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
Click above for an e-card (with sound) from chief administrator Paula Vincent wishing you all a happy holiday season! (Click the full screen button in the right hand corner to expand.)
Warm wishes to you and your families and may you find much love, happiness and laughter throughout the holidays and in the coming year. Thank you for sharing your talents at Heartland AEA!
Due to the upcoming agency holiday schedule, staff members paid from a timesheet must have their Dec. 1-15 timesheets completed, approved by their supervisor and submitted to the Payroll Department by the end of the day on Dec. 19 in order to ensure they receive pay at the end of the month.
The December end of month payday will be Dec. 30. If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at sjordan@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14908.
The IRS has increased the 403(b) contribution limits for 2015. Regular elective deferrals are increased from $17,500 per calendar year to $18,000. The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over has increased from $5,500 per calendar year to $6,000.
And as an educational organization, if you have 15 or more years of service with Heartland AEA, you may be eligible for an additional catch-up contribution of up to $3,000 per calendar year. A calculation is required to determine the actual amount available under this special catch-up provision. If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at sjordan@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14908.
The Social Security Administration has announced that the 2015 FICA wage base will be $118,500, an increase of $1,500 from the 2014 wage base of $117,000. The tax rate of 6.2% remains unchanged. As in prior years, there is no limit to the wages subject to the Medicare tax. The tax rate of 1.45% also remains unchanged. If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at sjordan@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14908.
Did you know the Agency has an “Introduction to Heartland AEA” brochure that gives a general overview of the Agency, our services, goals, mission and fast facts? These brochures can be distributed to parents, educators and other community members to give them a brief overview of what the Agency is all about. Brochures can be requested by contacting the Communications Department. As with any other print job, please allow two weeks for completion.
The Teach Iowa Scholar Program provides qualified first-year Iowa teachers with awards of up to $4,000 a year, for a maximum of five years, for teaching in Iowa schools in designated shortage areas. This year, qualified teachers are those currently teaching in designated shortage areas under their first contracts in Iowa schools. The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) is seeking applications from teachers who graduated from teacher education programs during the 2013-14 academic year. For more information and to apply, please go to Iowa College Aid’s website.
Heartland AEA is taking part in a completely confidential survey, and we would greatly appreciate your participation. It is a wellness interest survey developed by a third party organization--the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. They are conducting a study on employee wellness programs, and we have agreed to partner with them. The study is designed to help organizations like ours better serve you (the employee) by designing wellness programs that you are interested in. Please complete the survey by Dec. 19.
