Our Mission
To
improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth
by providing services and leadership in partnership with families,
schools and communities.
Our Goals
• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Are you counting the days until the presidential election is over? As Iowans it sometimes feels like we’re in constant election mode, but the end is in sight—at least for this election cycle!
Did you know that Iowa is one of the top six states in the nation in terms of the number of registered voters that actually vote? Typically 61% of registered voters in Iowa vote. While that is great, it would, in my opinion, be even better if that number were higher.
I have heard more people this fall than ever comment, “I'm not sure my vote counts.” I strongly believe it does. As recently as last month, a school district in our agency service area held a referendum for facility improvements that passed by exactly one vote! Voters in that area have a renewed understanding of the importance of “every vote counts.”
I encourage you to plan now to have your voice be one that is counted. Even though most of the attention is focused on the presidential campaign, there are multiple state and local races and issues on the ballot, too. Vote early, mail an absentee ballot or plan an hour in your calendar to get to the polls on Nov. 8. Visit the Iowa Secretary of State’s website for information about the election, how to get registered and where to vote.
In addition to voting ourselves, each of us has the opportunity this fall to exercise an element of leadership to also encourage a colleague, neighbor or family member to vote. According to a non-profit voter technology firm that studies who votes and why, “people vote when they think it’s important to the people around them.” In the remaining few weeks prior to this year's elections, respectfully share your points of view on issues that are important to you. By engaging in productive dialogue, by voting and by encouraging others to vote, each of us can influence those around us, and on Nov. 8, I hope you will join me in saying, “count me in!”
And as you think about political activity, please remember the guidelines below.
Paula
As we enter the peak campaign season for the 2016 election cycle, we want to remind you of the following guidelines that should guide your decision making as a Heartland AEA staff member as it relates to political activity.
You are encouraged to contact your state and federal legislators about issues that are important to you, especially issues that involve the AEAs. Personally contacting legislators to tell them “your AEA story” can be very powerful when it comes time for them to make decisions about education policy and funding. But when it comes to contacting legislators about the AEAs, there are guidelines that must be followed.
It is essential for you to send communications to legislators from your PERSONAL email account or stationery or using your own telephone. It is against the law for AEA employees to lobby legislators using agency email or stationery. Please do not send any such messages during agency work hours, as that would also be a violation of the law.
Section 14:6 of the Staff Handbook “Political Activity” further details guidelines for political activity:
The Agency is actively interested in legislation regarding AEAs and education. Heartland AEA encourages employees to be individually engaged in civic and political activities; however, employees will not expend or permit the expenditure of public monies for the support or opposition of a candidate or ballot issue.
- Employees may attend political caucuses on Heartland AEA property that are open generally to the public.
- Employees may engage in political activities of their choosing on their own time off Heartland AEA premises.
- Expenditure of public money includes, but is not limited to, direct expenditure of funds, use of property or equipment and use of staff time during working hours.
- Limited examples of prohibited uses of public funds include the following:
- Placing political signs on real estate owned or leased by a political subdivision.
- Display of political posters, brochures, flyers or other promotional literature in areas accessible to the public.
- Providing mailing lists, databases or other compilations prepared for a public purpose unless they are made available to all members of the public for the same consideration.
- Use of office equipment such as copy, fax or postage machines, computer hardware/software or calculators.
- Employees engaging in campaign activities of any sort during working hours.
- Use of telephones owned or leased by the political subdivision to make calls in support of or opposition to a ballot issue or a candidate.
If you have any questions about political activity, contact your supervisor.
The Agency's Crisis Planning Committee has developed and installed emergency procedures flip charts in large conference rooms throughout the Agency, and crisis responders now also have their own copy.
These flip charts outline the general steps to take in an emergency and serve as a resource for both staff and visitors to our offices. Each flip chart lists phone numbers for local fire and police departments, utility companies and Heartland AEA-specific emergency contacts. Emergencies covered in the flip charts are reverse evacuation, severe weather, lockdown and evacuation/relocation. The flip charts will be continuously updated and staff will be made aware of major changes.
The information from the flip charts comes directly from the Agency's Crisis Action Plan. The Plan has been updated for this year with the most current contact information. It can always be found on the Intranet > Crisis Action Plan.
If you have any questions, contact Dustin Gean, Operations Manager, or Samantha Perry, Human Resources Specialist, co-leads of the Crisis Planning Committee.
Our 2016 United Way campaign is still underway! Hopefully you remember what you heard at the All-Staff Meeting--our agency participates in a United Way campaign to support the education, financial stability and health of individuals in our central Iowa communities. United Way funds support programs and services to address central Iowa’s toughest issues.
Pledge Forms
Our goal this year is to increase participation in the United Way campaign by 10%, which would put us at a 60% participation rate. We are currently at 47%, so we’ve still got some work to do! If you weren’t able to fill out a pledge form at the All-Staff Meeting, there’s still time! Please contact Courtney Croatt or Samantha Perry, United Way Campaign Co-Chairs, today to get your pledge form.
