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 

Happy Holidays to You and Yours!

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!

It’s Almost W-2 Time! Is Your Address Current?

The Payroll Department will have your 2015 Form W-2 Wage and Tax State ready around mid-January.  Your W-2 will be available electronically through Employee Online and a paper copy will be mailed to your home address. Please help us ensure you receive your paper W-2 in a timely fashion by verifying we have your correct address on file in our Employee Online system. Please verify your information in the system by Jan. 9, 2016.

You can verify your address through Employee Online. Login to your Employee Dashboard. Employee Online is one of the navigation tabs at the top of the page, just like the Intranet and Leave Online tabs. Once you’re reached the Employee Online home page, click on “Home Address” in the left hand navigation section. If you need to update your address, click the “Edit” button in the lower right hand corner of the page. It’s that easy!

If you have questions about your personal information, contact Katie Streff, Human Resources Assistant, at ext. 14614. If you have any questions about your Form W-2, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.

Getting Ready for Tax Season: What is Form 1095-C?

As part of the Affordable Care Act, Heartland AEA will begin providing employees with Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. This form includes information about health insurance coverage and enrollment that is offered to you and your family, if applicable. Heartland AEA is required to provide both you and the IRS with this information.

If you were a full-time employee for at least one month during the 2015 calendar year or were covered under the Agency’s health plan, you will receive Form 1095-C via U.S. mail by Jan. 31, 2016. You will not receive Form 1095-C if you were a part-time employee throughout the 2015 calendar year and were not covered under Heartland AEA’s health plan. You should wait to complete your 2015 federal income tax return until you receive Form 1095-C. 

If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.

Out-of-Office Protocols For Quality Customer Service

With winter break right on our heels, now is a good time to review the steps we should all take prior to being out of the office.

Change Gmail Vacation Responder (Out-of-Office message) (sample below)
Thank you for contacting Heartland AEA. I will be out of the office until Jan. 4, 2016, as our Heartland AEA offices are closed for Winter Break. I will return your message as soon as I can. Thank you.

Tip: If you use your out-of-office email reply for every little thing, people might just stop reading it. Use your out-of-office email response only in the instances you’ll truly be unresponsive for an extended period of time—like vacation. The customer will actually read it because they haven’t gotten multiple iterations of your bounce-back email on a continuous basis. Be clear and concise about when you’ll be responding, and leave out the personal information about where you are going and why.

Change Voicemail Greeting to Unavailable (sample below)
Thank you for calling Heartland AEA. You have reached Sally Smith. I am currently out of the office until Jan. 4, 2016, as Heartland AEA offices are closed for Winter Break. Please leave a message, and I will return your call when I am back in the office. Thank you.

Tip: If you want to change your voicemail greeting from your home phone or cell phone, you may do so by calling either (515) 270-0405 or (515) 473-7450 and pressing # when you begin to hear the greeting. This gets you into your voicemail, and you can then follow the prompts to access your messages, change your voicemail greeting or set it to out of office if you are ill and want callers to get immediate help. Please be mindful not to refer a customer to another staff member who is also scheduled to be out of the office. Check with that person to make sure he or she will be available and aware that you are forwarding customers and/or staff members to them during your absence.

New Iowa School Report Card Measures Public School Performance

Last week the Iowa Department of Education released the Iowa School Report Card, a new web-based system to evaluate and rate each public school based on performance on a required set of measures, such as student attendance and graduation rates. The system meets a legislative requirement and aligns with Department efforts to provide Iowans easier access to meaningful education statistics, to hold schools accountable for student progress and to support local efforts to improve schools.
 
The Iowa School Report Card assigns schools one of six ratings: Exceptional, High-Performing, Commendable, Acceptable, Needs Improvement and Priority. Schools are grouped by comparable grade configurations (elementary, middle and high schools).

