Our Mission
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
• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Monday, November 25, 2013
Reserving Alternate Meeting Space During HVAC Remodel
As we have stated in previous Connections, all meetings that were scheduled in the Johnston REC from February 1 to June 1, 2014 have been moved to the Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus because of the HVAC remodel project.
If you want to meet in a different location because the Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus doesn’t meet your needs, please cancel the room reservation that was made for you. If you need assistance finding another non-agency location for a larger group meeting, fill out the Conference Room Request form. Your supervisor or the appropriate director will need to approve the room request prior to submission should there be a fee for the space you’ve requested.
The West Des Moines Campus, which is located at 815 8th Street in West Des Moines, has many rooms, both large and small, to accommodate different types of meetings and temporary work spaces. It is handicapped accessible, has ample parking and is close to various restaurants. We will do our best to provide as many amenities as possible, including wireless Internet, some rooms with dedicated LCD projectors and access to copying and printing. While it won’t have the same amenities you are used to at the Johnston REC, it will be more than adequate to use as a temporary meeting space during the remodeling project.
If you want to meet in a different location because the Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus doesn’t meet your needs, please cancel the room reservation that was made for you. If you need assistance finding another non-agency location for a larger group meeting, fill out the Conference Room Request form. Your supervisor or the appropriate director will need to approve the room request prior to submission should there be a fee for the space you’ve requested.
The West Des Moines Campus, which is located at 815 8th Street in West Des Moines, has many rooms, both large and small, to accommodate different types of meetings and temporary work spaces. It is handicapped accessible, has ample parking and is close to various restaurants. We will do our best to provide as many amenities as possible, including wireless Internet, some rooms with dedicated LCD projectors and access to copying and printing. While it won’t have the same amenities you are used to at the Johnston REC, it will be more than adequate to use as a temporary meeting space during the remodeling project.
New Guidelines for Completing and Submitting Out-of-Area Travel/PD Form
In order to expedite the reimbursement of out-of-area travel and professional development expenses, the Business Office is asking all employees to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Only use the current Out-of-Area Travel/Professional Development form linked on the Intranet and always submit the form electronically. The form is titled Out-of-Area Travel & PD Form/2013-14 Travel Memo and is located under the Business Office link in the left hand navigation. Do not use a form stored on your computer, as using old forms causes confusion about who should be signing the forms and where the forms should be sent.
- When saving the form, title it as ‘OAT-your name-mm/dd/yy.’ The date should be either the first date of travel or the date of your professional development. Using a standard naming convention should help with the flow of the form. Supervisors will immediately know what is attached and know that they need to act on it.
- When receipts are required, scan them to one pdf file. The file can contain multiple pages, but we would like them all in one file. By limiting the number of documents being emailed, it will be easier for supervisors and the Business Office to track the receipts and keep them with the form.
Reminder: Process for Communicating Inclement Weather Office Closings & Course 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. Offices will typically be open unless all schools in a
region are closed and travel is not recommended. But we all know this
happens! So in preparation for the possibility of office closings and
professional development course cancellations, please read below for the
process that the Agency uses to communicate about closings or delays.
First, click here to read the Agency’s Inclement Weather policy, which can be found on page 47 of the Staff Handbook.
Remember that the Temporary Remote Workplace Program can be used in extraordinary circumstances with supervisor approval. More information about the program can be found in the Staff Handbook. In an inclement weather circumstance, staff members who complete timesheets have the option of taking unpaid leave, even if they have other leaves available.
If you have any questions about the Inclement Weather policy, contact Laura Gillon, Executive Director of Human Resources, at lgillon@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14416.
Communicating Office Closures
The Agency uses a variety of methods to notify staff members of office closures due to inclement weather. SchoolReach SchoolReach is an online system that sends voice messages to staff. 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 SchoolReach.
To ensure that you receive a phone call about office closings, review your phone number information in the Agency’s Employee Online system and make sure it is up-to-date. 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.
Website
We will post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.heartlandaea.org).
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@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14474.
