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: United Way Online Auction Open Through Friday!

Our United Way online auction opened last Monday and is available for your bids through Friday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. There are over 40 items to bid on including tickets to the Blank Park Zoo, the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, Des Moines Symphony and local sporting events, hotel stays, gift cards to The Cheesecake Factory, Hickory Park, Greenbriar and Kum & Go and an autographed Green Bay Packers football!

See what’s up for bids on the United Way Auction site!

To place your bid

Login to the site using your Employee Dashboard username and password. Click on the item name to view the description and a larger photo. To place your bid, simply fill in the “Your New Bid” field and click on “Place Bid.” You will receive an e-mail notification if you are outbid, which will include a link back to the auction site if you wish to re-bid. 

Winning bidders will be notified by e-mail the week of Nov. 2 to send in their payments (preferably checks made out to United Way) and to make arrangements for receiving their auction items. 

If you have any difficulty logging in to the auction site, contact Maureen Whited. 

Reminder: 403(b) Provider Fair This Week in Johnston

As you know, Heartland AEA staff may contribute to a 403(b) plan made available through the State of Iowa’s Retirement Investors’ Club (RIC).

If it’s been awhile since you’ve talked with your invest provider or if you aren’t yet contributing to a 403(b) yourself, check out the 403(b) Investment Provider Vendor Fair we’ve set up!

Oct. 28, 2015
3:00-6:00 p.m.
Johnston Middle School, small gym
6207 N.W. 62nd Ave., Johnston

The vendor fair is being presented in partnership with Johnston Community Schools and will feature representatives from the RIC’s core 403(b) investment providers: Horace Mann, MassMutual, VALIC and Voya.

This fair will be of special interest to those who are currently investing with TIAA-CREF and will have to choose a different provider in order to keep contributing to a 403(b) after Dec. 31, 2015.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the 403(b) plan, how to choose a new provider if you currently use TIAA-CREF or how to get started saving for your retirement. If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at sjordan@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14908.

All Iowa Districts Have Now Applied to Join TLC System

Last week Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that all 336 Iowa school districts have applied to join the state’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, the most comprehensive teacher leadership system in the nation. 

This targeted effort to tap into the expertise of top teachers to better support the more demanding work that teachers are expected to do and to raise student achievement is the centerpiece of the landmark education reform package adopted by the Legislature and signed by Branstad in 2013. 

The legislation created a three-year phase in process to develop a statewide teacher leadership system, with the goal of all school districts participating by the 2016-17 school year. As of last week, all school districts in Iowa have developed and submitted local plans to participate in the teacher leadership system. When the teacher leadership system is fully phased in, it will cost $150 million annually.

“As the Lt. Governor and I travel around the state and visit with schools districts that are engaged in the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, we’re hearing that this system is transforming instruction in the classroom,” said Branstad. “We know that these targeted investments are paving the way to give Iowa students a world-class education while revitalizing the teaching profession.”  

The teacher leadership system rewards outstanding teachers with leadership opportunities, attracts promising teachers with competitive starting salaries and support, and fosters greater collaboration for all teachers to learn from each other. 

   

The teacher leadership system is rooted in collaboration and partnership and was that way from the beginning, when a state task force’s recommendations in 2012 formed the basis of the successful legislative proposal. After a year of planning, school districts began applying for funding to implement teacher leadership system plans locally. The first teacher leadership system districts wrapped up their initial year last spring.

Opening Nov. 2: Dependent Care Enrollment for 2016

Our online enrollment for the 2016 dependent care flex benefit plan will be open to eligible employees on Nov. 2. If you are a full-time employee or a Certified Union employee working a 96-day contract, you are eligible to participate. All eligible employees will need to either enroll during this period or waive participation through the enrollment process. 

The dependent care benefit allows you to pre-tax child, spouse or elder care expenses that you incur in order to allow you (and your spouse, if married) to work. If married, both spouses must be working to claim dependent care expenses. A dependent is defined as: 

• A dependent of the employee who is under 13 years of age 
• A dependent or spouse who is physically or mentally disabled 
• A spouse who is physically or mentally disabled 

The maximum amount your family may flex per calendar year is $5,000. All claims must be incurred by Dec. 31 and submitted for reimbursement within 60 days of the end of the plan year (March 1). 

Look for an article that will walk you through how to either make your dependent care election for 2016 or waive the dependent care plan. The deadline for enrolling in or waiving the dependent care plan is Nov. 30 at 4:00 p.m. As a reminder, all dependent care expenses for the 2015 plan year must be incurred by Dec. 31, 2015 and must be submitted to Kabel Business Services for reimbursement by March 1, 2016. 

If you have any questions, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, at or ext. 14315. 

Post-Employment Benefit Letters Mailed; Application Deadline is Nov. 30

Packets were mailed today to employees who qualify for the 2015-16 post-employment benefit. If you qualify and choose to apply for the post-employment benefit, submit your original application, letter of resignation and “Things You Should Know Before Applying for the Post Employment Benefit” to Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, by Nov. 30, 2015. If you have any questions, contact Juliette at ext. 14315.

As you will remember, this is the final year of the Agency’s post-employment benefit offering. 

