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
Winter Break
Dec. 23, 2016
Staff work day, Offices closed to the public
Dec. 26, 2016
Official agency holiday, Offices closed to staff and public
Dec. 27, 2016
Official floating holiday, Offices closed to staff and public
Dec. 28-29, 2016
Additional floating holidays for employees with 261-day work schedules, Offices closed to staff and public
Dec. 30, 2016
Official floating holiday,
Offices closed to staff and public
Jan. 2, 2017
Official agency holiday, Offices closed to staff and public
Van Delivery
Regular Van Delivery: Dec. 19-22, 2016
No Van Delivery: Dec. 23, 2016-Jan. 2, 2017
Regular Van Delivery Resumes: Jan. 3, 2017
The Payroll Department will have your 2016 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 Dec. 31, 2016.
To verify your address through Employee Online, login to your Employee Dashboard and find the Employee Online tab in the top navigation bar. Once you’re reached the Employee Online home page, click on “Your 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 Coordinator, at ext. 14614. If you have any questions about your Form W-2, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.
With winter break right on our heels, now is a good time to review the steps staff should take prior to being out of the office.
Change Gmail Vacation Responder (Out-of-Office message)
Example: Thank you for contacting Heartland AEA. I will be out of the office until Jan. 3, 2017, as our Heartland AEA offices are closed for winter break. I will return your message as soon as I can upon my return. Thank you.
General Tip: If you use your out-of-office email reply for every little thing, people might just stop reading it. Use your out-of-office email response only in the instances you’ll truly be unresponsive for an extended period of time—like vacation. The customer will actually read it because they haven’t gotten multiple iterations of your bounce-back email on a continuous basis. Be clear and concise about when you’ll be responding, and leave out the personal information about where you are going and why.
Change Voicemail Greeting to Unavailable
Example: Thank you for calling Heartland AEA. You have reached Sally Smith, school psychologist. I am currently out of the office until Jan. 3, 2017, as Heartland AEA offices are closed for winter break. Please leave a message, and I will return your call as soon as I can upon my return. Thank you.
General Tip: If you want to change your voicemail greeting from your home phone or cell phone, you may do so by calling either (515) 270-0405 or (515) 473-7450 and pressing # when you begin to hear the greeting. This gets you into your voicemail, and you can then follow the prompts to access your messages or change your voicemail greeting. Please be mindful not to refer a customer to another staff member who is also scheduled to be out of the office. Check with that person to make sure he or she will be available and aware that you are forwarding customers and/or staff members to them during your absence.
Holiday Video Update
Here’s your holiday treat from Katie and Juliette – the Wellness elves. Most of you should have seen this at your regional meetings, but if not, enjoy this fun reminder about this year’s wellness program.
6 Steps to a Mindful Meal
We live in a fast-paced world filled with long days, multitasking and not enough sleep. Time starved, we often eat lunch at our desks, run through a drive-thru or skip meals entirely. Whether it’s the phone, TV or computer, many of us spend our dinners glued to a screen. These patterns of mindless eating behaviors often lead to overeating—polishing off the whole pint of ice cream, bag of chips or bottle of wine. Soon those skinny jeans are just a little too skinny and that cute new jacket a little too snug. But more importantly, mindless eating contributes to poor food choices that can affect our mental clarity, stamina and cause illness. Use this simple six-step mindful eating practice that will allow you to listen to your body’s natural hunger cues, so you can put a stop to overeating and binging on unhealthy foods.
1. Unplug
Step away from your cell phone, turn off the TV and close your laptop. Remove all distractions before enjoying your mindful meal. You can even practice this with your family by having a turn off and unplug policy at the dinner table.
2. Slow Down
Give your body and mind the gift of time and attention by slowing down! This may come as a surprise to you, but you may find yourself enjoying your food more. Pay attention to your hunger cues. Your stomach will know it’s full long before your brain does. Take time to savor and enjoy your meal, so you can feel your body and hear its messages.
3. Chew
Did you know that chewing is an important part of digestion? Enzymes in our mouths begin digesting our food before it even enters our stomachs. In our multitasking, chaotic life, we are often rushing through meals, which usually leads to inhaling and gulping. Chew every bite.