Online Auction
Mark your calendars for Oct. 24, which is the day our United Way online auction will begin! You’ll have a week to bid on gift cards and other items donated by area businesses.
Why We Give
Here’s an example of why we support United Way – to provide access to services to kids like Sam. Learn how United Way brings together organizations and people to help support children’s mental health.
Thank you for LIVING UNITED!
Below you’ll find the results of the All-Staff Meeting survey. Thank you to the 236 staff who responded to the survey. We’ll take your responses into consideration as we plan for future meetings.
Most beneficial aspect of the All-Staff Meeting:
- PechaKuchas
- Connecting with colleagues: learning from each other, networking time, celebrating together
- Wellness breaks
- Benefits/Wellness fair
- Location
Suggestions for improving the meeting:
- Half day instead of full day
- Move to a different week/month (before school starts)
- Shorter transition time between PechaKuchas
- Shorter lunch time
- Let us wear jeans
Click on the images for a larger view.
The October 2016 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter is now available from the Iowa Department of Education. This month takes a refreshing – and successful – look at comprehensive work being done district-wide on behavior. Our colleagues from Keystone AEA are given recognition for their collaborative work with the Dubuque school district. A bonus: Long-time educators Jim Stumme and Jeff Grimes (Heartland AEA alumns) wrote a book, The Evolution of Special Education in Iowa.
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce the Agency’s new Employee Assistance Program provider -- LifeWorks.
What is LifeWorks?
As of Oct. 1, 2016, all employees and their immediate family members will have access to LifeWorks. LifeWorks is a free web-based resource and confidential telephone support service providing you with access to caring professional consultants and counselors.
LifeWorks is designed to work for everyone and can help with almost anything. Whether you have questions about handling stress, maintaining relationships, challenges at work, parenting and childcare, managing money, caring for an older relative or health issues like losing weight or giving up smoking, you can turn to LifeWorks for answers.
How and when can I access LifeWorks?
LifeWorks is committed to being there when you have a question. You’ll find great advice, tools and tips on the LifeWorks platform, available on mobile, desktop and tablet. There are toolkits to support you, as well as articles, advice, podcasts and videos, allowing you to browse content or look for specific topics. To download the free mobile app and have LifeWorks ready in your pocket when you need it, just search for “LifeWorks” in your App store. There is also a free and confidential telephone number you can call to speak to a professional consultant. The team is made up of qualified experts who you can talk to when you need support and expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access LifeWorks?
It’s easy, LifeWorks is available at no cost and offers comprehensive support.
Website: heartlandaea.lifeworks.com
Username: heartlandaea
Password: lifeworks
Phone numbers: English: 1-(888)-456-1324, Spanish: 1-(888)-732-9020
App: To install the LifeWorks app on Apple or Android, search “LifeWorks” in your app store.
Do I have to pay to use the program?
No. Heartland AEA has contracted with LifeWorks to provide this service at no cost to you.
Who is eligible to use the LifeWorks program?
LifeWorks is available to all employees and their immediate family members from within the same household. In order to assist an individual under the age of 18, LifeWorks would require written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Where counseling is inappropriate, the LifeWorks consultant will help the family to understand the alternative options available to them.
Is the LifeWorks program confidential?
Yes. No one at your workplace can find out about your conversations with LifeWorks or your visit to LifeWorks.com.
There may be very rare occasions when a LifeWorks consultant will need to disclose personal information. These include situations where there is a threat to human life or physical safety or where we are legally required to do so. In these circumstances, you will be made aware of our obligation to break confidentiality.
What information about LifeWorks is given to my employer?
A quarterly/annual report is sent to your employer informing them of the number and type of requests received in the relevant period. No information that could identify an individual is provided. Confidentiality is the foundation of the LifeWorks EAP.
Is there a limit to the number of times I can use LifeWorks?
No. You can call LifeWorks and visit us online as often as you need to. In fact, we encourage you to visit the website or use the mobile app regularly as the content is always changing.
What information do I have to give the LifeWorks consultant when I call?
The consultant will ask you which company you work for and your location. You can remain anonymous if you wish. If you would like to access services such as short-term counseling, advice from a legal consultant or have information sent to your home, your name and contact details will be required. Any personal details we collect will be stored and kept confidential.
Who are the LifeWorks consultants and counselors?
The LifeWorks team includes professionals with qualifications and experience in a wide variety of fields. In addition to clinical training and expertise, many also have previous practical experience from working within childcare, education, nutrition, elder care, mental and physical health and counseling.
Throughout the month, we’ll share more information about LifeWorks and the multitude of services it can offer your and your family. So stay tuned! If you have any questions right now, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist.
HRA account holders: When you access the new Kabel Business Services online system you may see a discrepancy in your account balance verses your balance in the old system. This will be corrected once the migration period is completed on Oct. 3. Thank you for your patience as Kabel finishes the migration to their new system.
Kabel
Business Services, administrator of the Agency’s employee medical flex,
dependent care flex and HRA programs, will be rolling out a new online
system on Oct. 1. (Reminder of the current blackout period: Sept. 26-Oct. 3. No claims will be paid during this time but participants can still submit claims.)
