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 

From the Chief Administrator

I hope you have been able to spend extra time this summer with family and friends, enjoying travel or your favorite hobbies and engaging in new learning. Whatever your summer routines have been, I also hope you are feeling refreshed and excited about the school year ahead. 

The Agency’s leadership team has taken advantage of the time between school years to review data regarding our current results (everything from student outcomes, to technology to culture and leadership) and to learn together. An area of emphasis in our learning has come from the study of Patrick Lencioni’s book The Advantage. Lencioni’s premise is that organizational health is critical to improvement. 

Our data review and book study resulted in us rethinking a particular element of organizational health -- core values. Core values are defined as those behavioral traits or attributes that are at the heart of our identity and explain the way we go about doing our work. 

During the past several years, we have expressed our core values at Heartland AEA through three key words: Caring, Proactive and Collaborative. While working with talented and caring colleagues is frequently cited as one of the best things about working here, we also receive feedback that suggests we can get even better in using our core values to guide our actions. 

To help us bring these words to life, we gleaned themes from the staff focus group feedback and added ideas from our book study as well as personal reflections to develop the following descriptors: 

Caring: We show empathy for others in our personal interactions and daily work. 
We demonstrate caring by listening, engaging others, developing strong relationships and addressing challenges with respect. 

Proactive: We anticipate barriers, problem-solve solutions and identify opportunities. 
We strive to be proactive by innovating, learning from our failures and leveraging our successes. 

Collaborative: We build partnerships to achieve desired outcomes. 
We work collaboratively by sharing responsibility and accountability and by respecting diverse perspectives. 

We are striving as leaders to use our core values as anchors to guide our actions on a daily basis and invite you to do the same. Let’s support each other in demonstrating caring, being proactive and working collaboratively in service of the children, their families and school staffs we serve. Thank you for the work you do on behalf of Heartland AEA and best wishes as you begin another school year. 

Take care, 
Paula

Reminder: Sept. 11 All-Staff Meeting Details

Less than a month until the All-Staff Meeting! Below are some details to keep in mind. 

Location 
Palace Theater @ Adventureland 

Schedule 
Benefits/Wellness Fair and breakfast – 7:30-8:45 a.m. (Flyer with vendors/topics to come next week) 
Main meeting – 9:00 a.m. to noon 

Theme 
Enriching Lives Since ’75! - Celebrating 40 Years! 

Details 
• The Benefits/Wellness Fair will be held from 7:30-9:00 a.m. before the start of the meeting. Keep your fingers crossed for no rain this year, so we can have this portion of our event outdoors! 
• We will again be doing a photo slideshow to showcase the people and places that are important to you outside of work. We want to see photos of babies, pets, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, winning teams and over achievers! Send your photos with a short caption to comms@heartlandaea.org by Aug. 28. No more than three photos per person…thanks! 
• Wear your agency colors – purple or green – for our group photo at the end of the meeting outside near the Adventureland train station! (Again, fingers crossed for a nice day!)

Just So You Don’t Forget: Here’s Another Reminder About Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement Rates

Mileage Rate 
Effective July 1, 2015 the mileage reimbursement rate increased to $0.41 per mile. Miles driven through June 30, 2015 will be reimbursed at $0.39 per mile. Do not submit expense claims with dates crossing the new fiscal year. Use a separate expense claim if you still have reimbursable expenses, which occurred prior to July 1. Aug. 31 is the last date the Business Office will accept and process any claims for expenses occurring on or before June 30, 2015. 

Cell Phone Rate 
Although agency business-related cell phone minutes will continue to be reimbursed at $0.10 per minute, the Agency implemented a monthly cap on the number of minutes we will reimburse. As of July 1, 2015 the Agency will reimburse up to 500 minutes ($50) per month. Please submit your cell phone minutes monthly with the month identified in the description, for example, ‘Cell Phone Minutes – July’. Employees are still required to retain their cell phone bills along with other receipts in accordance with the Staff Handbook. 

If you have any questions about either of these reimbursements, contact Mary Heaberlin, Accounting Technician, at mheaberlin@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14818 or Brian Whalen, Business Manager, at bwhalen@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14005.

Administrator Connection Back Online Beginning Aug. 21

The Agency’s Administrator Connection will begin publishing for the 2015-16 school year on Aug. 21. The Administrator Connection newsletter is in a blog format just like the staff Connection and is published every Friday from mid-August to mid-June. It informs our school administrators (superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, etc.) of news and information important to them and is the primary communications tool the Agency uses to communicate directly with school administrators. Send any information you’d like to communicate to school administrators to the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org.