Updated Coffee Procedures; Hot Beverage Machine Now Available in Johnston REC

There has been a coffee conundrum of sorts in the Johnston Regional Education Center (REC) for the past few years. Questions like “Does the Agency provide coffee?”, “Who can drink the coffee?”, “Is it only for certain meetings?” and “What about professional development classes?” have continued to bubble up. 

Hot Beverage Vending Machine

In response to this issue, last week the Agency installed a self-service hot beverage vending machine in the Johnston REC lounge. This central service will meet the needs of our visitors attending classes and meetings at all times -- days, evenings and weekends -- and is also in line with how the Agency provides other beverages through vending machines (water, pop, juice). 

The installation of a hot beverage machine will also free administrative staff from maintaining coffee pots and related supplies and cleaning up, so they can invest more time in meeting the needs of our visitors in other ways. The Agency’s current vending company, American Munchies (Iowa Department for the Blind), recommended the Cafforia machine, which has received positive reviews from other business customers. Cafforia provides up to 12 hot beverage choices, including espresso and hot cocoa, and visitors will pay $.50 for a 12 oz. cup and $.75 for a 14 oz. cup. There is no cost to the Agency for this new service aside from electricity and water fees. The new vending service will be monitored for product quality, safety and cost-effectiveness, and if it is well-received, the Agency will explore the addition of a hot beverage vending service for other regional offices that host large meetings (Adel and Ames).

Coffee Q & A

Q: Will the Bunn coffee machines be removed from the building?

A: No, but they will be relocated to only the kitchenette areas.

Q: Can Johnston REC staff members still have “coffee clubs”?

A: Yes. Please work with your colleagues on how you want to manage the coffee for your club.

Q: Can staff members use the Bunn coffee machines?

A: Yes. Any staff member and/or professional development instructor may supply their own coffee and use the Bunn machines and agency carafes to provide coffee for their events. 

Q: Will there still be coffee supply baskets in our conference/meeting rooms? 

A: We will remove the coffee supply baskets from the classrooms and keep one in the lounge by the new coffee machine and others in the kitchenettes.

Q: Will the Agency still purchase coffee?

A: Yes. There are limited occasions when members of our leadership team will direct administrative assistants to make coffee for agency events.

Q: How will I know the "coffee procedures"?

A: See this flowchart for a decision-making guide.

If you have any questions, contact Brandie Gean, Licensure & Conference Center Manager, at ext. 14459.

Reminder: Information About Capacity Building for 2015-16

A scaled back version of Capacity Building strands is going to continue during the 2015-16 school year. Participants in the reading, math and behavior strands will participate in 2-4 days of training. Feedback from last year’s survey indicated that agency staff wants to learn in other areas. Participants can continue in their current strand or participate in other strand areas. If staff members have participated in some of the listed offerings since July 1, it will count toward their 2-4 days of learning. Staff members are encouraged to discuss their learning choices with their regional directors. Strand options can be found here.  


First year staff members are not required to participate in Capacity Building since they are attending training specifically for them.

If you have any questions, contact the following staff about Capacity Building strands:
Behavior: Stacy Volmer, Regional Director
Literacy and Math: Wendy Robinson, Director of Instructional Services

If you have any questions about Capacity Building in general, contact Kevin Fangman, Executive Director of District Services.

Child Count Reminders

1. All IEP and IFSP meetings held on or before Oct. 30, 2015, must be completed and submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2015. 

2. Make sure all PK-K transition IEPs have been completed by Oct. 30, 2015. 

3. If a validated IEP will not be completed by Oct. 30, 2015, for students who have moved in from out of state, please work with the district AEA Data Specialist to complete a move-in type IEP. (See 2015-2016 Out of State IEP Procedures).

Technology Tip of the Week

Check Out Atomic Learning – It’s the Bomb!

Atomic Learning is an online database overflowing with more than 1,500 hours of online professional development and over 60,000 video tutorials and downloadable tools! It also includes how-to video tutorials covering more than 250 commonly-used software applications such as Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite and Google Apps for Education. And it’s all accessible to you! 

Go to the Atomic Learning website and sign in using the online resources username and password assigned to Heartland AEA staff. 

username: 9211haea

password: haea11

Atomic Learning also has a great set of video tutorials to watch to become better acquainted with what the site has to offer. 

Here are a couple recommended video tutorials to help with current technology being used in the Agency: 

• Google Apps for Education
• Adobe Acrobat 9 
• Microsoft Office for iPads 
• Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac 

Following Google Apps, Digital Citizenship Training is Up Next

The majority of you have completed the initial Google Apps assessment, with over 30% of you “testing out” of the training. Many others have completed the Google Apps training modules and are wondering “what’s next?” Digital citizenship training is next! Digital citizenship is a broad and sometimes complex topic that’s becoming increasingly important in our technologically-based world.

Our digital citizenship training will be organized around the work of Mike Ribble, a national expert in digital citizenship, and his nine elements or themes. These elements are:

1.    Digital access
2.    Digital commerce
3.    Digital communication
4.    Digital literacy
5.    Digital etiquette
6.    Digital law
7.    Digital rights & responsibilities
8.    Digital health & wellness
9.    Digital security

This year the Agency will focus on three elements: digital literacy, digital security and digital etiquette. Some of the topics we will cover within these elements will be searching for and evaluating online information and protecting your computer and data.

In the coming weeks, we will provide more details about the digital citizenship training, which should be available by mid- to late November.