First, click here to read the Agency’s Inclement Weather policy, which can be found on page 47 of the Staff Handbook.
Remember that the Temporary Remote Workplace Program can be used in extraordinary circumstances with supervisor approval. More information about the program can be found in the Staff Handbook. In an inclement weather circumstance, staff members who complete timesheets have the option of taking unpaid leave, even if they have other leaves available.
If you have any questions about the Inclement Weather policy, contact Laura Gillon, Executive Director of Human Resources, at lgillon@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14416.
Communicating Office Closures
The Agency uses a variety of methods to notify staff members of office closures due to inclement weather. SchoolReach SchoolReach is an online system that sends voice messages to staff. 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 SchoolReach.
To ensure that you receive a phone call about office closings, review your phone number information in the Agency’s Employee Online system and make sure it is up-to-date. 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.
Website
We will post closing information on the front page of the Agency’s website (www.heartlandaea.org).
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@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14474.
Iowa Reading Research Center Report Shows Inconsistencies in Reading Instruction
Click here for a report released last Wednesday by the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC). The report shows inconsistencies in literacy instructional practices in Iowa schools, which may be contributing to stagnant reading trends reported among Iowa’s students for the past several years.
About the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC)
The Iowa Reading Research Center’s purpose is to apply current research for the development of literacy across Iowa. The IRRC is action-oriented and initiatives include reading assessments, data reporting system, evidence-based interventions and teaching strategies, early literacy framework, summer reading program, professional learning, and parent resources and information. Please visit www.iowareadingresearch.org.
About the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC)
The Iowa Reading Research Center’s purpose is to apply current research for the development of literacy across Iowa. The IRRC is action-oriented and initiatives include reading assessments, data reporting system, evidence-based interventions and teaching strategies, early literacy framework, summer reading program, professional learning, and parent resources and information. Please visit www.iowareadingresearch.org.
Carroll & Ankeny Schools Among Those Recognized for Reducing Gaps in Student Achievement
Congratulations to Carroll High School and Northeast Elementary School in Ankeny, two of six schools from across the state honored by the State Board of Education for significant progress in closing gaps in student achievement.
The Breaking Barriers to Teaching and Learning Award was created by the State Board of Education. Each year, the award recognizes successful efforts to eliminate achievement gaps among students who face challenges. This year’s award-winners were recognized for having the highest proficiency rates statewide in math and reading among a specific subgroup of students, such as students who do not speak English as their native language and students from low-income backgrounds. Data from three years were examined to confirm a positive trend for each school.
The schools that met these criteria are:
The Breaking Barriers to Teaching and Learning Award was created by the State Board of Education. Each year, the award recognizes successful efforts to eliminate achievement gaps among students who face challenges. This year’s award-winners were recognized for having the highest proficiency rates statewide in math and reading among a specific subgroup of students, such as students who do not speak English as their native language and students from low-income backgrounds. Data from three years were examined to confirm a positive trend for each school.
The schools that met these criteria are:
- Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls: African American students (84.7 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 46.3 percent).
- South Tama County Elementary, Tama: Native American students (75.8 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 59.3 percent).
- Carroll High School, Carroll: Low socioeconomic status (86.4 percent proficiency rate in reading and math; statewide average for this subgroup is 61.3 percent).
- Northeast Elementary, Ankeny: Students on Individualized Education Programs (75.8 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 32.3 percent).
- Kennedy High School, Cedar Rapids: Latino students (92.3 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 58.8 percent).
- Lenox Elementary School, Lenox: English language learners (86.4 percent proficiency rate in reading and math; statewide average for this subgroup is 42.6 percent).
Dependent Care Flex Spending Plan Enrollment Deadline November 29
Do you have a child under the age of 13 for whom you currently pay childcare expenses? You may be eligible to have those costs deducted from your paycheck on a pre-tax basis. Click here to watch a video that explains how the Dependent Care Flexible Spending program works and how it can save your family money.