Iowa Assoc. for Education of Young Children to Present Early Care & Education Institute in September

This year Iowa AEYC is joined by nine cosponsors to help present their Early Care and Education Institute, including Iowa Head Start Association, Iowa Subdivision of the Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, Early Childhood Iowa, Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral, ISU Human Services Extension and Outreach, Iowa Department of Education, First Children’s Finance, Iowa Community College Early Childhood Education Alliance and Iowa Family Child Care Association. This collaboration between early childhood organizations and their staff truly makes this Iowa’s premiere early childhood annual event. 

Not sure yet if the Institute has sessions that are right for you? They have a variety of sessions across all topic areas that are targeted at various skill levels. Check out their website designed to tell you about specific offerings for you and others in similar roles. 

The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.

Wellness Updates: Form a Team and Get Steppin’ With the Next Step Challenge!

For the fourth year, Heartland AEA is encouraging staff members to strap on their pedometers and get steppin’ with the Next Step Challenge through Live Healthy Iowa! Heartland AEA will cover the cost of participation, which is $10 per person, and agency teams of 2-10 people can compete. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Get your 2-10 person team together and nominate a team captain. 
2. The team captain will then go to www.livehealthyiowa.org, click on the area that says “Join Today” on the right side of the page and enter LHIHAEA11 as the Group ID to register his/her team. 
3. The team captain will register all of his/her team members, selecting ‘LHI Pedometer’ from the promotional item drop down box for each team member who needs a pedometer. 
4. Team members will then log their steps through the Live Healthy Iowa website. The contest will being Sept. 14 and run through Oct. 23, so get a team together and sign up before Aug. 30! 

Important Challenge Dates 
Aug, 17 – registration opens 
Aug. 30 – last day for roster additions without shipping fees Aug 31 – team packets begin shipping 
Sept. 14 – challenge begins 
Oct. 23 – challenge ends 
Oct. 27 – last day to report 

If you have any questions about the program or about registering, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at tchiaramonte@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14534 or Katie Streff, Human Resources Assistant, at kstreff@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14614.

Registration for Teacher Quality Courses & Study Groups Opens on Aug. 24

Registration for Teacher Quality courses and study groups begins Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 14. TQ courses and study groups meet for 15 hours off contract time and participants are eligible for a stipend upon completion. The amount of the stipend is established after registration closes. Last year eligible staff members were paid $600 to participate in a course or study group and $500 in 2013-14. The amount for 2015-16 will be determined when registration closes on Sept. 14. Classes and study groups will be offered from October 2015 through June 2016.

Reminder: Online Course Instructors: Heartland AEA Moodle Content Has Been Moved to AEA PD Online

The Agency moved all of the content in the Heartland AEA Moodle Server over to the AEA PD Online Server in July. 

You can login to your class by following these steps: 

• Go to http://moodlesw.aeapdonline.org/ 
• Log in (If you do not remember your log in information, contact Lynn McCartney for assistance. If you haven’t created an account, click on Log In in the upper right, click Login With Your Google Account and activate by following the instructions.) 
• Scroll to Individual AEAs and Partners 
• Click on Heartland AEA 
• Find the category for your course 
• Find your course and double click on it 

Short classes can be set up to provide an overview of AEA PD Online’s new Moodle server for anyone who is interested in learning more. Contact Lynn McCartney, Instructional Technology Consultant, at lmccartney@heartlandaea.org to arrange for a date, time and location that works best for your group.

PEC Sponsoring Parent Book Club to Begin This Fall

Do you know a child who has trouble switching gears? Are her reactions bigger than the situation calls for? What about losing track of information and details? 

If this sounds familiar, the child may struggle with executive functioning. Executive functioning issues aren’t a disability on their own--they’re weaknesses in a key set of mental skills that help the brain organize and act on information. Learn more about executive functioning by viewing this infographic. 

“Difficulties with executive function are typical in childhood and adolescence, but they are especially pronounced in children who are diagnosed with disorders such as autism, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder and phenylketonuria (PKU),” Philip David Zelazo, Ph.D., professor at the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development, says. Executive functioning can be improved through tools and strategies that help kids move toward independence. 

Is this something you think a parent you know would want to learn more about? Then encourage him or her to join a new virtual book club, hosted by Kate Boonstra, parent coordinator for the Agency’s Parent & Educator Connection (PEC). 

Parents will read The Impulsive, Disorganized Child: Solutions for Parenting Kids with Executive Functioning Difficulties and meet periodically via videoconferencing for discussion and support. Parents can sign up using this form. The first 20 to sign up will be able to participate. 

