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
APC is working with Dr. Jon Sheldahl, incoming chief administrator, to support the Agency's many administrative transitions. Functions previously performed by Dr. Cindy Yelick will be filled by several agency administrators.
- Randy Allison, a former 18-year Heartland AEA staff member, with experience as the Supervisor of Psychological Services and as the Director of Special Education, will serve as acting Director of Special Education for the 2017-18 school year. Randy will attend APC meetings and have dedicated office space in Johnston.
- Dr. Sheldahl will provide oversight and supervision for the Human Resources Department and will represent the Agency in AEA system functions.
- Kevin Fangman, Chief Academic Officer, will provide oversight and supervision for all regional directors.
Susie Bentley has been hired as the Regional Director in Region 3 to fill the vacancy created when Martha Condon was hired as the Director of Professional Learning. Susie will begin this position in mid-July and will serve the Indianola, Martensdale-St. Marys, Norwalk, Pleasantville and Southeast Warren Schools in addition to collaborating with Dave Wood to support Region 3.
Susie has been at Heartland AEA since August 2016 as a Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant in Region 8 and brings prior experience as the Director of Teaching & Learning and the Director of Special Education at North Polk Schools. She has also served as a secondary instructional coach at Prairie Ridge Middle School in Ankeny and as a secondary classroom teacher in the Ankeny and Southeast Polk Schools. Susie holds an Ed.S. degree in educational leadership from Drake University, a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Northern Iowa and a bachelor’s degree in English secondary education from Iowa State University.
Please join us in welcoming staff to these positions.
This video celebrates the results of the Denison Culture Survey that staff completed during the 2016-17 school year and the combined progress that our agency has made around culture over the past five years. Each year the survey has been completed, our results have shown that as an agency we are paying attention to culture and are making a concerted effort to improve “the way things are done around here.” We’ll hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch this video, celebrate our progress and continue to join in the conversation about how we can continue to improve.
From the Iowa Department of Education: This message contains time sensitive information about the transition away from Iowa TIER.
Watch for info on training dates coming soon
We know that summertime is a tough time to communicate. We hope to have information on training dates for using the FAST application ready to share with you sometime this week.
Iowa TIER end dates and final tasks
As mentioned in a previous email, access to Iowa TIER is ending. All testing functionality is already discontinued. Access to Iowa TIER will end permanently on June 30. Prior to that time, we encourage downloading the most recent literacy status report and exporting all PM graphs in order to have ready access to information to assist with starting the new school year. Click this link to access the previous email message content, including directions for downloading reports.
Leave Iowa TIER SIF agent on
In July someone will be contacting your school to set the SIF agent up to communicate with the FAST application. In the meantime, do not turn off the Iowa TIER SIF agent.
New review of approved assessments
The most recent review of assessments approved for 279.68 has been posted. We will be asking for confirmation on default assessment selections for all schools again this fall. Details will be sent when we are ready for that information.
Communications
Please share information about the transition from Iowa TIER to the FAST application with your staff and ensure that all building teams have been alerted to the information above. We have a very limited window of time to accomplish system setup and training, and it is critical that all sites are informed. Make sure that someone is able to watch for further communications during the summer months and pass information to others as needed.
Thanks for your support during this transition. We know it will be a summer and fall of new learning but believe we are all headed in the right direction for learners in Iowa. We remain committed to our efforts in early literacy as a state, and partnering with you as we continue on that journey together. Throughout this transition, the Department will continue to be the first line of communication and support for districts. We ask that you do not use the Iowa TIER knowledge base or ticket system for questions or comments related to this transition.
Beginning immediately, any internal applicants (current Heartland AEA staff) requesting a transfer or position change will need to apply through the Applitrack system, which is the application system external candidates use to apply for positions at the Agency. If you've been hired within the past two years, you should already have an Applitrack username and password, and your information should be saved in the system. If not, you’ll need to create a username and password in order to apply for internal positions.
You'll want to upload a cover letter for each position you are applying for, and you may need to fill out the application with experience and education initially, but you won't need to do so for subsequent applications. You also won't need to upload letters of reference, transcripts or a resume unless requested. You will still be able to find open positions each week in the Career Opportunities email, as well as on the Internal Positions tab on the Employee Dashboard. If you have any questions, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at ext. 14534.
Q: What is the debit card?
A: The debit card is a VISA card that has been pre-loaded with your annual contribution amount toward your FSA. The card provides the ease and convenience of not having to pay expenses out-of-pocket and seek reimbursement manually by submitting a claim form.
Q: Which accounts can I use the debit card for?
A: The debit card can be used for FSA expenses only and is not available for use for the HRA or Dependent Care plans.
Q: Can I use my debit card to pay expenses for daycare?
A: No, the debit card is not configured to work for daycare charges.
Q: I enrolled in an FSA account, and I receive HRA dollars from Heartland AEA. How will it work when I use my debit card for expenses?
A: 121 Benefits has set up Heartland AEA’s benefits plans so that if you have both an FSA and an HRA, any claims will first be deducted from the FSA in order to use up the account balance first, then any remaining claims will be deducted from the HRA. However, if you use the debit card for an expense that is larger than the balance remaining in your FSA, the card will decline unless you advise the merchant to swipe it for the amount remaining in the account. Then, pay the remainder with another method of payment and file a claim with 121 Benefits for reimbursement from your HRA.
Q: If I have only enrolled in Dependent Care or only receive dollars in my HRA, will I receive a set of debit cards?
A: No, you will only receive debit cards if you have enrolled in FSA.
Q: What if I do not use the debit card? What is the timing of claims and reimbursement when I file a claim online, through the app or on paper?
A: When you file a claim online, through the app or via hard copy, your claim is processed by a customer service representative. If 121 Benefits receives your completed claim before noon on Friday, you will receive reimbursement for that claim via check or direct deposit (your choice) on the following Friday.
Q: If I choose check as my payment method, when can I expect my check to arrive?
A: Checks are mailed out on Wednesday or Thursday, meaning you should receive your reimbursement check on Friday.
Q: How about direct deposit?
A: Direct deposit for reimbursements post to your account mid to late morning on Fridays.
Q: How do I check to see if my claim has been approved and will be paid?
A: You can manage your account by logging in, signing up for text alerts, contacting customer service at 1-800-300-1672, etc. Check out the Consumer Portal Quickstart Guide available to you under the forms tab once you log in. It is a handy tool that shows how to file claims, enter bank information and many other things.
You can now login and set up your account information with 121 Benefits!
Go to the 121 Benefits website,
and at the top of the page, find the “Account Access” box. Hover over
the box and click the link for “Participant title - Select FSA - HRA -
HSA login” and use the "Existing User?" box.
Enter your PEID # using a lower case “e” in both Username and Password.
(You can find your PEID # by going to the Employee Online tab of the
Employee Dashboard and selecting Pay Stub on the left hand side of the
screen in the blue column. Select a paycheck, and you can find the
number at the top of your pay check - e.g. E00001.)
You will be
prompted to answer security questions, and then you will set up your
user information, and if you want, your banking information as well. (We
weren't sure if you would be able to set up your banking information
online, so that's why we previously told you about the direct deposit
form. You don't need to provide the information online and on the form
-- just one or the other.)
If you set up your account prior
to July 1, you will not have any balance information to view, but you
can get everything set up and ready to go.
Now that chief administrator Paula Vincent has been presented with the surprise cookbook that many of you contributed to, we can share the book—Recipes From the HEARTland AEA—with you as well. We hope you enjoy some of your co-workers’ favorite recipes, too!
There have been a few updates made to the Summer 2017 van route sheet.