4. Savor Every Bite
You know when you take a bite of your favorite chocolate cake, and you can’t help but close your eyes as a big ol’ grin spreads from one ear to the next? And you can’t help but take your time and truly enjoy every last bite. That is what it means to intentionally savor your food. Use mealtime as a chance to savor your food. As you slowly chew without distractions, you’ll find yourself tuning into the eating experience by noticing the appearance of your food, its flavors, textures and temperature. This will add to the pleasure of eating just what your body needs.
5. Listen to Your Body
Ditch the clean-plate mentality. Learn to listen to your body and feel its hunger cues instead. Stop eating when you feel full even if there’s food left on your plate. Simply save the rest for later! Eating slowly and savoring your food will give your body time to tell you when you’re full.
6. Make It a Date
You may be thinking that you’re too busy to slow down, but you’re not. Use these tips to slowly introduce yourself to mindful eating. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel, and soon you’ll replace your unhealthy eating behaviors with mindful ones. Start by planning your mindful meals. Set a date and time in your schedule at least once per week. Think of your mindful meal as a pampering session for yourself.
So mark your calendar, and set aside a window for a mindful meal to yourself! Unplug, slow down, chew your food, savor every bite and listen to your body.
Reminder: Jan. 13 Wellness Lunch and Learn w/ Mosaic
Come learn how Mosaic creates lives of possibilities for adults with intellectual disabilities in Central Iowa. You will hear stories told by the people who know Mosaic best—the people they serve, their families and volunteers—in order to share their mission, vision and passion for those being served. Lunch will be provided.
Jan 13, 2017
11:30 a.m.
Johnston REC
Conference Rooms 107A/B
There is limited space, so register today.
You can also join via Zoom. The session will also be recorded and posted on the Healthy Express site.
The employee assistance program (EAP) is a service provided by your employer that offers help with personal and work-related issues. Professionally trained consultants are available to help with family problems, marital concerns, financial and legal matters, stress, depression and other issues affecting your personal or work life. The EAP is free and confidential. Consultants are available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Find more information on how the EAP can help and how it works on the LifeWorks website.
Website: heartlandaea.lifeworks.com
Username: heartlandaea
Password: lifeworks
Winter storms can bring heavy snow, ice, strong winds and freezing rain. Here are some reminders from Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management about how to be winter weather prepared. Because it's a matter of when, not if, winter weather will occur. Advance preparation is key to preventing injuries and death during the winter months. For more information on preparing for winter weather, visit their Winter Weather page.
When you are not using your laptop, do you shutdown your machine or just close the lid? If you’re like a lot of people, you just close the lid and let your laptop go to sleep. Doing so provides users an easy and fast way to resume work once the machine wakes up. It’s practically instantaneous to sleep a Mac, and when it wakes up, you get to pick up where you left off. However, doing this without ever shutting down or restarting your machine can cause some issues that might hinder the work you are trying to complete. If you do put your computer to sleep often rather than shutting it down, the Internal Technology Department recommends restarting your computer at least once a week. This will help to minimize the possibility of odd behavior with your computer.
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
Thanks to all of you who updated your phone numbers in the Employee Online system. After your updates were complete, we pulled a new report on Dec. 6 and uploaded it into the SchoolMessenger system.
We then sent a test text and email message to staff at 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 9.
As was mentioned in the all-staff email last Friday, we discovered that some staff have already opted-in to receive text messages from SchoolMessenger because because you have opted-in at a previous time through a school district. All organization that use SchoolMessenger use the same short code – 67587 – to send messages.
If you
have a cell phone number in the system, but did not receive the test
message, contact Courtney Croatt, Communications Specialist, and she can check the status of your phone number in the system.
Thanks again for your patience as we implement this new system. If you have any questions, contact Courtney at ext. 14474.
Due to the upcoming agency holiday schedule, staff members paid from a timesheet must have their Dec. 1-15 timesheets completed, approved by their supervisor and submitted to the Payroll Department by the end of the day on Tuesday, Dec. 20 in order to ensure they receive pay at the end of the month. The December end of month payday will be Dec. 29. If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.
