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
The Agency is looking forward to a third year of employee engagement through staff presentations at our All-Staff Meeting!
Save Sept. 28, 2018 on your calendar for a “most of the day” meeting that will again feature an afternoon of presentations from YOU! This year, we’ve decided to take a little different approach. The feedback you provided says you enjoy learning from your colleagues, but you want more flexibility in presentation format. So this year, you’ll have the opportunity to present in any format you’d like that fits within a 20-minute time slot. (Good, right?!?)
Some ideas to consider:
- PechaKucha or Ignite Talk: Maybe you liked the PechaKucha format and want to try it again. Go for it! Remember a PechaKucha includes 20 images shown for 20 seconds each for a total presentation of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Images – not words! Ignite sessions are even shorter with slides rotating every 15 seconds for a total of 5 minutes.
- TED Talk: Maybe you want to try a TED Talk-style presentation? Give it a shot! TED Talks are generally up to 18 minutes long and are just that—a talk—no other “stuff.” Get up there and tell us a great story!
- Your Choice: You need a little more time to explain some important points, you can do that. Having a little extra time might be a perfect solution!
Here are some quick tips for a great presentation!
How to Submit a Proposal
If you or a team of your co-workers are interested in presenting, complete this presentation proposal by June 15, 2018.
When planning your presentation, think about whether it reflects, educates, touches on or celebrates areas that we’ve emphasized as an organization, such as:
- Core Values: Caring - Proactive - Collaborative
- 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.
- Goals: Increase learning growth, Decrease gaps in achievement, Increase annual graduation rates, Increase post-secondary gateways
- Wellness: Heartland AEA’s Five Elements of Wellness: Career, Community, Financial, Social, Physical
Topics can be almost anything that is inspiring within our work throughout the Agency as well as personal topics that don’t fall too far outside the wellness/volunteering categories.
This approach to learning during our All-Staff meeting gives us a unique opportunity to feel the pulse of the Agency in just a few hours, to celebrate together, learn together and get re-connected. These presentations showcase your expertise, your passion and your innovation. So don’t be shy—show your work, make an impact! Submit your presentation application by June 15, 2018!
If you have any questions, contact the Communications Department.
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| Sara Mercer |
The Agency is pleased to announce that Sara Mercer has been named the new Heartland AEA Special Education Supervisor. Sara has been working in education for 24 years, with 14 of those at Heartland AEA. She is currently serving the Agency in an agency-wide special education support role in which she supports Child Find, disproportionality, IEP training, general support to regional directors and staff on special education issues and Medicaid.
Prior to this position, Sara was a team leader and program assistant for special education, as well as a school psychologist at the Agency. She brings extensive experience in the classroom, having taught both elementary and middle school students who have behavioral disorders.
Sara has also held leadership positions in the Agency’s professional learning redesign efforts for the Child Find cadre and has led the IEP cadre in the design and delivery of training for both AEA and school district staff. She has also lead and coordinated numerous other projects at the Agency.
Sara earned both her bachelor of arts degree in education/special education and her education specialist degree in school psychology from the University of Nebraska. She holds a Professional Service Administrator Endorsement from Drake University.
Sara will begin her new role on July 2, 2018.
Effective July 1, 2018, the IPERS contribution rates for employees and employers will increase as mandated by law. For employees, the rate will increase from 5.95% to 6.29%, and for employers, the rate will increase from 8.93% to 9.44%.
This change will be reflected beginning with your July 13th paycheck. The rate change will increase employee contributions by $3.40 per pay period for each $1,000 of wages, and the employer’s contribution will increase by $5.10 per pay period for each $1,000 of wages.
If you have any questions about this change, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist at ext. 14908.
As you know, Heartland AEA’s 403(b) (tax sheltered annuity) program is part of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services’ Retirement Investors’ Club (RIC). Beginning July 1, 2018, RIC has added six new investment providers: AXA Equitable, EFS Advisors, GWN Securities, National Life Group, Security Benefit and TCG Administrators. These new providers are in addition to the existing providers of Horace Mann, MassMutual, VALIC and Voya.
