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

Reminder: See You This Friday at Our Annual All-Staff Meeting!

We look forward to a great day of connecting, celebrating and learning from one another, as this is our one opportunity during the year to come together as an entire Heartland AEA staff!

Location  
Holiday Inn Des Moines - Airport

6111 Fleur Drive 
Des Moines, IA



Time  
9 – 3 p.m.

We will again have a morning session, lunch, a Benefits & Wellness Fair and afternoon presentations from agency staff. 

9 – 9:30 a.m. - Registration
9:30 – 11:45 a.m. - General Session
11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Benefits & Wellness Fair, Lunch
1 – 3 p.m. - Staff Presentations

Details 

General Session

In the morning general session, we’ll be inspired by Shelly Vroegh, the 2017 Iowa Teacher of the Year, and we'll hear from agency leaders with a year in review and a look ahead as we enter a new school year. We’ll also have a chance to celebrate successes and honor our years of service award recipients. 

Food & Beverage 
Only coffee and tea will be served in the morning, so please plan to eat breakfast before you arrive. Lunch will consist of a turkey sandwich on a croissant, apple slices, mini carrots and a cookie. Water stations will be available throughout the day if you’d like to bring a water bottle, and an afternoon snack will be served as well. 



Afternoon Staff Presentations

Our afternoon will again be spent learning from one another during staff presentations. This year any kind of presentation is acceptable – whatever fits within a 20-minute timeframe. There are time slots for you to see up to four presentations from your colleagues. 



United Way

We will kick off our annual United Way campaign again this year at the All-Staff meeting. We are counting on you to once again pledge record support to United Way, so they can in turn support communities through education, income and health initiatives! Watch your tables for pledge forms to begin pledging your support on Sept. 28. Everyone (whether you donate to United Way or not) will have the chance to fill out a form to get your name in a drawing for some cold hard cash!



Benefits & Wellness Fair (Including Flu Shots)

The Benefits & Wellness Fair will be held from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Many of our past vendors will again be on hand, including our flu shot nurses! The Fair will be held in the foyer outside of the Iowa Hall, where our general session will be held. A map of the hotel will be available for you at the meeting. If you're interested in getting a flu shot, fill out this consent form and bring it with you to the Fair so you're ready to go! Flu shots will be given in the area behind the registration table during the Benefits Fair.

Benefits & Wellness Fair Participants

Wear Agency Colors

Wear your agency colors – purple or green – and proudly display your Heartland AEA pride! You are welcome to wear typical casual Friday attire and any agency-branded t-shirts you have. 



Fill in the Tables

Please make every attempt to fill the chairs at every table. Please do not move chairs around from table to table, either. We would like to avoid having to scramble to find a place for everyone to sit. 

Parking 
The Holiday Inn has 400 spots on site, however, there is free street parking to the north, south and east, as well as paid parking on the north and south sides of the hotel. We encourage you to carpool to the meeting if possible. Grab some coffee and a donut, take some selfies and put yourself in a good mood for our annual gathering! More information about parking is below. 

Click images to enlarge.

More Reasons to Live United and Consider Donating to United Way at the All-Staff Meeting

Central Iowa LIVES UNITED year-round, but United Way is extra special during the fall, when organizations like ours across the community run campaigns to raise money for the fight—the fight for the health, education and financial stability of all central Iowans. 

Heartland AEA and United Way are so grateful to you for the courage and compassion you’ve shown in the past toward this fight. You are truly an impact-maker for so many central Iowans in need! As a donor or volunteer, or as someone who wants to learn more about United Way’s work, you are joining the effort to ensure that everyone in Central Iowa gets a chance at a quality life. 

So, as you read a few examples below of how United Way has assisted those in need, consider filling out a pledge card at our All-Staff Meeting on Sept. 28. 

Through Health Issue, Syrian Mother Finds New Hope

After surviving war in her home country, battling cancer, and caring for four children as a single mother in a new country, Fadia says she feels like a newborn.

Guiding her to those next steps was Ann Cochran with Dallas County Health Navigators, a United Way-funded partner. Ann first met Fadia as she was ready to turn the page on the many struggles she had faced. With Ann's initial help, Fadia and her children (a son in his 20s, another son in high school, and two daughters in elementary school) are now finding their own path in a new country.

Read more…

A Diploma for Mom

Cecelia Fink wants to be the parent her son, Ezequiel, age 1, looks up to.

