Boens Named to Director of Special Programs Position

Heartland AEA is pleased to announce that Dr. Jadie (Meyer) Boens will be the new Director of Special Programs at the Agency. She will oversee our Shelter Care Educational Program classrooms (Rosedale, Youth Emergency Services & Shelter, Polk County Detention Center and prisons), STRIVE, STRIVE Academy and the therapeutic classrooms within the Agency, and she will provide leadership and support for our social, emotional, behavior and mental health programming. 

Jadie brings a broad set of experiences both in districts and in the AEA system to Heartland AEA. She is currently the Director of Special Education and Student Services for the Mason City Community Schools, where she has had responsibility for the district’s special education programs, provided site administration for two district special programs, lead the district’s efforts for MTSS for behavioral services and coordinated the district's at-risk programs, including support of school counselors, district social workers and district behavior interventionists. 

Prior to her time in Mason City, Jadie worked at Mississippi Bend AEA as a sector coordinator and Great Prairie AEA as a regional special education director. She’s also served in two districts in the Heartland AEA service area: Urbandale Community Schools as the special education coordinator and the Des Moines Public Schools as an educational program coordinator and special education teacher. She earned a Ph.D. in educational administration from Capella University, a master’s degree in special education from Drake University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Iowa. 

Jadie will join Heartland AEA on July 2, 2018.