Additional Information About 2013-14 Agency Leadership Structure & Responsibilities

The Agency Planning Council (APC) has continued its work on leadership assignments and program supports for 2013-14. In addition to what we have already shared about our two new regional directors, Mark Crady and Kathie Danielson, and a new assistant director of special education/regional director, further changes in structure and responsibilities are being made. 

These changes were based on feedback gathered from: 
• Regional Planning Councils 
• Agency Department Meetings 
• Agency Staff 
• District Staff 
• Observations 
• Collaboration with DE & Statewide AEA system 

From this feedback, the following themes emerged: 
• District & agency staff requests for additional technical support for special education 
• District & agency staff requests for greater access to regional directors 
• Increase in SINA designation 
• Intensifying support for literacy & Response to Intervention through Collaborating for Kids (C4K) 
• Agency supports to C4K Leadership 

In response to this feedback, the following leadership structure and responsibilities will be in place beginning on July 1: 

Sheila King will become the Executive Director of System Supports. 
She will have oversight for the following agency functions: 
• System Improvement & Accountability 
• Library/Creative Services 
• Internal Technology 
• Shelter Care 
• Licensure/External PD 
• AEA PD Online 
• Communications/Public Relations 
• Emerging Initiatives 

She will provide direct supervision to: 
• Susan Schrader, Director of Resources & Library Services 
• Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology 
• Steve Iverson, Shelter Care Program Administrator, who will also be providing support for licensure/external professional development 
• Evan Abbey, Project Manager, Statewide Online Learning 
• Courtney Croatt & Claire Sowder, Communications Specialists 

Cindy Yelick will become the Executive Director of Learning & Leadership. She will provide oversight for: 
• Instructional Programs 
• Special Education 
• Early Childhood 
• Regional Delivery of Agency Services 
• Collaborating 4 Kids 

She will provide direct supervision to: 
• Assistant Directors of Special Education/Regional Directors, Region 2 
• Regional Director, Region 3 
• Regional Directors, Region 5 
• Regional Directors, Region 8 
• Wendy Robinson, Director of Instructional Services 
• Kevin Fangman, Director of District Services 

Kevin Fangman will provide direct supervision to: 
• Regional Directors, Region 1 
• Regional Director, Region 4 
• Regional Directors, Region 6 
• Regional Directors, Region 7 

Laura Gillon will continue as Executive Director of Human Resources. 
She will provide oversight for: 
• Recruitment, Hiring & Onboarding 
• Employee & Labor Relations 
• Performance Management 
• Workplace Policies & Practices 
• Agency Culture 

A Human Resources manager will also be hired in the coming months; ultimately there will be no change in the number of staff in the Human Resources Department due to an anticipated retirement. 

Kurt Subra will continue as Chief Financial Officer. He will have oversight for: 
• Management & Business Services 
• Business Services Outreach to Local Schools 
• Information Systems 
• Facilities and Operations 
• Distribution 

He will provide direct supervision to: 
• Brian Whalen, Business Manager 
• Rod Howell, Information Systems Manager 
• Dustin Gean, Operations Manager 

Additional updates for 2013-14 will be communicated as decisions are made. Leaders will work together at their June retreat to assure smooth transitions and coordinated implementation. 

As we make changes, we ask that you keep in mind that our mission remains the same: 
To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth. 
 

Our goals remain the same:

• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success

Our strategy remains the same: 
If Heartland AEA provides priority services to children and schools and… If Heartland AEA provides related services for entitled children and… 
If Heartland AEA creates support systems for our staff that encourages collective responsibility, develop staff capacity and embrace system improvement, then… 
We will achieve improved outcomes for children and youth.

Reminder: 2013-14 Agency Calendar Available For Viewing

The 2013-14 calendar of major agency meetings and events is now available via the Internal calendar on Keriomail. When you are signed in to Keriomail, find the folder on the left side navigation that says Public Folders. Expand the Public Folders, and you will find a calendar called Calendar_Internal. That is the calendar that will show major meetings and events for 2013-14 such as APC, LLPC, SSPC and regional planning council meetings, the all staff meeting and agency holidays. 