To make your dependent care election for 2014, click on this link: https://peoplebox.aea11.k12.ia.us/depcare or copy and paste it into your Firefox or Safari browser. Use your PeopleBox login and password first, and if that fails, try your Employee Dashboard password. Dependent Care enrollment will be closed on Friday, November 29 at 4:00 p.m.
As a reminder, all dependent care expenses for the 2013 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2013 and must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement by March 1, 2014.
If you have any questions, contact Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14385.
To make your dependent care election for 2014, click on this link: https://peoplebox.aea11.k12.ia.us/depcare or copy and paste it into your Firefox or Safari browser. Use your PeopleBox login and password first, and if that fails, try your Employee Dashboard password. Dependent Care enrollment will be closed on Friday, November 29 at 4:00 p.m.
As a reminder, all dependent care expenses for the 2013 plan year must be incurred by December 31, 2013 and must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement by March 1, 2014.
If you have any questions, contact Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14385.
Kabel Business Services Holiday Schedule
Kabel Business Services, the provider of our agency medical flex spending, dependent care and Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), has notified us of their holiday hours so you can be reimbursed for your claims in a timely manner.
Kabel will be closed for:
Kabel will be closed for:
- Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29. There will be no disbursements for claims on these days.
- Christmas on Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25. There will be no disbursements for claims on these days.
- New Years on Wednesday, January 1, 2014.
Out of Office Protocols For Quality Customer Service
It is important to have correct referral information available to internal and external customers who may call or e-mail staff members during absences. Considering upcoming holidays and leave/vacation schedules, this is a good time to review the steps we all need to take prior to being out of the office.
Change Gmail Vacation Responder (Out-of-Office message) (sample below)
Change Voicemail Greeting to Unavailable (samples below)
Change Employee Dashboard to “Out of Office”
On your Employee Dashboard home page in the upper left under “Workflow Tasklist” is a box to click when you are out of the office. This enables any workflows to go to the secondary approver when you are set to out of office. This is important if you do purchase requests, so they don’t sit on your tasklist while you are absent.
Change Gmail Vacation Responder (Out-of-Office message) (sample below)
- Thank you for contacting Heartland AEA. I will be out of the office until January 2. If you need immediate assistance, please contact Sally Smith at ssmith@heartlandaea.org or ext. XXXXX. Thank you.
- To turn on a vacation responder message, go to the gear-shaped icon in the top right corner of Gmail. Scroll down to and then click on Settings. Click on the first link that says general and scroll down until you see the information for “Vacation responder.” Click the button next to Vacation responder on and then enter your message in the space provided. You have the option to set the time when your message will begin and end. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page when you are finished.
Change Voicemail Greeting to Unavailable (samples below)
- Thank you for calling Heartland AEA. You have reached Sally Smith. I am currently out of the office until (date you return). If you need immediate assistance, please contact Jane Jones at extension XXXXX, otherwise leave your name and phone number and I will return your call when I am back in the office. Thank you.
- You have reached Sally Smith at Heartland AEA. I am out of the office until (date you return). Please leave your name and phone number, and I will return your call when I am back in the office, or if you need immediate assistance, please press “0” and someone else will assist you. Thank you. (In this case, make sure that you have asked Tuan Dao to program your phone to zero out to the person who is covering for you.)
- You have reached Sally Smith at Heartland AEA. This is the week of December 23 and our offices will be closed on December 24 and 25. I will be out of the office the entire week, however, if you need assistance you may contact Jane Jones at extension XXXXX. Otherwise I will return your call on December 30. Thank you.
Change Employee Dashboard to “Out of Office”
On your Employee Dashboard home page in the upper left under “Workflow Tasklist” is a box to click when you are out of the office. This enables any workflows to go to the secondary approver when you are set to out of office. This is important if you do purchase requests, so they don’t sit on your tasklist while you are absent.
Learn More About Collaboration Stations in Short Video Tutorial
As highlighted in a previous issue of The Connection, the Agency is piloting the use of “collaboration stations” in five locations in the Johnston Regional Education Center (REC). Click here to see a short video about these stations in action and to learn more about how to use them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)