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

Important: Dixon Warehouse to be Downsized, Review of Items to be Done Immediately

Most of you are aware that the Agency maintains storage space at a warehouse building on Dixon Street in Des Moines. The Agency is in the process of reducing the size of the space that it rents at the warehouse. Since the space will be downsized, the number of boxes being stored there also needs to be downsized! 

An email was sent out a few months ago to those who have boxes stored at the warehouse. About a third of those who were sent the message responded. That means there are many more boxes that need to be gone through to see if there is a legitimate reason to keep them in storage. 

If you have boxes at the warehouse and didn’t reply to the previous communication, you will have ONE MONTH from today to go through your boxes to see if they still need to be stored. Operations staff can bring the boxes to you or send them on the vans so you can go through them to verify their contents. If you do not contact Dustin Gean or Jason Elliott about your boxes, they will assume that they can dispose of your items, although they will contact you before they are thrown out. 

If you have any questions, contact Dustin Gean, Operations Manager, at dgean@heartlandaea.org.

NAACP College Prep Day: Help Students Explore Educational Opportunities Beyond High School!

We are looking for volunteers to serve on our Heartland AEA panel at the 10th annual NAACP Youth Council College Prep Day hosted by our agency on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 at the Johnston Regional Education Center. The Career Panel Discussion will be from 2:00-3:00 p.m. and involve talking about and answering student questions about pursing, attaining and day-to-day routine about career in your discipline. 

We are looking for a school social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist, special education consultant, speech-language pathologist and school psychologist for the panel but welcome anyone who would be interested in participating! We are also looking for one volunteer to read student essays to judge them for scholarships. 

College Prep Day provides high school students and their parent/s or guardian/s with a step-by-step overview of the transition from high school into a well-planned postsecondary learning experience. College Prep Day is sponsored by the NAACP Youth Council, along with community partners. This event is free and open to all Des Moines-area high school students and their parents. The goal of the event is to inform and prepare the next generation of college students with sessions geared specifically for students and parents. 

In addition to extensive expert advice on the college search process, pre-registered participants will receive a free lunch and college giveaways. Activities throughout the day will include a college student panel, as well as interactive sessions on topics such as financial aid, college admissions, career exploration and financial literacy. In addition, three scholarships will be given away to eligible high school seniors attending the event. 

If you are interested in volunteering for the panel discussion, contact Samantha Perry, Human Resources Specialist, at sperry@heartlandaea.org or Annis Austin-Woods, Regional Administrative Assistant, at aaustin-woods@heartlandaea.org.

Reminder: Financial Wellness Workshop to be Held Oct. 22

Did you know that 80% of workers polled nationally indicate they want their employer to provide financial wellness education? Consider where we are as a society today: 
• 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck – Wall Street Journal 
• 30% of Americans have outstanding loans on their 401(k)s – Business Record 
• #1 cause of stress is money problems and money fights – multiple studies 

Because money can be such a stress factor in the lives of people, Heartland AEA Wellness is excited to announce that we again will be offering a Financial Wellness Lunch & Learn this fall called “Budgeting and Planning for Emergencies.” 

This session was previously offered last summer, and due to demand, will be back on Oct. 22 from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Johnston REC. 

If you are interested in attending, register before Oct. 17 using the link below. All are welcome, but registration is required because space is limited to the first 50 participants who sign up. If you’re unable to register, it is because the registration is full. http://heartlandaea2.eventzilla.net 

If you have any questions, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at tchiaramonte@heartalandaea.org or ext. 14534.

We Apologize for Intranet Slowness

If you have tried to access our agency Intranet in the past week, you may have noticed how slow it’s been to load. Our website provider, Global Reach, has informed us that all of its intranet sites are running slow due to changes the company is making to its servers. We apologize for this slowness but want you to know that the Intranet is still accessible—it just takes a little longer to get what you need. If you ever have any questions about the Intranet, contact the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org.

October 2014 School Leader Update Available

The October 2014 School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education. With fall comes deadlines, from certified enrollment to various grants. Read the whys and wherefores in your October School Leader Update.

October 2014 Each & Every Child Newsletter Available

The October 2014 issue of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education is available. In this issue, the Department examines the results from the 2014 Special Education beliefs survey that many of you took a couple months back.

Four Iowa Schools Named 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools

Four Iowa schools are among 337 schools nationwide named 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools for their overall academic excellence or for their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups: 

• Northeast Elementary School (Ankeny Community School District) 
• Gilbert High School (Gilbert Community School District) 
• South Central Calhoun Elementary School (South Central Calhoun Community School District) 
• West Cedar Elementary School (Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District) 

The U.S. Department of Education will honor 287 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 10-11 in Washington, D.C. 

“Iowa’s Blue Ribbon Schools exemplify our state’s hard work to improve and to make sure every door of opportunity is open to all students,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are made in students’ levels of achievement. Since 1982, nearly 7,900 schools in the U.S. have received the coveted award. Read more about the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.

Question & Answer Document Available About Chapter 62 Requirements

Below is a link to a frequently asked questions document regarding Chapter 62 requirements. Topics include: 

• Chapter 62 requirements and resources 
• Universal Screening 
• Progress Monitoring 
• Early Childhood and Transitional Kindergarten 
• Intensive Instruction 
• Parental Notification 

As additional questions arise, responses will be added to this resource. If you have further questions, contact your Regional Director.

Medicaid Form Update

As of Oct. 3, 2014, you will notice a minor change in language to the LEA/AEA Medicaid Parent Consent Forms. 

This change in wording clarifies for parents that Medicaid billing can occur up to 1 year prior to the date of the signature indicated on the parent form. Please see the guidance document for details regarding this change, including information on including dates needed to complete the form. 

If a current consent to bill Medicaid is already on file, there is no need to seek consent using the new form. The new form will be in use as of Oct. 3, 2014. As a reminder, Medicaid consent for part B services is still a one-time need, but that is one time per agency. Therefore, if a child moves in from a new AEA, a new consent is needed. 

If you have questions regarding this information, contact Sara Mercer, School Psychologist, at smercer@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14312.