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
You receive an e-mail with a link to The Connection every week, right? Did you know:
- The Connection is a primary source of key information for staff members?
- The Connection contains required reading for all staff?
- The Connection is updated each Monday afternoon?
- The Connection is in a blog format and can always be accessed at http://connection.heartlandaea.org? There’s a link to The Connection under the Communications link on the Intranet in case you forget the URL.
- The blog contains an archive of past articles going back to 2008 and allows for comments to be made about each article?
- To comment on an article, go into the blog, click on the title of the article you’d like to comment about, scroll to the bottom and click on the link that says “Post a Comment”?
- To submit content for The Connection, you should send it to the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org by each Thursday at 2:00 p.m.?
Remember that The Connection is an important communications piece that is intended to help you do your job. Thanks for making it a part of your work routine!
HeartBeat is the Agency’s “cultural” communications piece and is emailed as a pdf to staff members the first Friday afternoon of every month, Sept. to June. Did you know:
- HeartBeat contains “good news” stories, staff accomplishments, employee status changes (new hires, position changes, title changes), birthdays, thank you notes, etc.?
- HeartBeat submissions are due to the Communications Department by the last Monday of the month for the next month’s issue.
- An archive of past HeartBeat issues going back two years is available on the Communications link on the Intranet?
- Anyone can contribute to HeartBeat – especially ideas for good new stories?
- Which reminds us…You are doing great things every day to impact families, schools, students and educators, and we need to spread that good news! That goes for any fun things that are happening in the regional offices as well—help us showcase the whole agency! We have multiple avenues to get the word out—HeartBeat, Educator Connection, website, Facebook, Twitter, AEAs Impacting Lives and Pinterest—so please let us know about the great things that are going. Any piece of good news could be turned into a blurb, photos, video or a feature story. Help us spread the good news! You can always send an email to comms@heartlandaea.org with your information. Ok, ready, set, go!
Have you followed Heartland AEA and the AEA system on social media yet? If yes, great—now tell a friend! If not, what are you waiting for?
Heartland AEA
• Facebook
• Twitter
AEA System
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Blog
• Pinterest
Take a look at our Lands’ End e-store to see the great logo clothing and accessory options available to spruce up your wardrobe for spring! You can purchase any clothing item, case, bag or tote in any color with the Agency’s logo. Happy shopping!
Each morning, the Heartland AEA Communications Department provides links to local and national education news headlines to those who have signed up for our “News Clips” email list. If you would like to be added to the News Clips list, contact the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org.
Are you working toward earning your $50 gift card by participating in the Wellness Challenge? Go to the Healthy Express Wellness Site for more information on the Wellness Challenge. Right now not many of you are participating. Increased wellness and $50? It’s a win-win!
The deadline for completion of the Challenge has been changed to May 1, 2015, so that we can try to roll out a new program with the beginning of our annual benefit year on July 1, 2015. Staff can go back from July 1, 2014 through May 1, 2015 to enter any activities they have completed. Our hope is that on May 1 the gift card program will officially end, and we will have all cards distributed within a week. Although Wellmark’s site says that Sept. 30 is the ending date of the Challenge, we are working with them to get the date changed to May 1.
To participate in the Challenge, log on to wellmark.com and go to the ‘Wellness Center.’ Then go to the ‘Get Rewarded’ tab in the center of the page. After you click on the ‘Get Rewarded’ tab, then click on ‘Heartland AEA Wellness Challenge.’
If you have any questions, contact your Wellness leads, Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, or Katie Streff, Human Resources Assistant.
Kabel Business Services – Medical and dependent care flex plans and HRA
Kabel Business Services’ mobile app lets you submit claims through your mobile device.
Delta Dental – Dental insurance
Delta Dental’s mobile app gives you access to dentist search, claims and coverage and your ID card right on your mobile device. The app even has a toothbrush timer built in to make sure you keep up with your daily oral health routine!
The agenda for the March 10, 2015 meeting of the Heartland AEA Board of Directors is now available.
Each week during the Iowa legislative session, we will bring you an AEA Legislative Update from the AEA system’s lobbyists, Tom Lane, Matt Eide and John Pederson.
During the legislative session, the Joint Education Allowable Growth Group (IASB, UEN, AEAs, SAI, ISEA and RSAI) will once again be creating weekly factoids about the need for consistent growth in the state’s annual education spending rate. These “Facts 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 also be shared in The Connection.
Apples to Apples: Various Rankings and Comparisons
Iowa’s AEAs are seeking students who are interested in sharing their innovative projects and learning! Every year, about 80 AEA board members gather for a two-day conference, and those board members want to learn more about the unique and exciting learning that AEAs are supporting in Iowa’s schools! Please encourage the students in your life to consider this great opportunity!
Students would set up a booth/table from 6:15-7:45 p.m. on April 16 at the West Des Moines Marriott. Board members will have a 90-minute block of time to visit with students at their booths/tables. Each table will have room for a display board and physical artifacts (e.g., robots, items from a 3D printer, photos, whatever) and also will have electricity and Internet access. Some ideas include...
VREP
Robotics Lego League
Makerspace Drones Minecraft
Blogging
QR codes Virtual reality
Stop motion Social media Video projects
Digital animation
App creation
This would make addition to a college resume and is a great chance to enhance presentation skills. We will be capturing this event so it can be added to a student’s portfolio and shared across the state/nation.
If you know a student who would be interested in being a presenter, contact Dr. Scott McLeod, dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com.