The ratings are based on each school’s performance over a two-year span on the following educational measures:

• Proficiency: The percentage of students scoring proficient or better on state reading and mathematics assessments.
• College and Career-Ready Growth: The percentage of students who are making the year-to-year growth necessary to be ready for college and career training by the end of high school.
• Annual Expected Growth: The percentage of students making a year of academic growth in a year’s time on state reading and mathematics assessments.
• Closing Achievement Gap: A measure that reflects a statewide goal of narrowing the gap in achievement for students with disabilities, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and English Language Learners.
• College and Career Readiness: The percentage of students who score at or above a level of performance on reading and mathematics assessments that predicts a higher probability of postsecondary success. (Middle/high schools only.)
• Graduation Rate: The percentage of ninth-grade students who finished high school within five years. (High schools only.)
• Attendance: The average daily attendance of students, which is the total number of days students were enrolled and present divided by the total number of possible attendance days.
• Staff Retention: The percentage of teachers, school administrators and other licensed staff members who remained employed in a school over consecutive school years.

Iowa School Report Card scores and ratings are based on data reported by school districts for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. The scores and ratings, which will be updated annually, apply only to public schools – districts do not receive ratings. No consequences or rewards are tied to the school ratings.

The Iowa School Report Card delivers on a component of the comprehensive education reform legislation adopted by Iowa lawmakers in 2013. The legislation, House File 215, directed the Department to develop a process to evaluate the performance of each school on certain measures and to “arrive at an overall school performance grade and report card” that is posted to the Department’s website. In its development phase, the Iowa School Report Card was known as the “Attendance Center Rankings” system.

Wise said the Iowa School Report Card also fits with the new Every Student Succeeds Act – the successor to No Child Left Behind – which restores the balance between the role of states and the federal government in education accountability.

The Department sought extensive input from education stakeholders representing teachers, school administrators and others throughout the development of the Iowa School Report Card. Improvements to the site’s methodology and functionality will continue over time.

Professional Development Around New Iowa Science Standards Begins Jan. 12

FYI: In order to support the implementation of the new Iowa Science Standards, the science learning community of Iowa is partnering to offer the first professional development opportunity, beginning Jan. 12, 2016.

Iowa Science Standards Professional Development Module 1 will introduce participants to the new Iowa Science Standards, their conceptual shifts and three-dimensional nature, as well as provide participants and districts an opportunity to have conversations as we move toward implementation. Find registration, locations and dates at this link.

If you have any questions, contact Rob Kleinow, Science Curriculum Consultant, at ext. 14376.

Heartland AEA Night @ the Iowa Wild

Since HeartBeat will not be published until Jan.7, we are including this information in The Connection.

Change to Web IEP Program Coming on Jan. 4, 2016

The Web IEP has a feature for a primary contact or support service provider to add a student to a teacher’s or support service provider’s My List and building Student List without transferring the student and assigning them as a provider. This allows a teacher or support service provider to see the student’s record before the student can be transferred to their roster as a provider. This action is accomplished by choosing the Potential Service Provider (PTSP) option under the “Add/Transfer” utility. It does NOT remove the student from the assigned provider’s list.

 Currently when a student is added to a teacher’s or support service provider’s My List and Student List via the Potential Service Provider (PTSP) option, the student record remains available until the teacher or service provider removes it by clicking on the red X next to the student’s name.

Beginning Jan. 4, 2016, that student record will fall off automatically from the teacher or support service provider’s My List and Student List after the 14th day of being added. The record can still be removed manually prior to the 14 days by clicking on the red X.

This will impact all student records that have previously been added to a teacher or service provider’s My List via the Potential Service Provider option. They will be automatically removed at the time of this rollover if they were added more than 14 days prior to that date. It will not remove a record from a teacher or service provider’s My List if they are assigned as a provider for that student.

The following message will display on the “add to roster” screen when choosing the PTSP option:

If you have any questions, contact Misty Christensen, Regional Director/Assistant Director of Special Education, at ext. 11203, Sue Dunsmoor, Special Education Data Specialist, at ext. 11202 or Mary Keul, Special Education Data Specialist, at ext. 14326.

Digital Citizenship Training Modules Ready to be Taken!

The new Digital Citizenship training modules for staff are now ready! Note that there is no pre-assessment for these modules. If you can’t remember where to go to access the trainings, please read below!

