Changes in Professional Learning for the Agency

The process to request funds to support professional learning is changing for the 2010-2011 school year. It is being incorporated into a larger effort to enhance professional learning opportunities for Heartland staff.

Last winter and spring, during Heartland Education Association (HEA) contract negotiations, a group of Heartland staff and leaders led by Nola Bond, Director of Human Resources, and Jude Richardson, Shelter Care Consultant and chief negotiator for the HEA, participated in a Kaizen process to examine the Agency’s current professional learning practices. Initially the focus was on how to request funds for professional learning for certified staff that included travel or fees paid outside the Agency, but it quickly took on a broader effort.

This group made recommendations for an agency-wide committee to be established to develop and guide a process that involves each workgroup more directly in making decisions about professional development needs and how funds are used to support them. The Agency Professional Learning Committee was established with membership decided by the HEA Collaboration Team. The group met for the first time in June and will meet throughout the summer.

In the meantime, we want to update everyone on the status of the $225 Professional Development Allotment. With the recommendation of the Kaizen group, the HEA Agreement for 2010 included new language about professional learning. The $225 allotment to each certified staff member was eliminated and replaced with new language that outlines an allocation process to agency-wide, workgroup and individuals that aligns to the Agency’s needs for professional learning and development.

Requests approved prior to the finalization of the contract were honored. After June 30, 2010 there is no longer an allotment available on an individual basis for certified staff members to request funds to support professional learning. If an individual did not use his or her allotment during the 2009-10 fiscal year, the funds will be incorporated into the Agency budget for professional learning for 2010-11. Part of the work of the Agency Professional Learning Committee will be to work with the Business Office to determine a percentage of the overall budget for professional learning that will be allotted to agency-wide professional learning as well as the amount allotted to each workgroup.

More information will be provided over the next month as the Professional Learning Committee works on the development of a process for the Agency. Here is the group’s projected timeline:

By the end of July:
- Develop common terms and definitions related to the vision and mission for professional learning and leadership.
- Establish roles and responsibilities for workgroup facilitators and supervisors.
- Develop a template and planning process for workgroups.

By the end of August:
- Finalize budget for agency-wide professional development and each workgroup.
- Establish procedures for workgroup and individual requests.
- Provide information at regional meetings for common understanding of new processes.

By the end of September:
- Initial approval of workgroup plans.

The members of the Professional Learning Committee:

• Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning & Leadership
• Nola Bond, Director of Human Resources
• Teresa Bellinghausen, Consultant, Teaching and Learning, Secondary Education
• Sarah Brown, Program Assistant for Internal Professional Development
• Gwen Hoffman, Special Education Clerk
• Rod Howell, Data Processing Operations Manager
• Gilmara Mitchell, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant - Cultural Competence
• John Richardson, Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant - Positive Behavior Supports
• Barb Thompson, School Psychologist
• Kristi Upah, Assistant Director of Innovation & Accountability
• Dave Wood, Partnership Director

This is a wonderful opportunity for our agency to improve our professional learning process, align it to the needs of the Agency and increase opportunities for all workgroups to have input into how their professional learning needs are met. Please watch future issues of The Connection for more information.

Save the Date for “Becoming a Learning School” Conference

The featured presenter at this conference, to be held October 14-15, 2010, will be Joellen Killion, author and Executive Director of the National Staff Development Council.

The “Becoming a Learning School Conference” will provide tools and processes to address school-based learning teams.

• If you don’t have one – this is how to get it started.
• If you have one – this is how to measure actions against a standard and work toward improvement.
• Look for specific connections to Iowa Core teams!

Registration information will be posted in the near future on the Iowa Staff Development Council website at www.iasdc.org.

Staff Space

New Employees
Faye Allen (Physical Therapist/JO)
Theresa Barkey (Special Education Consultant/KN)
Alicia Beckendorf (School Psychologist/CA)
Kelly Boon (Substitute Shelter Care Educational Program Teacher/PCDC)
Vicki Castle (Occupational Therapist/KN)
Christine Esser (Special Education Consultant/JO)
Kathyrn Felton (Special Education Consultant/JO)
Sara Gearin (School Psychologist/JO)
Nicole Healy (School Psychologist/AM)
Robin Heuser (School Psychologist/NE)
Sally Huddle (Special Education Consultant/JO)
Lindsey Hudson (Speech-Language Pathologist/KN)
Maura Kenworthy (Audiologist/JO)
Mollie Payne (School Psychologist/AD)
Lindsey Schaefer (Shelter Care Educational Program Teacher/QM)
Michelle Smith (Payroll Specialist/JO)
Karla Socarras (Speech-Language Pathologist/KN)
Julie Soukup (School Psychologist/AD)
Jennifer Woodruff (Physical Therapist/CA)