This
means that after Oct. 1, all staff who participate in the medical flex,
dependent care flex and HRA programs need to create a new Kabel online
account. You will now be able to do all your flex and HRA business
through one online account.
Participants need to login to
the new Kabel portal on or after Oct. 1 and create an
account. Instructions for accessing the new portal are below.
- Go to https://kabelparticipant.lh1ondemand.com
- Under "Existing User" enter username & password using the format below:
- Your
username will be: First name initial, last name, last 4 digits of
social security number (example: Name: John Doe, Social Security
Number 123-45-6789. Username = JDoe6789)
- Your first time password is: changeit
- Click Login
- Participants
can also download our flex app to view account information and upload
claims by searching "KBSFlex" in either the App Store or Google Play.
An online training guide is available here. This site contains quick start guides and video tutorials that will make the transition easier.
In addition, new medical flex plan debit cards will be issued.
The new debit cards are red (see below), and participants will receive
them in a plain white envelope around Oct. 1. Two new debit cards in the
"participant's" name will be sent and will be effective Oct. 3. Current debit cards will not be effective after Sept. 26.
Below is a brief FAQ that answers questions on the debit card roll out and how the change will impact employees.
Debit Card FAQs
Q: Can an employee still file claims by fax?
A:
Employees can still submit by fax but processing times will be longer
as we continue to move to online submission. Eventually, faxing claims
will be eliminated completely.
Q: How do the debit cards work?
A:
The debit cards work like a normal debit/credit card at any checkout
lane. They will only allow purchases of approved flex items (co-pays,
prescriptions, etc.), but we do encourage all participants to keep their
receipts in case a claim does need to adjudicated.
Q: Is a PIN number required to use the card?
A: They will set up the PIN during the card activation. It can also be used like a credit card if a PIN is forgotten.
Q: When the machine asks "Debit" or "Credit," how do we respond?
A: Either, both will work. Preferred is PIN but it can be used as a credit if the PIN is unknown.
Q:
We have never used the debit card but the information says two debit
cards will be mailed to each participant. So it's up to the employee to
decide whether they want to use it or not then, right?
A:
Correct, they can activate them or throw them away. We recommend using
them, as they expedite claims processing and make using flex funds
easier. The second debit card can be given to a spouse or child to use.
Q:
What happens when the person goes to the pharmacy and gets a
prescription and non-covered personal items. What do they do at the
checkout process?
A: They will swipe the flex card first and
this will pay for the prescription. The register will remove the cost of
the prescription and present the remaining balance for the other
items. The individual can then pay the remaining balance however they
want.
Q: Will we still need to do enrollment forms for the beginning of each new year?
A: Yes
If you have any questions about these changes, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, at ext. 14315.
Heartland AEA has purchased access to Mystery Science for all K-6 schools in our service area. Mystery Science lessons are open-and-go and inspire students to love science. Teachers simply gather a few materials and start teaching right away! We think teachers will find the videos and lessons to be engaging and supportive of inquiry, and Mystery Science will assist teachers in making the transition to the Next Generation Science Standards. This short video provides an overview of Mystery Science and gives an example of what lessons are like.
Mystery Science will work a little differently than the other Heartland AEA-provided online resources, as it is geared to teachers, not students. While the lesson videos will be shown to students, the support materials are for teachers.
How to Access
Teachers access Mystery Science through a personal account they create independently. You’ll find the link at www.heartlandaea.org / Library & Digital Resources / Online Resources / K-5th Grades and on the Heartland AEA science pages.
To create an account for the first time, follow the online prompts. If you’ve created an account in the past and have difficulty logging in, email support@mysteryscience.com or call 650-550-0670.
If you have questions about how to use Mystery Science in your classroom, contact Susan Schrader, Director of Resources & Library Services or Rob Kleinow, Peg Christensen or Craig Edmondson, science consultants.
Who should attend?
Leadership teams that include an administrator, staff who have content knowledge, who can lead systems work as well as work with other constituents to move the work forward. (ie. Building principal, math teacher, language arts teacher, counselor or at risk staff, TLC coach)
Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, 2016
Heartland AEA Regional Education Center
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Registration: DR430692111701
Iowa's schools are implementing successful reading interventions every day! These efforts are being supported with a symposium to share effective practices in reading interventions. If you would like to share your school’s interventions and/or instructional strategies with supportive data, consider being a part of the Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K) annual event and share your knowledge and successes with other educators in our state.
Jan. 23, 2017
Iowa Events Center
Presenter Application Deadline: Nov. 29, 2016
Selection Date: Dec. 9, 2016
Application Form
For more information, contact Mary Jane Stites or Mark Crady, Coordinators of C4K Training Cadre.
Referrals for early childhood (ages 3 to 5) services can now be done through an online form. Go to the Heartland AEA website, scroll down a bit and find the “I Think My Child Needs Assistance” link, which is found under the Children & Families section. The Early Childhood form can be found under the “Age 3 to Age 5” banner.