 
Q: How do I log in to the AEA PD Online Learning System?
A: First, you will need to have an AEA PD Online account. (If you have an account, but don’t remember your login information, contact Shelley Christensen for assistance. This is the same system that you’ve used to take Bloodborne Pathogens, Mandatory Reporter, etc.)

If you haven’t created an account, follow the steps below:
1.    Begin on the AEA PD Online Learning System.
2.    First time user??? Click on Register here.
3.    Enter your first and last name.
4.    Enter your email address.
5.    Enter your BoEE folder number
If you don't know this number, you can look it up at the BoEE Website. 
If you don't have one, indicate N/A.
6.    Click Yes to indicate that you are an AEA or District Employee.
7.    Locate Heartland AEA from the district list.
8.    Enter the District Password - aea11
9.    You may complete the other fields, but they are not required.
10.  Click on Submit Registration Info.
11.  The screen will not appear to change, but you will see a Continue button under the Submit button.
12.  Click on Continue.

Q: Once I login, how will I know where to start?
A: Once logged in to the AEA PD Online Learning System, you will choose the catalog link in the upper left hand sidebar. Then, click on district modules, and all of Heartland AEA’s content for our capacity building training will be listed. Begin by clicking on the course you want to take. You will need to take the Heartland AEA Digital Literacy, Heartland AEA Digital Security, and Heartland AEA Digital Netiquette and Digital Footprint modules. When you have completed each module, please print out your certificate of completion.

Q: What supports are in place for me while I’m accessing these training modules?
A: We have a number of supports to offer.
•    Some of your professional learning time this year will be about expanding your technology skills through an online learning experience. Work with your supervisor if you have questions about when you should be accessing the technology training during your work schedule.
•    You can participate in face-to-face regional seminars to work on the online content in a setting where you can learn with others and be supported by a coach who knows that particular area of content.

•    You can collaborate with others who are working on the same content.
•    Significant resources are included within every learning module that you can access.
•    Tech Support Leads and agency Internal Technology staff continue in their roles to provide technical support for routine questions and issues.

Q: Whom do I contact if I have questions about the learning system?
A: You can contact Lynn McCartney, Instructional Technology Consultant, or Mande Gamble, Technology Training Specialist, for help with Heartland AEA-specific technology trainings. Continue to contact Shelley Christensen for help with the Bloodborne Pathogens, Mandatory Reporting and other statewide trainings.

To print a certificate of completion:

1. Go to the training system homepage.

Log in using your email and password.

To print a certificate:
1. Locate the training on the right side of the screen, click on Certificate.

Interruptions in Network Services Coming Over Winter Break

During winter break, the Internal Technology Department will be moving the Agency’s Internet connection and key servers to LightEdge, a state-of-the-art data center in Altoona. We hope to minimize down time, but there will be some outages on Dec. 29, 2015 as our Internet connection and services are moved.

Assuming the weather cooperates, and the move goes as planned, the interruptions to systems such as the Employee Dashboard, Universal Registration, Moodle and agency phones/voicemail will be limited to Dec. 29th. Access to Google and the agency website will be unaffected by this transition. If there are changes in this timeline, we will provide further updates via email and the website.

If you have any questions, contact Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology, at ext. 14324. Thanks for your understanding and patience as we complete this major relocation of services.

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 

Happy Holidays to You and Yours!

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!

Payroll Dates for 2016

Staff members frequently inquire when timesheets, addendum pay, direct deposit forms and other changes need to be submitted to the Payroll Department in order to be processed for a particular pay date. To assist you in your planning, see the 2016 Payroll Dates document, which is archived on the Intranet > Business Office > Payroll Forms & Information > 2016 Payroll Dates, for a list of 2016 pay dates and corresponding due dates. The Payroll Department needs to receive all information by the end of the day on the due date to ensure payments and/or changes are made on the corresponding pay date. Any information received in Payroll after the due date may be processed during the next payroll cycle.