If you have any questions, contact the Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Reminder: Redesigned Agency Website to Launch Soon!

We are just days away from the launch of our new website! We are aiming for a rollout next week! The Agency’s Communications Department has done its best to make the new site more user-friendly with improved navigation and updated information. 

With this new website, we will also get a new URL, www.heartlandaea.org. Users who try to access our old site at www.aea11.k12.ia.us will be redirected to our new site. Communications is working hard to update as much content as possible for the launch. The initial focus is on getting text, attachments and content ready; photos and graphics will come later. We appreciate your patience as we continue to add content in the new site throughout the summer. 

We realize that this website change will affect brochures and other materials that may have our web address printed on them. Since people who try to visit www.aea11.k12.ia.us will be redirected to www.heartlandaea.org, there is no need for mass disposal of agency materials. If you have materials that need updating, please work with the Communications Department. 

Courtney Croatt and Claire Sowder, Communications Specialists, thank all of the staff who have met with them to update, revise and discuss content for the new site, they and look forward to meeting with more staff members to create a website that will help keep our customers informed of our services and activities.

June 2013 Each & Every Child Newsletter

Click here to view the June 2013 edition of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education. This month’s newsletter focuses on myths related to special education.

Leave and Calendar Deadlines

The cutoff date to enter leave requests for the 2012-13 school year is July 3, 2013. Supervisors need to approve all 2012-13 leaves by July 8, 2013. This will allow us to calculate and display actual, rather than estimated, leave balances for 2013-14 by the end of July. 

Calendar exchange requests for 2012-13 must be submitted and approved by June 30, 2013. 

July new hires will not see their leave balances displayed until July 15, while August new hires will not see their leave balances until August 31. 

If you have any questions, contact Chrissy Bradley, Human Resources Specialist, at cbradley@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14432.

May 2013 Board of Directors Meeting Recap

The May meeting of the Heartland AEA Board of Directors was held May 14, 2013. 

Public Forum, Board Appreciation and Transportation Requests 
• No one was present from the public to speak during the public forum. 
• Dr. Vincent noted that it was School Board Recognition Month and thanked board members for their dedicated service to the Agency. 
• Transportation requests were received from the Des Moines Public Schools and Bondurant-Farrar Community School District. 

Oath of Office 
Oaths of office were given to Mr. Pete Evans, new board member for Director District 6, and Ms. Chris Jeffryes, Heartland AEA Executive Assistant, as secretary pro tem. 

Discussion Items 
Board Committee Reports and Activities 
The Board Policy Task Force will meet again in June. Second Reading of Board Policy Series 300 Board members discussed if the drafts of the 300 series policies need to include language regarding changes to the Agency’s organizational structure. The policies currently discuss approval of administrators and if changing the organizational structure should require board approval. 

Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Membership Dues 
Board members discussed renewing the IASB membership dues or if similar services could be obtained through Iowa School Finance Information Services (ISFIS) instead. Several members felt that IASB’s services were good and that the services between IASB and ISFIS were not comparable. The Board will take official action at the June 11 meeting. 

Summer Maintenance Update and Long-Range Facility Plans 
Mr. Kurt Subra, Chief Financial Officer, shared an outline of the Agency’s summer maintenance schedule for the Adel, Ames and Johnston REC buildings including brick work, parking lot and sidewalk repair, painting, etc. Routine maintenance is done to keep the facilities properly maintained. 

Mobile Science Lab (Project SEMI) 
Dr. Vincent updated board members on the progress of selling the mobile science lab. The Agency is working on possibilities with Iowa State University. She has spoken with the director of the School of Education, Dr. Reynolds, about interest in a partnership with the Agency on the trailer. Conversations are continuing, but there is no concrete proposal at this time. 

Action Items 
Chief Administrator Contract Recommendation 
A MOTION was made by Ms. Borgen and seconded by Mr. Halliburton to set the chief administrator’s contract for three years. Motion passed. 

Mobile Science Lab (Project SEMI) 
A MOTION was made by Dr. Bell and seconded by Ms. Wilson that the selling of the mobile science lab will be resolved by July 31, 2013, or the Agency will pursue other bids. Motion passed. 

