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 

Newton Regional Office Move Coming Soon

Reminder: The Agency’s Newton Regional Office is moving! As of right now, the Newton office will be moving beginning March 18 and will re-open in its new home at the Newton DMACC campus on March 28.
 
The new address of the Newton Regional Office will be:
600 N. 2nd Avenue W.
Suite 259

Newton, IA 50208

Redesign Remarks: The Latest on Redesigning Staff Professional Development

The Professional Development Cadre and the Professional Development Redesign work teams are hard at work! See below for a current listing of the members of each work team. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kevin Fangman, Executive Director of District Services.

Professional Development Cadre - 2015-16
Randy Allison, Martha Condon, Tony Chiaramonte, Sue Daker, Rachelle Dawson, Kevin Fangman, Brandie Gean, Carlene Lodermeier, Lynn McCartney, Sara Mercer, Berrett Rice, Wendy Robinson, Sue Schirmer, Lisa Smith, Stacy Volmer and Cindy Yelick

Professional Development Redesign Work Team Membership - 2015-16 
Problem Solving
Marty Ikeda                                 Kristi Upah
Jerry Gruba                                 Martha Condon
Sara Mercer                                 Alecia Rahn-Blakeslee
Janelle Thompson                        Jessica Pottebaum
Randy Allison, lead

Early Childhood
Candice Green                             Brianna Sayre Geiser
Annie Volker                                Jerry Gruba
Vicki DeMoss                               Linda McAtee
Rachelle Dawson, lead
 
Instruction 
Sue Severson                               Becky Hinze
Tori Carsrud                                 Molly Sweeney
Nikki Roorda                                Brianna Sayre Geiser
Christina Glaub                             Stephanie Bellamy
Carlene Lodermeier, co-lead          Wendy Robinson, co-lead

Technology
Kyle Kehrberg                               Alex Glade
Mande Gamble                              Susan Schrader
Valerie Hubert                               Diane Royer
David Hammer                              Brianna Sayre Geiser
Peggy Kolpek                                Lynn McCartney, lead
 
Child Find
Martha Condon                              Randy Allison
Kristi Upah                                    Jerry Gruba
Sue Byrnes                                   Judson Kuffel
Candice Green                               Heather Davis
Mia Vannoy                                   Sara Mercer, lead

Data & Assessment

Mariann Culver                               Jennifer Riedemann

Sean Austin                                    Keyea Meyer-Fowles

Tracy Weber                                   Alecia Rahn-Blakeslee

Lisa Taylor                                     Berrett Rice, lead
 

Adult Learning 
Cheryl Risen                                   Becca Lindahl
Mary Schmidt                                 Annie Volker
Gilmara Mitchell                              Christine Auxier
Sue Schirmer, lead
                                                       
Behavior
Andrea Matheson                             Brenda Gerdes
Brianna Sayre Geiser                        Cheryl Risen
Dave Wood                                      Dorothy Landon
Jean Boger                                       Jen Gilmore
Nicole Craun                                     Rebecca Carver
Tracy Kreis                                       Stacy Volmer, lead

Friday Feature: Join Us March 25 for Tips From Hy-Vee Dietitians

Join us for a Friday Wellness Feature on March 25! A Zoom option will be available (please email Katie Streff), and you can earn wellness points for participating!

Hailey and Anne, Hy-Vee dietitians, will be presenting on:
•    Quick meal ideas
•    Budget eating
•    How to sneak fruits and veggies into your diet

March 25
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Johnston REC, Conf. Rooms 152 A/B/C
Register now! In-person attendance is limited to the first 50 people.

Opportunity to Deepen Math Standard Knowledge: Investigating Iowa Core Math Courses

Agency staff members who work in the area of math—but who did not participate in the math capacity building work the past few years—this would be an excellent learning opportunity for you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of the math standards for all children in our schools. If you were part of the math capacity strand, this information would have been part of your learning.

Investigating Iowa Core Math
April 5 & 18, 2016    
IN069792111601
Adel Office
8:00-4:30 p.m.

June 2 & 3, 2016
IN069792111701
Johnston Regional Education Center
8:00-4:30 p.m.

AEA Legislative Update

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, John Pederson and Kate Walton.

Tech Tip of the Week: Did You Know You Can Use Voice-to-Text in Google Docs?

Google recently introduced a voice typing tool in Google Docs, and now the updated version is even better than the original! Previously, you could only type with your voice, but now there is a long list of commands to do much, much more. Some of the new commands include moving around text to different lines of your document, formatting and even adding tables!

To start typing your document using voice-to-text:
•    To turn on voice typing, go to “Tools” and then select “Voice typing.”
•    Next, click on the microphone that appears to the left of your document. When you click it, it will turn red and will begin recording.

Want to know more about the new commands for the voice typing tool? Click here!

If you have any questions, contact Tim Weets, Network Specialist, at ext. 14322.