For those staff members being paid from a timesheet or receiving addendum pay, please keep in mind these items are to be completed, approved/signed by a supervisor and submitted to Payroll within four working days after the end of the pay period. Any items received after the due date may be processed on the next payroll.

If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.

Reminder: Upcoming December Payroll Timelines

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 Friday, Dec. 18 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 ext. 14908.

97 School Districts Added to Iowa’s Teacher Leadership System

Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced last week the next group of school districts chosen to launch local teacher leadership plans through Iowa’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System. Ninety-seven school districts have been added to the state system, bringing the total number of districts in the teacher leadership system to 295 (88 percent of Iowa districts).
 
Iowa’s teacher leadership system, which taps into the expertise of top teachers to improve classroom instruction and raise student achievement, is the centerpiece of the state’s landmark education reform package passed by the Legislature in 2013. It is the nation’s most comprehensive teacher leadership system. About 25 percent of Iowa teachers will be in leadership roles when the system is fully phased in.
 
As of this fall, all 336 Iowa school districts had applied to join the teacher leadership system. The 97 newly accepted districts will implement their teacher leadership plans in the 2016-17 school year. The remaining 40 school districts will have an opportunity to refine and re-submit their plans for approval in the next two months. Wise said he is hopeful that all of Iowa’s school districts will join the teacher leadership system by the 2016-17 school year.
 
“I have had the opportunity to visit many school districts with teacher leadership plans, and the feedback has been very positive,” Wise said. “What I’m hearing is that the system empowers teachers and principals to work together in new ways and that teachers have found greater support, opportunities for collaboration, and ownership over decision-making, particularly as it relates to professional development for their colleagues.”
 
A recent report on the first year of Iowa’s teacher leadership system found progress has been made toward each of the system’s five goals, including attracting new teachers, retaining effective teachers, promoting collaboration, rewarding professional growth and effective teaching, and improving student achievement. In addition, students in the first 39 participating school districts saw a jump in proficiency rates on state math and reading tests.
 
School districts are chosen for the system based on recommendations of the Commission on Educator Leadership and Compensation, which evaluates applications.
 
Of the 97 newly accepted districts, the following are in the Heartland AEA service area: Ballard, Colfax-Mingo, Coon Rapids-Bayard, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton, Glidden-Ralston, Interstate 35, Lynnville-Sully, Madrid, Martensdale-St Marys, Newton, PCM, Perry, Twin Cedars and Woodward-Granger.

What’s That You Say? Hearing Aid Discounts Found on Blue 365

If you’re in the market for a hearing aid, make sure to check out the discounts offered via Wellmark’s Blue 365 Member Discounts and Services. Go to the Healthy Express Wellness site, click on the “Wellness Discounts” tab and then click on Blue 365. If you have any questions, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, at ext. 14315.

How to Find Your Biometic Numbers to Enroll in the Naturally Slim Program

Some of you have had questions about where to find your biometic numbers in order to enroll in the Naturally Slim program. (Reminder in the article below about what the program is.) This document contains instructions for how to find your biometic numbers on the Wellmark website. The instructions are also archived on the Healthy Express Wellness site under the Naturally Slim tab.

Reminder: Wellness Update: Agency Offering Free 10-Week Online Weight Loss Opportunity

Heartland AEA is offering you an opportunity to lose weight with a program called Naturally Slim®.

Naturally Slim is a 10-week online program that helps you lose weight plus improve your overall health – all while eating the foods you love! With Naturally Slim, you will learn that you don’t have to starve yourself or count calories to lose weight and keep it off forever.

How does the Naturally Slim program work?
Naturally Slim is a mindful-eating program that helps you change how you eat instead of what you eat.  It is not a diet. And, as you lose weight, you also improve your health by improving the risk factors that can lead to serious, chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and more.

Why not give it a try? 
You can still eat the foods you love and this could be the solution that you’ve been looking for. Thousands of people have used the Naturally Slim program to successfully lose weight.  
The average weight loss in just ten weeks is 10.1 pounds. In fact, 15% of participants lose more than 20 pounds in that time.