Chief Administrator Comments 
• The legislature is still in session but could possibly end by next week. There is no new information on the AEA funding cuts. 
• The State is working on adopting Iowa Core Science Standards. The standards are raising questions nationally and in Iowa. Specific members of the legislature have met with AEA leaders to ask about their support for the standards. 

Board Member Comments 
• Dr. Bridgewater attended a Collaborating for Kids meeting in April and was thrilled to see the collaboration that is taking place between the Department of Education, AEAs and leaders from several Iowa school districts. 
• Mr. Halliburton asked about sharing the work going on in the Colo-Nesco CSD at the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) or IASB annual conferences. It would be a good example of how a struggling district can utilize an intermediate educational agency. 
• Dr. Bridgewater asked that an update on the IAEP and IEC be added to the June agenda.

2013-14 Teacher Quality Activities to be Offered October-June

The Professional Learning Committee/Teacher Quality Committee has proposed offering Teacher Quality courses throughout the year so agency staff members have more flexibility to participate in courses and study groups throughout the year. The goal is to have course registration open on September 17, and courses and study groups will be offered October through June. If you have any questions, contact Kevin Fangman, Director of District Services, at kfangman@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14374.

Transition from Mandt to CPI Training

Starting this summer, the Agency will begin the transition from Mandt to Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) for management training of disruptive behaviors. The decision was based on several factors including: 
• High district interest in training for de-escalation, safety and restraint 
• Increasingly tight resources for districts which impact sub time and travel 
• Shifting internal resources (personnel) related to Mandt 

Cindy Yelick, Executive Director of Instructional Services, talked with several school administrators about moving from Mandt to Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI). While there is an interest in CPI for multiple reasons, there is also concern about retraining district and school staff who have recently certified in Mandt. Below is what has been decided for this transition. The Agency will: 
• Continue to offer Mandt recertification for the next few years but will no longer bring on any new cohorts 
• Begin to offer CPI as an alternative 
• Train at least one AEA staff member per region to be a CPI trainer 
• Develop a course around de-escalation strategies 

If you have questions about this transition and CPI training, please contact your regional director or Cindy Yelick at cyelick@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14569.

Agency to Transition to Google Mail This Summer

You should have received an email about this subject last Thursday, but we are repeating it here for your information. 

We are excited to announce that Heartland AEA will be transitioning from Kerio Mail to Google Mail (Gmail) over the summer. This will not require a great amount of work from you, other than learning a new email and calendar system. We know many of you use Gmail on a personal basis already and are one of the over 400 million people worldwide with a Gmail account. 

Our email addresses will be changed as a part of this process (as you read that our website address will change to www.heartlandaea.org as well). For example, Lance Wilhelm’s email address will change from lwilhelm@aea11.k12.ia.us to lwilhelm@heartlandaea.org. Don’t worry -- your old email address will forward to your new email address for a year or more. 

The Agency’s leaders and their administrative assistants will be transitioned at the same time on a date to be communicated in the future. The transition to Gmail for most employees will begin around June 3. We intend to go in alphabetical order by last name, starting with the A’s early in June and finishing with the Z’s in late July. All of your existing email (in your inbox and in your folders) will be moved to Gmail, along with your existing calendar events and your contacts. 

Tim Weets, Network Specialist in the Internal Technology Department, is heading up this project, and he will schedule a time with you to transition your account. Once the transition begins for your account, you will generally need to stay logged out of your Kerio Mail account for 1-2 hours. Tim will contact you by phone when your transition begins and will call you when it’s completed. This includes those of you who will be off contract this summer. 

Most people find Gmail very easy to use, but for many of you, it will be a new system for your mail and calendaring. We will have many instructional materials (handouts, videos, etc.) available once the transition begins. Look for more information in the coming weeks. We recommend you read this Gmail Transition Questions document as well. 

We will do our best to make this transition as easy as possible for you. If you have any additional questions after reading the Transition document, please contact Tim Weets at tweets@heartlandaea.org.