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

Agency Calendar Update: Changes to Winter Holiday Break, New Certified Staff Start Date & All-Staff Meeting Date

The Agency Planning Council (APC) has decided to try something new during the 2014-15 calendar year that is a change from our traditional “floating holiday” schedule for staff who have 261-day work schedules. See below for a schedule of what we will call “Winter Break.” This extended Winter Break is something the Agency will try for one year, and APC will review it as part of the annual calendar-building process. If you have any questions, contact Sheila King, Executive Director of System Supports.

Wednesday, December 24 

• Staff work day 
• Offices closed to the public 
• One-hour early dismissal (as usual before a holiday) 

Thursday, December 25 

• Official agency holiday 
• Offices closed to staff and public 

Friday, December 26 

• Official floating holiday
• Offices closed to staff and public 

Monday, December 29 & Tuesday, December 30 

• Additional floating holidays for employees with 261-day work schedules
• Offices closed to staff and public 

Wednesday, December 31 

• Official floating holiday 
• Offices closed to staff and public 

Thursday, January 1 

• Official agency holiday 
• Offices closed to staff and public 

Friday, January 2 

• Staff work day
• Offices closed to the public 

Two other dates to note are the start date for new Certified staff and the date of our All-Staff Meeting. 

• New Certified staff start date: August 4, 2014 
• All-Staff Meeting at Adventureland Palace Theater: September 12, 2014 

Remember that you can see important agency dates on the Agency’s Internal Calendar in Google. Over time, this is where we will note all new dates for 2014-15. If you haven’t already added the Internal Calendar to your other Google calendars, copy the link below and paste it in the box just below “Other calendars.” If you do not see a box below Other Calendars, click on the arrow to the left of “Other calendars.”

aea11.k12.ia.us_gg5e2fnevnqej0cp8f5ap2a4lg@group.calendar.google.com 

If you have any questions about the Internal Calendar, contact Lindsey Turner, Central Office Administrative Assistant, at lturner@heartlandaea.org.

What is ONE WORD That Describes the Work You Do?

The AEA system is working on a branding project. One of the first steps is to create a brand promise. Please share ONE WORD that describes the work that you do. No phrases, please; just ONE WORD!!! Click here to add YOUR word!

April Issue of Each and Every Child Newsletter

Click here to read the April issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education. This issue highlights what all of our work is about: to make students productive and happy members of society. In addition, read the feedback that was given to the Department on its February issue focusing on high-growth schools.

Reminder: Annual Benefit Enrollment Begins Tomorrow, Open Until April 30

This message was emailed to staff this morning and is being repeated here for your information. 

Enrollment Period 
Our annual online benefit enrollment will be open to all full-time and 96-day employees beginning tomorrow, April 1 through April 30 at 4:00 p.m. 

Full-time employees will be enrolling in health and dental insurance plans and the medical flex spending plan. Part-time employees (96-day) will be enrolling in the medical flex spending plan. (Please note that this enrollment period is not for enrollment in the dependent care plan, which is done in November.) We will need your enrollment selections even if you choose not to make any changes to your benefits for next year. 

Plan Changes 

• Beginning this year and each year to follow, July will now be open enrollment, which means you can add and/or drop family members to your health and dental plans. 
• Dental coverage will now include Novocain.
• If you enroll in Medical Flex Spending, and you aren't able to spend all the money in your account, you will be able to rollover up to $500 from the 2014-15 plan into the 2015-16 plan. 

Rates 
The monthly insurance premium rates for the $750 and $1,500 deductible health plans will be as follows: 

$750 Deductible Plan 

• Single - $617.57 (paid in full by the agency) 
• Family - $1,543.94 (agency pays 60% of the premium for Classified and Certified Union employees, so employees owe $308.79 per pay period) 
• No HRA with the $750 deductible plan 

$1,500 Deductible Plan 

• Single - $540.28 (paid in full by the agency) – Annual HRA is $681.96 ($170.49/quarter) 
• Family - $1,350.71 (agency pays 60% of the premium for Classified and Certified Union employees, so employees owe $270.14 per pay period) 
• Annual HRA for Classified and Certified Union w/ $1,500 family plan - $1,053.00 ($263.25/quarter) 
• Annual HRA for Non-Union w/ $1,500 family plan - $1,794.96 ($448.74/quarter) 

Medical Flex Spending Plan 
REMINDER: Each employee may choose to deduct from his/her paycheck a maximum of $2,499.84 ($104.16/pay period) regardless of how many family members you have or whether your spouse is able to contribute at his/her place of employment. As in the past, you may submit claims for eligible expenses for you, your spouse and your eligible children. For those couples where both spouses work at Heartland AEA, each spouse may elect up to $2,499.84 for the plan year. 

Online Enrollment 
Online enrollment will again be done through a tab on your Employee Dashboard called Benefit Enrollment. While enrolling you’ll find a “Save and Finish Later” button at the bottom of the page that will allow you to leave and return to the program when you’re ready. You may change your benefit selections as many times as you’d like until the close of enrollment on April 30. 

If you have any questions, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, at jhouseman@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14315.

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

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. 

School Budget Cuts Show Stress of Low State Funding, REC Estimate and Impact of HF 2194 on ATB Cuts

Busteed’s “Economics of Human Development” Session Now Cancelled

Due to a scheduling conflict, the “Economics of Human Development” session with Gallup’s Brandon Busteed has now been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Reminder: Certified Staff Please Complete Teacher Quality Survey by April 2

This message was emailed to staff on March 27 and is being repeated here. 

The Professional Learning Committee is working on planning Teacher Quality courses for 2014-15. Please take 3-5 minutes to complete the appropriate survey listed below by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2. If you have any questions, contact Kevin Fangman, Executive Director of District Services, at kfangman@heartlandaea.org. 

Survey for staff who have participated in a TQ course during the 2013-14 school year. 
Survey for staff who have not participated in a TQ course during the 2013-14 school year.

Coppin to Speak About Serving Diverse Learners at June Keystone AEA Technology Conference

Nationally recognized speaker Mark Coppin, who is an expert on serving diverse learners in the classroom, will be doing multiple sessions at the Keystone AEA Technology in Classrooms (TIC) Conference June 17-18 in Dubuque.

Coppin is the Director of Assistive Technology at the Anne Carlsen Center in Jamestown, ND where he coordinates the provision of assistive technology services for the Center. Click here to view a video interview with Coppin, who comes highly recommended by Keystone AEA special education staff who have attended many of his sessions at the “Closing the Gap Conference” in Minneapolis. 

Sessions by Mark Coppin 

• Apps to Support Literacy for Struggling Readers 
• Adapting the Curriculum with iBooks Author 
• Creating Content for the Diverse Learner 
• Apps for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 

Along with Mark, there will be two other keynote speakers with lots of exciting ideas and over 70 diverse breakout sessions to choose from such as: interactive whiteboards, reading and writing accommodations, Google A-Z, digital citizenship, iPad apps for mathematics, early childhood tech in the classroom and collaboration for learning. 

This is a great opportunity for special educators right in our area with the price to attend a small fraction of other conferences. The reduced rate for the 2-day conference (includes 4 meals) is available during the month of April and for $99. Click here for more information and to register.