How do I apply?
The program begins on Jan. 18, 2016 but participation is limited so you must complete the online application. Enrollment begins Dec. 7, 2015 and closes on Dec. 23, 2015. Please note: By submitting the online application, you are committing to participate in the program, if accepted.

How will participants be selected?
Program professionals select participants based on pre-determined criteria and a willingness to meet all program completion requirements as outlined below. You will be notified of your application status via e-mail by Jan. 8, 2016.

What are the program completion requirements?
In order to successfully complete the program, you must:

• Submit the online application and sign all appropriate releases by their associated deadlines.
• Complete at least 8 of the 10 online video courses for Naturally Slim Foundations within their set weekly time frames. It will be your responsibility to ensure your participation is accurately recorded each week.
• Complete a pre- and post-program biometric screening.

• Pre-biometric screening must be obtained and submitted to the Wellmark portal by Dec. 23.
• Post-biometric screening must be obtained at a local Hy-Vee by April 13 (2 weeks after Foundations class concludes).

What is the cost for the program?
There is no cost to you for the Naturally Slim Program. Your participation will help Heartland AEA achieve our goal of becoming a more health-conscious agency!

However, if you do not meet the program completion requirements as defined above, you will be responsible for reimbursing Heartland AEA $75, which is a portion of the program fee originally paid on your behalf.

A Note about Confidentiality…
The information that you provide to Naturally Slim will be considered confidential and will be available only to you and the program professionals. Heartland AEA will receive participation reports for administration of payroll and billing processes. Otherwise, the information you provide to Naturally Slim is confidential and available only to you and Naturally Slim and its affiliates involved in conducting or evaluating the program. Naturally Slim cannot sell or otherwise divulge any participant information to any unauthorized party.

If you have any questions, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at ext. 14534.

Revised Van Route Schedule Available

A revised van route schedule is now available. It is archived on the Intranet > Communications > Annual Publications, Presentations and Resources.

Tech Tip of the Week

How Much Space Do I Have on My Computer?
Have you ever wondered how much space you have on your computer or how much space you have left? This week’s Tech Tip will show you how to identify how much space is really being used on your computer.

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 

Winter Break is On Its Way!


Reminder: APC has decided to continue the extended winter break schedule for the 2015-16 calendar year. This continues to be a change from our traditional “floating holiday” schedule for staff who have 262-day work schedules. APC will review winter break annually as part of the calendar-building process. Enjoy your time!


Dec. 24 

Staff work day 

Offices closed to the public 



Dec. 25 

Official agency holiday 

Offices closed to staff and public 



Dec. 28 

Official floating holiday 

Offices closed to staff and public 



Dec. 29 & Dec. 30 

Additional floating holidays for employees with 262-day work schedules 

Offices closed to staff and public



Dec. 31
Official floating holiday 

Offices closed to staff and public 



Jan. 1 

Official agency holiday 

Offices closed to staff and public 

Regular Van Delivery: Dec. 21-23

No Van Delivery: Dec. 24-Jan. 1

Regular Van Delivery Resumes: Jan. 4

Upcoming December Payroll Timelines

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 Friday, Dec. 18 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 ext. 14908.

Retirement Contribution Limits Announced

The IRS has announced that the 403(b) contribution limits for 2016 will be the same as 2015:
•    The regular elective deferral limit is $18,000 per calendar year.
•    The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over is $6,000 per calendar year.

Since Heartland AEA is an education organization, if you have 15 or more years of service with the Agency, 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 ext. 14908.

2016 Social Security Wage Base Announced

The Social Security Administration has announced the 2016 social security wage base will be $118,500, unchanged from 2015. The tax rate remains the same at 6.2%. 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 ext. 14908.

For Federally-Funded Staff: First Semester A-87 Certification


Semi-annually, Heartland AEA must comply with the Federal Grant rules identified in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-87, pertaining to documentation needed for federal expenditures. For employees who are funded 100% with federal funding, there are Circular A-87 audit requirements we need to meet in order to document appropriate expenditures. If you are in the fully funded group, you will receive an email on Dec. 9 from “heartlandworkflow” with the subject “A87 Certification Notice - Action Required” with a link to the certification page. The process is very simple and the same as previous years.  