Growing up, Cecelia says her mother did drugs and was mean to her and her brothers. She encouraged Cecelia to fight, drink, and do drugs at a young age. Eventually, Cecelia turned to foster care, so she could get her life on track. She continued to make mistakes, and eventually, dropped out of high school.

Read more…

Do a Paycheck Checkup to Ensure You’re Withholding the Right Amount of Federal Income Tax

Last December, the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. In general, the impact of this legislation was to reduce the amount of federal income tax withheld from your paycheck, thus increasing your net pay. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues to ask employers to encourage staff to do a “paycheck checkup” to ensure they are having the correct amount of federal income tax withheld. The IRS notes some of the significant tax law changes were: 

• Increased standard deduction 
• Eliminated personal exemptions 
• Increased Child Tax Credit 
• Limited or discontinued certain deductions 
• Changed the tax rates and brackets 

The IRS suggests taxpayers should check their withholding if you: 

• Are a two-income family 
• Have two or more jobs at the same time or only worked part of the year 
• Claim credits like the Child Tax Credit 
• Have dependents age 17 or older 
• Itemized deductions in 2017 
• Have high income or a complex tax return 
• Had a large tax refund or tax bill for 2017 

The IRS has provided a Withholding Calculator to help taxpayers determine if they are having the correct amount of federal income tax withheld. 

If you need to make a change to your tax withholding, it can be made through the Employee Online tab of your Employee Dashboard. Once in Employee Online, click on “Tax Information” in the left-hand navigation section, click on “Edit” in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, make your changes and click “Save” in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Your change will automatically update the payroll system and will be processed on the next available payroll. 

You can model the impact of a tax withholding change on your paycheck through Employee Online by clicking “What If” under “Pay Check” in the left-hand navigation section. Once there, click “Create Baseline” in the bottom center of the screen (it may take a few seconds to calculate). In the “What If” column, make your withholding changes and click “Submit.” You can see the estimated change in your net pay on the right-hand side of the screen.

Answering Your Questions From the Benefits Survey

As an initial wave of Benefits Surveys is completed, questions and comments are being made in the survey as well. Juliette Houseman, Benefits Specialist, will be taking some time to address a number of those questions in the coming weeks. 

Question or Comment: 

• “To offer eye insurance - only downfall at Heartland.” 
• “Add eye coverage.” 
• “I do wish that vision insurance was available for certified union employees.” 
• “I wish we had routine vision coverage.” 

Answer: 
Typically with vision insurance (e.g., VSP), the only people who enroll are those who need glasses. If you look at the premium cost, it isn't economical for the single employee to purchase vision insurance because the premium usually matches the actual cost of the benefit. It is most beneficial to a family that has many members who need glasses. We hear your feedback about this type of benefit, and please know the Agency continues to consider this option for employees. 

For now, based on potential vision premium costs for our employees based on historical single and family data, the most affordable employee option is to use a Blue Choice optometrist or ophthalmologist for a no-cost annual vision exam through Wellmark. For eyewear expenses, use the EyeMed discount from Delta Dental, along with using your pre-tax Medical Flex Account for out-of-pocket expenses or reimbursement through the HRA plan, if you have an HRA.

Early Notification Incentive Again Offered to Certified Union & Management Staff

Last year Heartland AEA filled 45 vacancies in the Certified Union and Management staff employee groups. It has been to the Agency’s advantage to enter the recruitment cycle as early as possible.  


For 2018-19, the Heartland AEA Board of Directors has again approved an Early Notification Incentive for staff who have a signed contract and who notify Heartland AEA of their intent to not renew their contract for the 2019-20 school year by Dec. 7, 2018. Details are listed below.



Early Notification Incentive Process & Requirements 

• Certified Union and Management staff who do not plan to return to Heartland AEA for the 2019-20 school year submit early notification letters of resignation that are effective at the end of the 2018-19 work year. 
• Early notification letters must be received in the Human Resources Department by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2018. 
• Heartland AEA’s Board of Directors acts on early notification letters no later than the regular meeting on Dec. 11, 2018. 
• Departing staff must fulfill their individual employment contract obligations for the 2018-19 work year. 

Early Notification Incentive 

• A $1,500 early notification incentive will be paid on June 30, 2019, to employees fulfilling these requirements. 

If you have any questions about the early notification incentive, contact Tony Chiaramonte, Director of Human Resources, at ext. 14534.