It's important to note there are some key differences between the existing providers and the new providers. The current providers (Horace Mann, MassMutual, VALIC, Voya) have been vetted through a stringent request for proposal process. In addition, the providers and their underlying investments are reviewed annually by RIC and an outside investment consultant to determine fund performance and objectives, management stability and fund diversity. Additionally, RIC has negotiated lower fees and expenses on behalf of participants, and there are no sales charges, annual contract fees, fund transfer fees or restrictions/penalties for eligible distributions and exchanges between the providers.
The new providers being added July 1, 2018, have not been subjected to the same vetting process. Rather, the providers have met a few basic requirements to participate in RIC. There are no restrictions on the administrative fees/sales commissions that may be charged. Financial consultants may be inclined to sell investments with these new providers because the consultants receive higher sales commissions from them.
This At-A-Glance document gives you a high-level summary of all the 403(b) investment providers. If you are interested in using one of the new investment providers, you will need to complete a 403(b) Salary Reduction Form for payroll deductions beginning July 1, 2018, as well as open an account with your chosen provider. If you’d like to learn more about the 403(b) program, visit the RIC’s website.
If you have any questions, contact Steve Jordan, Senior Payroll Specialist, at ext. 14908.
Last week the U.S. Department of Education approved Iowa’s plan for school accountability and support under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Iowa’s plan reflects a commitment to ensuring every student graduates ready for success in college and in the workplace.
Iowa’s plan builds on bold education improvement efforts underway that align with ESSA requirements, including clear and rigorous standards for what students should know and be able to do, a school accountability system that steers support where and when schools need it most and a structure for professional learning that emphasizes teacher leadership and evidence-based practices. The plan also features unique measures of student engagement, safety and learning environment, as well as postsecondary readiness.
“We have the right roadmap in place for education, and I’m proud of the collaborative spirit with which this plan was developed,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said.
The Iowa Department of Education submitted the state’s ESSA plan in September 2017, following more than a year of development and feedback from stakeholders. The plan was then revised based on feedback from the U.S. Department of Education. Iowa’s final plan is available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website, along with a letter of approval from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and a summary of substantial revisions to Iowa’s plan.
About the Every Student Succeeds Act: ESSA, a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, was signed in 2015 and requires each state to have a plan for implementing the law. ESSA maintains the former No Child Left Behind Act’s focus on school accountability and equity for all students while shifting decision-making back to states and local school districts.
FYI: The Center facilitates networks of stakeholders with a passion for meeting students where they are to co-create rigorous, authentic learning experiences. Visit The Center website for more information and to check out these summer learning opportunities!
First Annual Summer Convening: Creating Schools of the Future, June 19
This summer convening is for teachers, coaches and administrators around the principles of Competency-based Education (CBE). Attend a full day of learning with and from students, teachers, teacher leaders, administrators, AEA consultants, professors and other leaders in education who are collaboratively creating Iowa's learner-centered future! View the conference flyer for more information.
Pilot: Innovation Configuration Map for CBE, July 24
Join Iowa educators to explore how to effectively plan personalized learning pathways for educators and students. This learning experience includes immersion training with the Competency-based Education (CBE) Innovation Configuration (IC) Map Suite, which is aligned to the Characteristics of Effective Instruction and Iowa’s College and Career Ready Outcomes. Pilot teachers, teacher leaders, administrators, consultants and college instructors will design their own learning plan. View the conference flyer for more information.
Remember you are granted up to 4 hours of agency time per fiscal year to do volunteer/community service work. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to represent the Agency as a caring organization and help spread the message of our mission to improve the learning outcomes and well-being of children and youth in central Iowa!
When you volunteer during work hours, remember:
- There must be at least three Heartland AEA staff members (you and at least two other staff) working at the same volunteer opportunity together.
- Staff members are encouraged to wear Heartland AEA-logo clothing or our “Heartland Cares” stickers that were created for this purpose. You can request stickers by contacting the Communications Department. (Please request your stickers so others can see who you are!)
- Of course, you must approve your leave with your supervisor before taking the time off.
- Volunteer leave should be recorded in the Leave Online system as Volunteer Leave.
- Finally, to celebrate your work, take a photo of your group during the volunteer activity and send it to the Communications Department with information about the activity and who was involved.
We’ve had great representation again this year, and we look forward to seeing more of you out before the end of June. Thank you for representing the Agency and serving our communities!