If you are new to this process or need a refresher, below is a link to a presentation which explains the background for Circular A-87 and the steps Heartland AEA is taking to meet the A-87 requirements. Please watch the 5-minute video using the password a87aea. Keep in mind that the video was created in March 2011. Although, some of the dates and timelines in the video are old, the process and the purpose of the A-87 certification are still the same. 



You will need to click on the play button in order to start the video.  As the video will explain, employees who are fully funded from one grant will need to certify every six months that they are preforming duties allowed under the federal grant. 



If you have any questions, contact Brian Whalen, Business Manager, at ext. 14005.  The Business Office appreciates your prompt completion of the certifications and your assistance in helping us comply with this reporting requirement.

December 2015 School Leader Update From Iowa Dept. of Education

Inside, this month’s School Leader Update, Director Wise talks about two big pushes in the state – the Iowa School Report Card and Differentiated Accountability, Attorney Nicole Proesch reminds you to keep the holiday in (legal) perspective and read about the 2016 Teacher of the Year.

December 2015 Each and Every Child Newsletter From Iowa Dept. of Education

In this month’s Each and Every Child newsletter, drop in on the team at Pocahontas Elementary School in Pocahontas where you’ll find educators embracing Universal Design for Learning, or UDL; something they find helps individualize classroom work for each and every child – and enables a deeper understanding of content.

Wellness Update: Agency Offering Free 10-Week Online Weight Loss Opportunity

Heartland AEA is offering you an opportunity to lose weight with a program called Naturally Slim®.

Naturally Slim is a 10-week online program that helps you lose weight plus improve your overall health – all while eating the foods you love! With Naturally Slim, you will learn that you don’t have to starve yourself or count calories to lose weight and keep it off forever.

How does the Naturally Slim program work?
Naturally Slim is a mindful-eating program that helps you change how you eat instead of what you eat.  It is not a diet. And, as you lose weight, you also improve your health by improving the risk factors that can lead to serious, chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and more.

Why not give it a try? 
You can still eat the foods you love and this could be the solution that you’ve been looking for. Thousands of people have used the Naturally Slim program to successfully lose weight.  
The average weight loss in just ten weeks is 10.1 pounds. In fact, 15% of participants lose more than 20 pounds in that time.

How do I apply?
The program begins on Jan. 18, 2016 but participation is limited so you must complete the online application. Enrollment begins Dec. 7, 2015 and closes on Dec. 23, 2015. Please note: By submitting the online application, you are committing to participate in the program, if accepted.

How will participants be selected?
Program professionals select participants based on pre-determined criteria and a willingness to meet all program completion requirements as outlined below. You will be notified of your application status via e-mail by Jan. 8, 2016.

What are the program completion requirements?
In order to successfully complete the program, you must:

• Submit the online application and sign all appropriate releases by their associated deadlines.
• Complete at least 8 of the 10 online video courses for Naturally Slim Foundations within their set weekly time frames. It will be your responsibility to ensure your participation is accurately recorded each week.
• Complete a pre- and post-program biometric screening.

• Pre-biometric screening must be obtained and submitted to the Wellmark portal by Dec. 23.
• Post-biometric screening must be obtained at a local Hy-Vee by April 13 (2 weeks after Foundations class concludes).

What is the cost for the program?
There is no cost to you for the Naturally Slim Program. Your participation will help Heartland AEA achieve our goal of becoming a more health-conscious agency!

However, if you do not meet the program completion requirements as defined above, you will be responsible for reimbursing Heartland AEA $75, which is a portion of the program fee originally paid on your behalf.

A Note about Confidentiality…
The information that you provide to Naturally Slim will be considered confidential and will be available only to you and the program professionals. Heartland AEA will receive participation reports for administration of payroll and billing processes. Otherwise, the information you provide to Naturally Slim is confidential and available only to you and Naturally Slim and its affiliates involved in conducting or evaluating the program. Naturally Slim cannot sell or otherwise divulge any participant information to any unauthorized party.