Position Changes
Natalie Welter to Early Childhood Consultant from Early Childhood Special Education Consultant

Rehired Retirees
Peggy Van Kirk (Substitute Shelter Care Educational Program Teacher/PCDC)

Name Changes
Anne-Michelle Pedersen from Anne-Michelle Altena

Births
Congratulations to Jane Trueblood (Regional Secretary/AM) on the birth of her granddaughter, Layla Jane McConnell. Layla was born June 24 and weighed 8 lbs, 9 oz. and was 20 inches long. She was welcomed home to Urbandale by parents Sarah and Lance McConnell and big sisters Ava and Ella.

Belated congratulations to Sol Rajch (Graphic Designer/JO) and her husband, Inigo, on the birth of their first child, a daughter named Catalina. She was born on May 11 and weighed 7 lbs, 14 oz. and was 20 inches long.

August Birthdays
1 Kim Thuente
2 Bryce Chidester
2 Marilyn Goertel-Breen
2 Andrea Richmond
4 Linda Moehring
5 Christine Esser
5 Meghan Rupiper
6 Diane Niederhauser
6 Sarah Weider
7 Jennifer Etnyre
10 Jean Vesely
11 Kristi Allison
11 Candice Gravett
11 Thanh Le
12 Mary Cabeen
12 Martea Engelson
12 Jodi Hart
13 Teri Hazen
13 Hope Johnson
13 Kelly Ward
14 Brenda Fisher
14 Carla Grasty
14 Patty Shelton
15 Bob Brown
15 Carol Kuhn
15 Amy Pickering
17 Brenda Pierce
17 Rhonda Weiss
18 Cindy Ballard
18 Kris Larsen
18 Jennifer Riedemann
21 Shannon Harken
21 Linda McAtee
22 Sheri Haupert
22 Liz Uhl
23 Lisa Lumbard
24 Jessica Pottebaum
24 Jennifer Sumner
25 Vicki Sanders
25 Anita Westerhaus
26 Faye Allen
26 Kathy Clubb
26 Stephaney Jones-Vo
27 Tim Blakeslee
27 Sandy Darveau
27 Linda Wegner
28 Kristin Orton
29 Mary Heaberlin
29 Robin Heuser
30 Lesley Stucker
31 Christine Gaukel
31 Sharon Kurns

September Birthdays
1 Megan Stroud
1 Megan Weaver
2 Shelley Payne
3 Suzanne Howard
5 Shannon Jensen
6 Tiffanie Almeida
6 Charlie Johnson

Johnston Regional Education Center Update

We’d like to again provide you with an update on the status of our agency facility in Johnston.

As you may recall, in January 2009 the Heartland Board of Directors passed a resolution allowing for improvements to be made to the Johnston 6500 Office (Johnston Regional Education Center). Those safety and health improvements included new carpeting, updated restrooms and a new heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system. Improvements were also to be made to the building to make services more accessible to clients and to align the building with the definitions of the new Regional Education Center model, including more space for professional development classes. Click here to see the proposed layout of the building.

This winter the Johnston REC Planning Committee submitted its layout recommendations to the REC Committee and Executive Council for approval. The recommendations were accepted and remodeling plans and specifications were presented for approval to the Board at its June 2010 meeting. At that meeting the Board requested that a study be done to determine the feasibility of installing a geothermal heating and cooling system at the Johnston REC instead of a new conventional system. A study was completed and presented at the July board meeting. The study results indicate that the geothermal system has significant cost savings over a 25-year life cycle than conventional heating and cooling systems. Unfortunately, the budget parameters of the 6500 capital project preclude the installation of a geothermal system during Phase I.

Taking into consideration the study findings, the Board approved a modification to the original Phase I plans and specifications to keep the building’s current boiler system, improve ductwork and a return air system to upgrade the existing HVAC system. These improvements will increase efficiency and comfort levels for staff until a geothermal system is installed during Phase II of remodeling.

The Board passed a resolution to move forward with Phase I of the remodeling project to improve safety and healthy concerns and enhance service delivery. The resolution calls for a tentative start date of Phase II remodeling to be in the summer of 2014 when safety and health concerns will be completed, the building layout will be further improved and a geothermal system will be a primary project.

The tentative start date for Phase I construction has been pushed back due to the time needed to complete the geothermal study. Construction is now slated to begin in October 2010 and be completed in February 2011. The budget for Phase I remodeling is still set at $1.5 million and will be funded through a lease purchase agreement.

