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
I am sharing a blog post recently made by our colleague at Northwest AEA, chief administrator Tim Grieves. His comments caused me to think about my own observations regarding what has/has not been a priority this legislative session in Iowa. I've been open about my concern over some of the actions I've observed, and I'm convinced, now more than ever, is the time to speak up and take action based on values that I believe are critical to helping all children thrive.
What values are important to you? Do the basic values of equity, efficiency and effectiveness (the basis for the formation of Iowa’s AEAs) resonate with you? Personally, these values are what provide meaning for my daily work and are the means through which I try to improve resources and services for all of Iowa’s children.
I encourage you to reflect on your own values and the reason they are important to you. At a time when it may not feel like we have influence at an individual level, each of us can invest time in sharing our passion and the purpose behind the work we do. When we take action to help others understand not only what we do every day, but why we do the work we do, I’m convinced that we will influence policy decisions in the long term.
As the 2017 Iowa legislative session enters its final weeks, I hope you will consider actions you can take now and continue over the next several months to share your passion. You have incredible stories to tell about the tremendous ways you support educators, families and children on a daily basis. Let’s make sure those around us have an opportunity to hear about the challenges, the successes and the ways your work changes the lives of those you serve. It will also change the lives of those around you for the better!
With appreciation and admiration for your work,
Paula
The April 2017 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
The April 2017 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education is now available. A child who is on the autism spectrum frequently feels disconnected from his peers. So what happens when you put his peers in charge of teaching social skills? Great things. Check out what one school is doing in this issue of Each and Every Child.
The Heartland AEA Board of Directors has approved a total package increase of 2.75% for Classified Non-Union staff. Employment notifications will be available soon via your Employee Dashboard. You will receive an email with instructions regarding how to view and print your notification as soon as they are available. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at ext. 14534.
Our annual benefit enrollment is open to all full-time and 96-day employees from April 1 through April 30, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. for the 2017-18 year benefit year, which begins July 1, 2017. Full-time employees may enroll in health and dental insurance and medical flex spending plans, while part-time staff (96-day) may enroll in the medical flex spending plan. (Note: This enrollment period is not for enrollment in the dependent care plan, which is done in November.) We will need your enrollment selections even if you choose not to make any changes to your benefits for next year. This is the time that you can add and/or drop family members to your health and dental plans without a life event or change of status. You can also change your health insurance deductible at this time.
Enrollment can be completed through the Employee Online tab on the Employee Dashboard. If you are having trouble enrolling, log out of the Dashboard and log in before you start the enrollment process. You can also use the enrollment instructions document, which also includes how to print off your benefit statement.
During our annual benefit enrollment, employees who didn’t opt for additional life insurance coverage through VOYA can also enroll. Complete the enrollment form and submit it to Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist. Existing employees who are enrolling for the first time will be required to fill out an Evidence of Insurability form. Existing employees who are already enrolled but who want to increase their coverage may also do so at this time. Existing employees may increase their coverage, but if they choose to increase it over $10,000, they will be required to fill out an Evidence of Insurability form. Enrollment will be during April but will be effective on July 1, 2017.
If you have any questions, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, at ext. 14315.
We hope you’re all hitting the sack and participating in the Seize the Zzzzzs challenge! Remember to login to the Wellmark website to record your activity. The challenge ends on April 9.
Did you know that going 18 hours without sleep can result in cognitive impairments similar to individuals with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .05%? That means pulling an all-nighter can be the equivalent of consuming 1-2 cocktails in an hour. Eek!
We want to remind you about the Doctor On Demand service that was added as a new benefit to our Wellmark health insurance plan as of January 2017. Some of you have used the program, and we want to remind everyone that this benefit is there for you and you family. Doctor On Demand doctors will now also treat mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Remember Doctor On Demand is a virtual visit platform that connects you to a board-certified physician by live video on your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can also get prescriptions instantly sent to your nearest pharmacy. If you are covered by Wellmark health insurance through Heartland AEA, your cost for using Doctor On Demand is an office visit copay.
Doctor On Demand treats:
- Mental health issues (including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, eating disorders, smoking cessation or alcohol dependence)
- Colds and flu
- Allergies
- Skin and eye issues
- Sore throat
- Pediatric issues
- Bronchitis and sinus infections
-
Urinary tract infections
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Prescriptions
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.
Here is a short summary of services used by Heartland AEA members in January and February 2017:
- 30 members registered
- 14 medical visits incurred
- Top 5 symptoms: Sore throat, cough, congestion/sinus problem, nasal discharge, fatigue or weakness
- % resulted in a prescription: 71%
- Average member rating 4.9 out of 5.0
If you have any questions, contact Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist at ext. 14315.
It’s that time of year again—time to sign up to be a mentor for the 2017-18 school year! As a mentor, you share your time and expertise to welcome and support new employees as they join our Heartland AEA team. Mentoring is a personally and professionally fulfilling experience that also helps the Agency retain great employees. Note that this program is for mentors and mentees who are Certified Union staff members.
Mentors provide 15 hours of one-on-one coaching and support for their mentee, are provided with mentorship training and in return will receive a $1,000 (gross) payment and the personal satisfaction of knowing that you’ve made a difference in the career of your mentee. If you are currently a mentor and would like to continue your involvement next year, please remember that you will need to re-apply.
All you have to do is register is fill out the Mentoring Application. Deadline to apply is April 12, 2017. After receiving applications, more information will be provided to mentors for next year’s program.
The Mentor Program Guide is available on the Intranet > Human Resources > Mentoring Program Guide.
LifeWorks provides information on hundreds of topics, even about how to write a will.
David Rivers, an attorney and legal consultant at LifeWorks, provides information about writing a will, including:
- Understanding basic terms
- Basic requirements for writing a will
- Things to consider when writing a will
- Changing your will
- Do you need to hire a lawyer?
Website: heartlandaea.lifeworks.com
Username: heartlandaea
Password: lifeworks
Each year, both the U.S. Congress and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recognize April as National 911 Education Month. In Iowa, the month-long campaign is aimed at helping Iowans of all ages recognize the importance of 911 and the role they play in ensuring effective and efficient emergency response in times of crisis. As consumers utilize new communications technologies and devices, 911 education takes on an increased importance. Another reason for 911 education is that as people get older, they tend to forget how and when to use 911.
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 and John Pederson.
