:30 p.m.
Johnston REC staff lounge

Mark McMurry
May 17
Potluck, 11:30 a.m.
Conf. Room 18

Sandee Dickinson
May 29
3:45-5:45 p.m.
Sports Page, Winterset

Phil Swift & Gloria Gibbens
May 30
2:30-5:00 p.m.
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Cross Creek Meeting Room, Altoona

Toy Waterman
June 7
1:00-3:00 p.m., program at 2:00
Conf. Rooms 3, 4 & ICN Room