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: 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.

January 2016 School Leader Update Available

The January 2016 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available. Read Director Ryan Wise’s column as he reflects on the year past and what he sees coming down the road in the new year. Attorney Nicole Proesch offers plenty of new guidance focusing on days-versus-hours in school.

Financial Wellness: Budgeting & Planning for Emergencies Workshop Jan. 13

We all know how having a healthy body can contribute to our well being, but what about how having a healthy financial situation can contribute to well being? When your finances are in check, the rest of your life can seem more manageable. On the other hand when your finances seem to be in chaos, it can make life seem overwhelming.

Did you know that 80% of workers polled nationally indicate they want their employer to provide financial wellness education? Consider where we are as a society today:
•    76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck –Bankrate.com
•    30% of Americans have outstanding loans on their 401(k)s – Business Record
•    #1 cause of stress is money problems and money fights – multiple studies

Heartland AEA is excited to announce our next financial wellness workshop – Budgeting & Planning for Emergencies! Whether you are looking to pick-up a few nuggets of information, or you need a financial overhaul, this 90-minute lunch and learn workshop is just for you. You will leave knowing how to save for emergencies, have a plan for your money (budget) and stay accountable to your financial goals. 

Jan. 13, 2016
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Johnston Regional Education Center or join via Zoom
Please register by Jan. 11.

Reminder: 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.

Agency Offers Surplus/Obsolete Equipment For Sale on GovDeals.com; Cannot Sell Outright to Employees

As a reminder, the Agency periodically sells surplus/obsolete equipment on GovDeals.com, an online public auction site. (Search for Heartland on the site.) Anyone, including employees, can bid on the items up for sale. As a public agency, we cannot sell items outright to employees. Please note that bidding should be done on personal time using personal computing devices, and item inspection should be done on personal time as well. If you have any questions, contact Dustin Gean, Operations Manager.

Reminder: 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.

Tech Tip of the Week

What’s taking up your storage space?
In a previous Tech Tip of the Week, we shared a way to check your disk space on your Mac. In this week’s Tip, we’ll show you another way to get a deeper look at your disk space usage on your computer.

You can easily check your disk usage from the “About” box. Don’t know where the “About” box is? Pop open the Apple menu, then select “About This Mac.” On OS X Yosemite or newer, click the Storage tab in the toolbar to find how much disk space you have available. You’ll get a simplified overview of what sort of files are taking up your storage space. 

(On OS X Mavericks, click the More Info button, then click Storage.)

Reminder: 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.