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

Help the Business Office Close Out the 2020 Fiscal Year

Heartland AEA’s fiscal year will end on June 30, 2020. In order for the Agency to close its books in a timely and accurate manner, the Business Office needs your assistance in returning date-sensitive items. 

Timelines

For payroll-related work completed on or before June 30, turn in timesheets and submit addendum online forms with appropriate approvals to the Payroll Department by July 6, 2020. 

Review open Addendum Online assignments. Close addendum assignments that will not have any additional hours logged. 

For travel, mileage and purchases occurring on or before June 30, turn in claim forms, expense claims, invoices for services or professional learning/travel forms with appropriate approvals to the Business Office by July 10, 2020. 

Do not put dates from two different fiscal years on the same timesheet, vacation request or in-area travel form. In-area travel forms with two fiscal years will be returned for correction. 

IMPORTANT: If extenuating circumstances cause a delay in submitting expenses related to fiscal year 2020, Aug. 31, 2020, is the last date the Business Office will accept and process any claims for expenses occurring on or before June 30, 2020.    

If you have any questions, contact Brian Whalen, Business Manager, at ext. 14005 or Heng Fongkhamdeng, Accountant, at ext. 14417. Thank you for your assistance!

Staff on Summer Break Asked to Check Email Once a Week

As many of you are transitioning to summer break, the Heartland AEA leadership team asks that staff who have time off during the summer check their agency email at least once a week during June, July and August.  






The Agency relies heavily on email to communicate valuable agency and regional messages and timely responses are oftentimes requested. If you have any questions about this request, contact your supervisor.

Set Your Out-of-Office Messages If You Will Be Gone for the Summer

If you are off contract for the summer months, we ask that you set your out-of-office messages accordingly. 

 





Change Gmail Vacation Responder (Out-of-Office Message) (sample below)
 



Thank you for contacting Heartland AEA. I will be off contract from June *** until Aug. ***, 2020. I will return your message as soon as I can. If you need immediate assistance, contact *****. Thank you. 

 




Change Voicemail Greeting to Unavailable (sample below) 




Thank you for calling Heartland AEA. You have reached Sally Smith. I am currently off contract from June *** until Aug. ***, 2020. Please leave a message, and I will return your call when I am back on contract. If you need immediate assistance, contact ******. Thank you. 


 





Tip: If you want to change your voicemail greeting from your home phone or cell phone, you may do so by calling either (515) 270-0405 or (515) 473-7450 and pressing # when you begin to hear the greeting. This gets you into your voicemail, and you can then follow the prompts to access your messages, change your voicemail greeting or set it to out-of-office. Please be mindful not to refer a caller to another staff member who is also scheduled to be out of the office. Check with that person to make sure they will be available and aware that you are forwarding calls to them during your absence.

If You Haven’t Done So, Take a Minute to Update Your Email Signature

We let you know a couple of months ago about the Agency’s updated email signature. If you haven’t updated your signature yet, please take a minute to do so. 

You just need to copy and paste the template into your own email and adjust the information as needed. Don’t forget to add your own extension number. 

If you happen to get an error message when trying to update your signature: 

• When copying the signature in the Google Doc template, highlight from the bottom to the top. 
• In Gmail in Settings where you will paste the new signature, completely delete the existing signature (Command + A will select all) before pasting the new one. 

The preferred font is Arial; however, some staff members are seeing the font in Times New Roman. To change the font, after you have pasted your new email signature into Gmail, highlight the text and from the font dropdown in the toolbar choose "Sans Serif."

June 2020 School Leader Update Available

The June 2020 issue of the School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education.

Iowa Receives $26.2 Million in Emergency Education Relief to Expand Broadband Access

Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced last week that the state of Iowa has received $26.2 million in federal relief to ensure education continues for students of all ages impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iowa’s grant is part of the nearly $3 billion Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The GEER fund allows governors to determine how to best meet the needs of students in public and non-public schools, postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations.

Better enabling remote learning for K-12 and postsecondary students is the goal of Iowa’s GEER application. It focuses on providing and expanding broadband access and improving access to technology in other ways. That could include providing Wi-Fi hotspots and devices. Funding also may be used to offer professional development related to remote learning to educators in school districts and non-public schools as well as in public and private colleges and universities.

“Rapidly expanding and improving broadband access is essential for our state’s future,” said Gov. Reynolds. “As we have seen with a pandemic and an ever-changing economy, learning must continue beyond the classroom. These resources will equip Iowa schools and educators to pave a pathway for student success in the growing digital classroom and future workplace.”

“Superintendents told us better connectivity is what they need most to provide high-quality learning for all students during the pandemic,” said Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo. “We have students without access to the technology they need and Iowa’s GEER grant is an important step toward solving that problem. I am so proud of the work school leaders and teachers are doing, and that we can help support it in this way.”

The Iowa Department of Education in collaboration with the State Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is conducting a statewide survey regarding barriers Iowans face to remote learning, including broadband access. The household survey targets families with K-12 students but also asks about college students. The intent is to prioritize areas of the state with the greatest need based on the survey results.

These GEER funds are in addition to the $71.6 million Iowa received in federal relief for PK-12 schools through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund within the CARES Act. The Iowa Department of Education will provide more information soon about how the GEER funding will be allocated.

Wellmark Medical Cost Share Extended Until Aug. 31, 2020

Wellmark will cover your cost-share for COVID-19 testing, virtual visits (Doctor on Demand) and telehealth visits through Aug. 31, 2020. Those coverages were originally available through June but have been extended. Read this flyer for more information and why virtual visits are so important during this pandemic. 

Continue to page 2 for information about Doctor on Demand where you conduct video visits from home with a board-certified health care provider on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Use these guides to get you and your covered family members started.

June 2020 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda Available

The agenda for the June 9, 2020, Heartland AEA Board of Directors meeting is available.