If you need more information or have questions, contact Kate Boonstra at kboonstra@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14625.

Reminder: Important: Read Special Education Manual Release Notes and Watch Video

The Special Education Statewide Procedures Manual (July 23, 2015 version), Release Notes (July 1, 2015 version), Parental Rights Summary (July 2015 version), Procedural Safeguards Manuals for Parents (Translations), Educational Evaluation Reports (Translations) and IEP Forms (Translations) are now posted on the Iowa IDEA website. These documents are currently posted on the front page of the IDEA website in addition to their permanent location under the IEP drop down menu > Statewide Special Education Procedures > Manual. 

By Aug. 31, read the Release Notes, watch this video and complete the task shared at the end of the video. 

If you have any questions regarding the content, contact your regional director.

Extra, Extra, Read All About It! Technology Updates!

The Heartland AEA Internal Technology Department has a strong vision for meeting the needs of our staff, as well as our partners and schools. Vision for Technology Services and Supports 

• Agency staff members have access to the technology they need to do their jobs. 
• Agency staff members know how and when to appropriately use this technology. 
• Agency technology operates reliably at all times. 
• Districts and schools rely on our knowledge and leadership in technology-related functions. 
• Districts and schools experience a range of value-added technologies and services, as resources allow. 

Supports for Technology 
Outstanding customer service is always what we strive for, and as technology continues to evolve, we will adjust what we use and how we support it. The information below provides an overview of some of the key changes for 2015-16. Remember that many people are here to support our employees’ use of technology. Please make regular use of the tech support lead in your office. If the lead can’t answer your question or provide the help you need, consult the Internal Technology Contact Guide that is available on the Intranet > Technology so you know which member from the Internal Technology team can best provide help with your specific question. 

Software Updates to Be Made More Often 
The Agency will be increasing its efforts to make sure our software on staff computers is up-to-date. Many of you do a great job of this, but others don’t update as often as they should. We encourage everyone to update their software on a regular basis, unless the Internal Technology Department communicates why an update should not be applied. Note that such recommendations are not common. Please update your software regularly. More information will be provided early this fall about how we will use our Casper software management system to help support software updates. 

Phasing Out of Support for iChat
Our department will be phasing out support for iChat. We are not creating iChat accounts for new employees, and the last day we will support iChat is Dec. 31, 2015. Moving forward, we will support more current tools such as Zoom and Google Hangouts. More information will be provided early this fall about this transition.

Phase Out of Support for DVD and VHS Players 
The Agency will be phasing out support for DVD and VHS players. The last day that hardware will be available is May 31, 2016. During the coming months, if you use DVDs or VHS tapes, visit with our library and multimedia staff to identify more current content and/or content that can be delivered using more current methods. Please note that if your computer has a DVD drive (built in or external), that option for playing DVDs will still be supported after May 31. 

Personal Use of Agency Computers 
The amount of personal use of agency computers continues to grow at a rapid pace. Please be reminded of what the Staff Handbook says about agency computer use: Access and use of Heartland AEA equipment is not intended to provide staff with personal, recreational or financial benefit. Use of agency equipment for non-work related purposes, especially secondary employment, is prohibited by board policy. If your agency computer has large amounts of personal data, such as 50 GB or more of iTunes or personal photos or movies, please consider moving those to other storage options or deleting them. The Internal Technology Department can help you identify storage options. 

Core Technology Skills 
The Agency will provide additional learning opportunities and supports to all our employees this year, focusing heavily on four key areas during the 2015-16 school year: 

• Mac operating system 
• Agency systems, including the Employee Dashboard and agency website 
• Digital citizenship and data security 
• Productivity software (including Google Apps) 

One last note for this week: Because of the Agency’s focus on core skill training for this coming year, there will be a higher-than-average number of communications this year regarding technology, including Technology Tips of the Week. Our first tip is below. 

Managing Your Storage Space 
Managing storage space is one of our core technology skills. Today’s tip will focus on managing the storage space on your computer. Many people forget to look at what’s in their Trash and in their Downloads folder, and all of those files add up and take up needless space. We recommend the following: 

• Make folders for any files you want to keep. 
• When you download or create a file, it should go into a folder that you create. 
• If a downloaded file goes into your Downloads folder or on your Desktop, you should put it in a different folder that’s logically named so that you can find the information without having to search through a huge number of downloaded files. 
• Delete any files you don’t need. 
• Empty your Trash regularly. 

These practices will help you find files more quickly and will free up storage space on your computer.