An Iowa Reading Research Center study of summer reading programs in 43 participating Iowa school districts and one community organization found the programs helped students who were struggling with reading maintain their reading skills during the summer months. However, under the conditions in which they were implemented, the three types of summer reading programs did not accelerate reading improvement on average, according to a newly-released report.
The Intensive Summer Reading Program (ISRP) study found participating schools faced challenges such as finding enough qualified teachers and literacy coaches in the summer months and sporadic student attendance.
“This study was the first of its kind, so Iowa stands to learn a lot from the results and be able to better plan for the challenges schools will face in providing summer reading programs,” said Deborah Reed, principal investigator of the study and director of the Iowa Reading Research Center. The center was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2012 and is overseen by the Iowa Department of Education in partnership with the University of Iowa College of Education.
By May 2018, every Iowa school district must offer a summer reading program for students who are not proficient in reading at the end of third grade as determined by multiple assessments. The requirement is part of an early literacy law that also requires schools to identify and intervene with students in kindergarten through third grade who are struggling to read.
The goal of the center’s ISRP study, commissioned by the Branstad-Reynolds Administration and funded by a mix of private and public sources, was to identify the characteristics of more effective summer reading programs. The study applied the requirements in the law to the programs in 120 classrooms statewide, implemented between May 31 and August 11. Under those requirements, schools must provide at least 70 hours of evidence-based instruction in small classes (15 students or fewer) and monitor students’ reading progress.
Participating schools were randomly assigned to use one of three approaches to literacy instruction: a specified computer-based program, a specified print-based program, and a “business-as-usual” approach in which the schools determined their own literacy programs.
On average, the three approaches were equally effective at preventing learning loss that is typically associated with summer break, but did not lead to statistically significant growth on tests of students’ reading ability. Results also showed achievement gaps in reading performance among minority students, students whose native language is not English, and students who receive special education services.
“Summer school is another opportunity to provide help to students who need it most, so it is important to continue looking for ways to design high-quality summer reading instruction,” Reed said.
Read more on the Iowa Reading Research Center’s website.
Last week the Iowa Department of Education issued new guidance for implementing the third-grade retention component of Iowa Code 279.68, commonly known as the early literacy law. As you know, the retention requirement of this law is scheduled to take effect in May 2018.
The Department approached this guidance as it does other state initiatives, by honoring local decision-making within statewide parameters. While a student’s reading ability must be the largest factor in the third-grade retention decision, that determination will not be made using a single measure, nor in the absence of other factors. Additionally, retention will not be considered for any third-grade student who is eligible for – and completes – an intensive summer reading program, nor for any student who qualifies for an exemption.
Questions about the new guidance can be directed to Barbara Ohlund at the Iowa Dept. of Education.
The first school districts to launch teacher leadership plans through Iowa’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System reported a positive impact on educators’ professional climate and classroom instruction, according to an interim evaluation report released last week by the Iowa Department of Education.
Teachers and administrators in the first 115 school districts chosen to launch teacher leadership plans – 39 districts in the 2014-15 school year and 76 in 2015-16 – reported greater availability, frequency and quality of teacher leadership roles, support through professional development, and collaboration among teachers compared to school districts that had not yet entered the system. Teachers and administrators also reported the system had improved instruction, teacher satisfaction and professional climate.
The interim report, conducted by American Institutes of Research (AIR), concluded it’s too soon to determine how the teacher leadership system is impacting student achievement. This is because the benefits of the support structures put in place for teachers may not yet be apparent. A data analysis – focused only on the 39 districts in their second year of implementation during the 2015-16 school year – showed students improved slightly less on state assessments than their counterparts in other Iowa school districts.
“Iowa’s teacher leadership system is about supporting the complex work of teaching so that teachers can do their best work, which will position students to do their best work,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said. “The investment we’ve made in Iowa’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System will have a lasting return over the long term. This interim report shows we’re heading in the right direction and, at the same time, a lot of work lies ahead.”
To read more, visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website.
