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

From the Chief Administrator

Last week, Brad Buck, Director of the Iowa Department of Education, convened his advisory group of educational stakeholders. While many topics of interest were reviewed, it seems timely to report on the conversation regarding the Iowa Core. 

If you have been following educational conversations at the national or state level, you have likely read or heard a report in which questions about the Common Core or Iowa Core have been raised. This prompted the question to Director Buck regarding his view of the future of the Core in Iowa. The Director was firm in his commitment to the Core as adopted by the Iowa State Board of Education and clearly articulated the Core as the standards that define what children/young adults should know and be able to do in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The Iowa Core also addresses 21st century skills in areas such as financial and technology literacy. 

Many of you work on some aspect of Core implementation on a daily basis. Others may not know that Heartland AEA receives some support from a legislative appropriation to assist schools with this work. Resources related to the Core are available on our agency website as well as the Department of Education’s website. 

You may also find this policy statement from ASCD helpful as a source of information to understand some of the conversations and debates on this issue. I encourage you to explore these resources, as they will continue to be the foundation of instructional work in our school districts for the foreseeable future. 

Thank you for all you do for the Agency and for those we serve! 
Think spring, 
Paula Vincent

Johnston REC HVAC Remodeling Update

One month in the books! We are happy to report that we successfully made it through the first month of the HVAC remodeling project and things are progressing largely on schedule. The less-than-desirable winter weather we’ve been having has delayed construction a little, but not much. Please think warm thoughts! 

Phase 1 is still on track to be completed around the end of March, while Phase 2 will begin immediately after. Phase 2A is slated for March 14-21; remember the REC building will be completely closed the week of March 16-22. 

Kudos goes out to our awesome staff members who have adjusted to this project as best they can. That includes all our REC staff, as well as other staff who have had to move and make alternate arrangements for meetings and classes. Thanks so much for the flexibility you have shown! 

As a reminder, other project updates can be found on the Construction Blog, including recent photos from inside the Phase 1 construction area.

Challenge: Write Your Iowa Legislators and Tell Them About the Importance of Iowa’s AEAs!

Challenge: If everyone at Heartland AEA were to send at least one letter to their state representative and another to their state senator, we would generate over 1,000 letters to the Iowa legislature! 

We need your help to help our legislators understand what we do. Our greatest enemy, when it comes to gaining legislative support for the AEAs, is not political parties and their positions. It’s legislators’ lack of knowledge about what we do and how important our work is in the lives of children, families and educators. We all make a difference! Please consider making a difference in helping to change how our legislators perceive the importance of our work! 

Click here for a letter template that you can personalize with “your story.” (Everything in red font in the letter is to be personalized.) We know you have stories to tell. Take a few minutes to share with your legislator what you do and/or to tell them a story or two about how your work has made a difference for a child, family and/or educator. If you have a story—great—if not, just share your thoughts about the wonderful people you work with at Heartland AEA. 

If you want to send a message to your legislator via email, please do not send an email between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. - our normal work hours. That will raise red flags, and we don’t need a legislator remarking that staff members are taking their valuable work time to write letters to them. Also, please use a personal email account instead of your work email account. This makes your message more personal and unique, and it avoids any legislators’ complaints about using agency resources to lobby them (which is a definite no-no)! If you don’t know your legislators and/or need to look up their email address or mailing address (hard copy letters are also GREAT), you can use the Iowa Legislature’s website to find them at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find. 

If you send an email, please blind copy the Communications Dept. at comms@heartlandaea.org on your letters, and if you send a hard copy, also send a copy to the Communications Dept., so the Agency has a sense of how many letters staff is generating. Please send your letters within the month of March. We look forward to seeing how many of you accept this important challenge!

Let Expense Online System Calculate Cell Phone Reimbursement Entries on Expense Reports

In reviewing the Agency’s cell phone reimbursements, the Business Office has noticed that the amount on some cell phone expense records appears to be entered manually instead of letting the system calculate the amount. The Expense Online system will automatically calculate the cell phone reimbursement amount at $.10 per minute. To reduce the potential for error, please allow the system to make the calculation and refrain from entering the amount manually. If you have any questions, contact Mary Heaberlin, Accounting Technician, at mheaberlin@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14818 or Brian Whalen, Business Manager, at bwhalen@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14005.

AEAs’ “Impacting Lives” Update

Visit the AEAs’ “Impacting Lives” blog at http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/ to read the following good news stories from Iowa’s AEAs. 

• Colo-NESCO: We Can’t Do It Without the AEA 
• Parents in the driver’s seat of their child’s growth: How a coaching model of service delivery is making a difference for one family 
• Increasing Independence – Patrick’s Story 
• Northwest AEA/Bryant school success: Reading assistance made the difference for this family

March 2014 Each & Every Child Newsletter From Iowa Dept. of Education

Click here to read the March 2014 issue of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Dept. of Education. In this month’s issue, follow the journey one school is taking to improve itself. In the May issue, the Dept. would like to feature your thoughts on how to prevent the summer education slide. Ideas? Success stories? Send them to jim.flansburg@iowa.gov.

Healthways Fitness Discount Available to Wellmark Customers

Blue365 members now can take advantage of any fitness center in the Healthways network without the $25 enrollment fee. You pay only $25 per month* and get access to local and national gyms including select Snap Fitness®, Curves®, Anytime Fitness, YMCAs and more. Getting fit – or staying that way – just got simpler. With Healthways, you can have convenient access to more than 8,000 gyms around the country, all at a good-for-you discount.** 

To redeem the waived enrollment fee, log in and click “Redeem Now” where you will be directed to enroll with Healthways. After your registration is complete enter the coupon code Fit2014. This offer expires March 14, 2014. 

Member must pay $25 for first month’s dues plus sales tax, if applicable in your area. Member must agree to automatic monthly charging to your credit card. Neither debit card, cash nor ACH transactions are available. This offer is available only on the Healthways page of the Blue365 website. 

To search for gyms near you, click here and enter your zip code in the box on the next page. 

*Minimum 3-month commitment required. Plus sales tax, if applicable, in your area. 
**Details of the offer may vary depending on the Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Company you are affiliated with.

AEA Legislative Update

Click here to read this week’s legislative update from the AEA system’s lobbyists, Matt Eide, John Pederson and Tom Lane. We will bring you these updates weekly throughout the legislative session.

The Facts About Education Funding – A Team Approach

The Joint Education Allowable Growth Group (IASB, UEN, AEAs, SAI, ISEA) developed an action plan to address Iowa’s declining education funding and the need for consistent growth in the annual spending rate (as well as the need to set the rate consistent with law). A weekly “Fact About Education Funding” will be sent to all legislators, Gov. Branstad and Dept. of Education Director Buck highlighting a pertinent fact about education spending in Iowa. Each week this link will be shared in The Connection. 

Education as a Percent of the State Budget: A Measure of Priority

Kathy Martin Retirement Reception

Reminder: 
March 7 
2:00-4:00 p.m. 
Johnston Public Library