Thank you for your patience as we’ve moved through the process to improve the Johnston REC. If you have any questions, please contact Steve Prall at ext. 14423 or spall@aea11.k12.ia.us.

July 2010 Board of Directors Meeting Recap

The Heartland Board of Directors held its regular monthly meeting on July 13, 2010.

Public Forum
No one was present to speak at the public forum.

Discussion Items
Johnston Regional Education Center Plans and Specifications
Ms. Sheila King and Mr. Steve Prall provided an update on the Johnston Regional Education Center (REC) plans and specifications. At the June Board meeting, the Board requested that a geothermal study be completed. FRK Architects completed the study and found that a geothermal system for the building would cost $1,197,600 with a payback period of 10 years. The estimated cost includes $67,900 worth of rebates. The cost of a new VAV system was estimated at $1,058,500 with $42,100 worth of rebates.

Mr. Prall recommended modifying the mechanical plan that was proposed at the June board meeting. The revised plan would keep the current boiler system, improve the ductwork and return air systems, upgrade the control system to gain efficiency and make modifications to capitalize on return investment when the Agency is ready for Phase II of the building’s remodel. It will also honor the work done by stakeholders in the last 18 months including the print shop relocation and installation of the chillers and sound booth.

Phase II construction would begin in the summer of 2014, allowing time for analysis of the Johnston REC usage and functions to make further renovations aligned to service delivery needs and infrastructure service life issues. It would also allow the incorporation of a geothermal system.

Newton Regional Education Center Update
Mr. Prall provided an update on the Newton Regional Education Center. Negotiations with the Newton Community School District have gone well, and he has had a chance to tour Emerson Hough Elementary School and talk with architects about layout and design. He also met with Newton school board members last week who were supportive of the Agency’s desire to lease a portion of the building. A lease agreement is currently being finalized and should be ready for approval at the August board meeting.

Board Policy 419 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct/Whistleblower
Ms. Nola Bond provided a revised first version of Board Policy 419 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct. The policy was updated based on recommendations from the June meeting to include language changes about who should be notified when there is a complaint. It also provides specific follow-up after an investigation has been conducted. Board members will have a second reading of the policy at the August meeting.

Chief Administrator Comments
Dr. Paula Vincent thanked the Board and staff members for the work in her transition to the Agency. She has been amazed by the preparation done to make her transition successful. She expressed her delight to be at Heartland and continues to learn more about the Agency.

Changes to Region 7 Partnership Director Coverage

Region 7 partnership director Steve Johns has chosen to take a position with the Des Moines Public Schools as the assistant principal/athletic director at North High School. This position will allow Steve to once again work directly with students, teachers and families. After carefully evaluating this vacancy, we have made the decision not to fill the position, and we have a plan to cover the Region 7 partnership director’s work for the 2010-2011 school year. Many factors were considered in this decision including enrollment trends, time of year to find a replacement, budget outlook and delivery of agency services.

For the 2010-2011 year, Region 7 will remain intact as a region being served from the Ames office. District support and staff supervision responsibilities will be assigned to three current partnership directors. Region 5 partnership director Charlie Johnson will be working with Nevada, Region 6 partnership director Nina Rasmusson will add Colo-Nesco and Roland-Story to her group of schools and Region 8 partnership director Nikki Roorda will be working with Collins-Maxwell. We are still in the process of confirming which partnership directors will supervise specific Region 7 staff members.

Once again, thank you for your patience as we worked through this decision-making process and now as we implement it. Please contact Sheila King at sking@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14386 if you have any questions.

Agency Staff Changes in Early Childhood

Beginning in July, Natalie Welter has assumed the agency-wide Early Childhood Consultant responsibilities formerly held by Cathy Eddy. In addition, Brianna Sayre-Geiser is joining the team as an agency-wide Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant for Early Childhood. Natalie and Brianna will be working closely together to provide leadership and professional development to early childhood staff, practitioners, administrators and the PLLC team for topics related to young children and quality preschool programming. Please feel free to contact Natalie, Brianna Jerry Gruba or Wendy Robinson with any questions or requests you or our districts have related to preschool programs.

Google Web Search Appliance Coming Soon

The Agency’s Google search appliance will be made operational in the coming weeks. The Google search appliance will be used to index our website and allow for quick, accurate keyword searches across our web site. During this transition, the website CMS (Content Management System) may be inaccessible for brief periods of time during the week. Please be patient as we test and implement this important feature on our website. Please contact Joshua Burke, Web Manager, at ext. 14619 if you have any questions.