Last week Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced he’s seeking input from Iowans on a draft of proposed statewide social studies standards for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Wise announced an online survey open through Jan. 9 and public forums in January to seek feedback on the draft standards.
The draft represents the first statewide effort to update Iowa’s social studies standards, which were adopted in 2008. Iowa’s academic standards are the subject of ongoing review as part of the Governor’s Executive Order 83.
The proposed social studies standards were written earlier this year by a team of Iowa educators and leaders. The draft standards are now subject to review by the Social Studies Standards Review Team, which will take into consideration public feedback. The team’s final recommendations are expected to go to the State Board of Education in the spring.
The online survey is available at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RLVQ52P
Iowans also can provide feedback at three public forums. The local forum is:
Jan. 9, 2016
4:30 to 6 p.m.
Heartland AEA, Johnston REC
Room 152B
Jan. 13 Wellness Lunch and Learn w/ Mosaic
Come learn how Mosaic creates lives of possibilities for adults with intellectual disabilities in Central Iowa. You will hear stories told by the people who know Mosaic best—the people they serve, their families and volunteers—in order to share their mission, vision and passion for those being served. Lunch will be provided.
Jan 13, 2017
11:30 a.m.
Johnston REC
Conference Rooms 107A/B
There is limited space, so register today.
You can also join via Zoom. The session will also be recorded and posted on the Healthy Express site.
Are You Stressing Less?
The Stressless Challenge began on Dec. 5. How are you doing?
Stress can have surprising effects on overall health, from the way we think and feel, to the way we eat and behave. There are lots of ways stress can affect you, but you can have a major effect on your stress, too. Taking as little as 5 minutes for yourself to unwind each day can make a difference. There are lots of ways to relieve stress—what works for you is what’s important. Try stretching, meditating or doing something you enjoy.
Your Balancing Life Checklist
Feel like the day-to-day grind has taken control of your life? Get your balance back! Try these steps.
- Schedule a date with a bath or good book. Keep it, just like you would a business appointment.
- Trade services with friends. Offer to do things you enjoy or were planning to do anyway.
- Say "no thanks" to activities that sap energy but don't help your personal or professional life.
- Combine tasks. For example, fill prescriptions where you buy groceries.
- Set priorities, then work through your list in order of importance.
- Outsource chores. Hire a teenager to mow your lawn. Have groceries delivered.
- Plan one fun activity a week. It gives you something to look forward to!
- Set boundaries. Practice saying no.
- Turn off the TV. Resist the urge to watch the late show and go to bed.
- Set your alarm earlier and avoid the morning rush.
- Work exercise into your day. Take a walk at lunch, use the stairs instead of the elevator or add a gym-time reminder to your calendar.
- Live in the moment. If you’re playing with your kids, forget about work deadlines!
It appears that the new Kabel migration is finally complete and employees should be able to access flex medical, dependent care and/or HRA accounts. In order to access, you will have had to create a new account since the migration began. If you haven’t yet done this, here are the steps:
- To setup your online account go to the Kabel Online system.
- Under "Existing User?" Your Username name will be: First Name Initial, Last Name, Last 4 Digits of Social Security number
- Your first time password will be: changeit
- For example: Name: John Doe Social Security number: 123-45-6789. Username will be: JDoe6789
- You can access your account information online 24/7.
With their new online system, Kabel rolled out a new app. You can view your account information and upload claims. You can download it by searching for "KBSFlex" in either the App Store or Google Play.
Holidays can be an opportunity to celebrate the values you cherish and the people you love. But they can also add to your stress. At a traditionally joyous time of year, you may have many extra tasks and events that need to be squeezed into an already tight schedule. You might find yourself trying to do the impossible in a short amount of time, on a limited budget and with conflicting demands. Check out the article on holiday stress on the LifeWorks EAP site to read about reducing time stress, financial stress and family stress and other ways to manage holiday stress.
Website: heartlandaea.lifeworks.com
Username: heartlandaea
Password: lifeworks
The agenda for the Dec. 13, 2016 Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting is now available. Note that the regular meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m., and there will be no work session this month.