If you have any questions, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at ext. 14534.

December 2015 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda Available

The agenda for the December 8, 2015 Board of Directors meeting is now available.

Google Hangouts to be Agency’s Chatting App of Choice

Note: If your Hangout chat boxes do not look similar to the images below, read these instructions to update from gChat to Hangouts. 



In early August, the Heartland AEA Internal Technology Department shared the news that iChat will be phased out of support as of Dec. 31, 2015. We are encouraging agency employees to transition to using Google Hangouts instead of iChat. Think of Hangouts as Google’s one-stop messaging app for both mobile and desktop devices. One does not need to download or sign-in to anything additional, as Hangouts is automatically turned on in Gmail. You might’ve noticed something similar to this on the left side of your email:



To use Hangouts to chat with others, here are the steps to get the conversation started: 

1.    Click the finder icon next to your name. A sidebar should appear with a search box at the top. In that box, type in the name of the person you want to chat with. Their information should appear underneath.

2.    Click on the appropriate person you want to chat with and a chat box should pop-up in the lower right side of the Gmail window:

Note: If it is the first time you are chatting with a person in Hangout, the message will be sent as an invitation to the recipient.




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 

Reminder: Process for Communicating Inclement Weather Office Closings & Class Cancellations

Winter weather is here, so we are quickly reminded of inclement weather conditions that can cause closures and cancellations. Our agency offices will typically remain open unless all schools in a region are closed and travel is not recommended. In case of inclement weather office closings and professional development class cancellations, read below for the process the Agency uses to communicate about closings, cancellations and delays.

First, go to section 11:14 of the Staff Handbook to read the Agency’s Inclement Weather policy.

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 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. To access Employee Online, sign in to Employee Dashboard and navigate to the Employee Online tab at the top of the page. 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.

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 and Twitter accounts.

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, contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, at ext. 14474.

Deadline Extended: Certified Staff Encouraged to Take Educator Development Survey

Iowans who make up the Council on Educator Development have spent the past two years studying teacher and administrator evaluation practices and professional development. This document represents their preliminary recommendations. The council now needs feedback via an online survey on these recommendations from Iowa’s education community. They’ve extended the survey deadline to Dec. 18, 2015. All survey feedback will remain anonymous. The term “teacher” in the bill refers to certified staff and includes AEA staff. AEA administrative staff is also welcome to give feedback. 



Gathering input is critical not only to this process, it is required by law. The council was formed in the fall of 2013 in response to an education reform package adopted by Iowa lawmakers that year. The legislation, House File 215, calls for a period of feedback beginning Oct. 1, 2015. Once the feedback is collected and analyzed, the council will use it to develop a final report in November 2016.

Tips for Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

As winter approaches, so does cold and flu season. Here are some tips you can use to protect yourself and help limit the spread of illness:

Here are some other tips from the CDC to stay healthy and well this winter.

• Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. If you have an important meeting you feel you can’t miss, consider using Zoom from the comfort of your home rather than coming in to the office. 
• Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

Updated Early Literacy Implementation (ELI/Chapter 62) Guidance

The Iowa Department of Education released updated Early Literacy Implementation (ELI/Chapter 62) Guidance in November. The release includes an extended Guidance Document as well as Technical Assistance Appendices. Additionally, the DE is hosting a series of webinars regarding the updates. For the most up-to-date information, as well as information pertaining to the webinars, visit the DE’s ELI webpage.


Heartland AEA will be facilitating sessions in January to support district leadership teams as they implement ELI and plan for the future. Details will be shared as soon as they become available. If you have any questions, contact your regional director. 

Employee Dashboard Down for Maintenance Dec. 4 to Dec. 8

The Employee Dashboard will be unavailable because of a system upgrade beginning Friday, Dec. 4, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. until the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 8. Remember that the Employee Dashboard includes Leave Online, Calendar Online, the Travel Request System, Employee Online, Addendum Online, Purchasing, Receiving, etc. If you have any questions, contact Rod Howell, Information Systems Manager, at ext. 14599. Thank you for your patience during the important software upgrade.