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
As the Iowa legislature beings its 2017 session, some of you have asked how you can help advocate for Iowa’s AEAs with legislators. Heartland AEA encourages employees to build relationships with legislators all year long and during the session to contact your 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.
It is essential, however, 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.
Suggested Activities
1. Send a message: Send an email or hand written note to the legislators that represent you a couple times per month. Here is a list of state legislators who serve our Heartland AEA area.
a. Week One (Thank them for an action they have taken: this week it could be for their willingness to serve our state).
b. Week Two (Share an example of a need you see related to education/children with your representatives.)
c. Week Three (Share an example of a need you see related to education/children with your senator.)
d. Repeat each month.
2. Attend a legislative forum. Legislators return to their home counties on the weekends to hold legislative forums and hear from constituents from their areas. These forums are the perfect opportunities for you to get to know your elected officials and to talk face-to-face to voice your opinions about issues.
Visit these sites to find dates and locations for weekend forums.
Iowa Senate Democrats Iowa House Democrats
Iowa House Republicans
3. Keep informed: We will begin publishing weekly updates from our AEA lobbyists when the Session begins this week. You are encouraged to read these updates to stay current on what is going on with education issues at the Statehouse.
Key Points
• Equity in education for all children is critical to an educated future workforce. (AEAs are an efficient and effective means of providing equity in Iowa [insert your own story about how your work contributes to efficiency and/or student learning.])
• Many children face barriers to learning such as living in poverty, coming to school hungry, in need of English language support, in need of mental health services, experiencing personal or family crisis, need for specialized instruction, etc. (AEA services support children, families and staff in schools to overcome these barriers [provide examples from your work.])
Staff Handbook Guidance
Section 14:6 of the Staff Handbook “Political Activity” provides 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 or need access to additional advocacy resources, please contact your supervisor.
The Jan. 2017 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
Welcome to your first issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education in the new year! We asked you last year what you thought of your paras and, boy, did you tell us! We received over 800 emails -- far too many to include. However, we did include a few. And, on the last page of this newsletter is a poster with even more of your comments.
Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise last week announced that the first draft of Iowa’s state plan for meeting requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act is now available for public comment through an online feedback survey as well as a two-week statewide tour that Department leaders will kick off on Jan. 9.
“We have spent several months collecting feedback from Iowans about what they think student success should look like in our state, and this first draft is a critical step in the process of implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act,” Wise said. “I want to emphasize that this draft is not our final plan, and we need broad input from education stakeholders to guide our revisions so that we ultimately submit a final plan that makes sense for Iowa.”
Wise and other department leaders have sought input on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) through 13 public forums in 2016, a state advisory committee, focus groups with education advocates, education work teams focused on specific components of ESSA and written comments.
Iowans are invited to give feedback on the first draft of Iowa’s ESSA plan in the online feedback survey, which is open through Feb. 15, or in person during the statewide information tour from Jan. 9-19. A meeting schedule is available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website. Feedback also can be submitted via email at ESSA@iowa.gov or by mail: Iowa Department of Education, Attn: Deputy Director David Tilly/ESSA Feedback, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
Comments will be considered in a revised draft of Iowa’s ESSA plan, which is expected in May.
About the Every Student Succeeds Act: ESSA is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This update, which received bipartisan support in Congress and was signed by the President in 2015, replaces the No Child Left Behind Act and will be fully implemented in the 2017-18 school year. ESSA maintains a focus on transparency and accountability while returning more authority to states and local school districts to set goals and create systems of support that will improve student learning. Under ESSA, Iowa and other states must develop state plans that address academic standards, assessments, school and district accountability, funding, and support for struggling schools.
As was announced in December regional meetings….
Get the care you need when and where you need it with a new benefit of your health insurance.
It’s called Doctor On Demand. It’s a virtual visit platform that connects you to a board-certified physician by live video on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
If you are covered by Wellmark health insurance through Heartland AEA, your cost for using Doctor on Demand is an office visit copay.
No more waiting rooms or travel across town. With Doctor On Demand, you can see and talk to a doctor face-to-face anytime — wherever you are. You can also get prescriptions instantly sent to your nearest pharmacy.
Doctor On Demand treats many common medical conditions:
● Colds and flu
● Allergies
● Skin and eye issues
● Sore throat
● Pediatric issues
● Bronchitis and sinus infections
● Urinary tract infections
● Diarrhea and vomiting
● Prescriptions
Out-of-State Dependents
Also, for employees with dependents out-of-state, if they use the Doctor On Demand, it is still considered In-Network because they will be connected with doctors who are licensed to practice in Iowa and are considered an In-Network doctor under our plan when you use Doctor On Demand.
Meet the Doctors
The doctors at Doctor On Demand are among the best in the country. They go through several screenings and ongoing quality assurance. You can even rate your experience and write a review.
Don’t Delay
Be ready for the unexpected. Log in to myWellmark on your computer to set up your Doctor on Demand account. Then, download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. Learn more at DoctorOnDemand.com.
Wondering what the experience is like?
Check out the Doctor On Demand YouTube channel.
If you have any questions about this new service, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist.
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:
- 77% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck – Bankrate.com
- 30% of Americans have outstanding loans on their 401k’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 offering: Tackling Debt! 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 get out of debt and what to do with your money after you become debt-free. You will also learn about how the credit score is figured and what it means to you.
Feb. 8, 2017
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Johnston REC or via Zoom
Feb. 6, 2017
Register Now
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.
Have you tried to do a search on the new EAP website? If not, give it a try! You'll be surprised by how many topics are covered!
Website: heartlandaea.lifeworks.com
Username: heartlandaea
Password: lifeworks
The agenda for the Jan. 10, 2017 Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting is now available.
Do you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to education and the system of Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs)? Please take a few minutes to nominate this person for recognition by Iowa’s AEAs. This is the inaugural year for the AEA awards -- the Friend of the AEA Award, the E. Robert Stephens Award and the Innovative Creator Award -- which recognize outstanding candidates for their contributions to education and the AEA system.
To submit a nomination, complete this application by Feb. 3, 2017. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination. The nominations will be reviewed by a selected group of AEA personnel in February. Both the nominating individual and those who are selected to be recognized will be notified by March 1. The awards will be presented at the Iowa AEA Boards of Directors’ Conference on March 30-31, 2017 in Des Moines.
More information about the three awards and criteria can be found on the Iowa AEA website.
It’s winter in Iowa, so we all know what that means—snow, slush, sleet and ICE! Our mothers always told us to be careful walking and driving on ice, so please remember her pleas this winter. Falls on the ice are no laughing matter – they can result in serious injury. Change your shoes if need be and take a walking lesson from a penguin.
Safe Walking Tips
• Always take the safest route – avoid short cuts.
• Don’t rush, especially on slippery surfaces or in low light conditions.
• Don’t use your smartphone while walking.
• Walk deliberately on slippery surfaces. Take slow, short, flat-footed steps.
• Wear boots or other slip-resistant footwear.
• Look out for "black ice." Often shows up early in the morning or in areas that are shaded from the sun.
• Use caution when getting in and out of vehicles; use the vehicle for support.
• When entering a building, remove as much snow and water from your boots as you can. Walk carefully on hard-surfaced floors – even if there are no puddles, your outsoles may be wet.
• Avoid carrying items. Keep hands empty and outside of pockets so arms are free to move for stabilization. If you must carry items, use backpacks.
• When walking on steps, always use the hand rail and plant your feet firmly on each step.
