Year: 2009

Again this year, Iowa’s Area Education Agency system will be represented by a booth at the Iowa State Fair in the (air conditioned!) Varied Industries Building. The booth was a huge success last year garnering thousands of visitors.

This year, AEA 267 will be asked to staff the booth on the first day of the fair, August 13. Each volunteer will receive a free pass, AEA logo shirt as well as parking and mileage reimbursement. Shifts are in four hour increments. Interested? Contact Beth Strike, AEA 267 Communication Specialist by June 1.

U.S. Cellular & Verizon offer all public employees, including AEA staff, a discount on a personal phone plan. Information about U.S. Cellular can be found at http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/ART/49ad49d988b41

For Verizon details, click http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/ART/47960c9067fcc

If you have problems, please contact the people listed on the Website.  These discounts are made available thanks to the Iowa Educator Consortium, an initiative of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.

Congratulations to Helen Hinders, Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School; Krista State, CAL Elementary of Latimer; and Larry Thompson, Four Oaks in Mason City for being the three winners for this year’s AEA 267 Outstanding Paraeducator Award!

In order to honor the hard work and dedication of the paraeducators employed by the schools within Area Education Agency 267 (AEA 267), the agency Paraeducator Advisory Committee honors three paraeducators with an award.  The paraeducator must demonstrate the following characteristics in order to qualify as a nominee:

• efficiency and initiative in the performance of work as a paraeducator
• significant personal and/or professional gains
• enhance the overall image of paraeducators in AEA 267; and
• positively impact the student(s) with whom he/she works on a daily basis.

A working committee of AEA 267 InfoTech staff members have been developing a system-wide plan for providing and supporting emerging technology tools for staff.  Support for tools such as videoconferencing from your computer, blogging, podcasting, and use of a discussion board is being developed.  More information related to accessing and training opportunities will be shared by the end of May.

Even though there are obvious connections to the schools, families and educators we serve, the initial focus will be on building our own internal capacity. For more information contact Jerry Schnabel, AEA 267 InfoTech Director.

Starting April 1, school students and K-12 educators (including AEAs) will have access to software discounts of up to 85% with the new Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) Software Store powered by Journey Education. Partnerships with Microsoft, Adobe, NUANCE and Inspiration have been made that allow us to extend fantastic discounts to Iowa K-12 students, teachers and school and AEA staff.  In addition, thousands of other software programs as well as computer hardware, books, bags and more are available at discounted prices.

Journey Education products can be ordered online or by calling 800.874.9001. Any product ordered will be shipped directly to the customer’s home.

Pricing examples:

• Microsoft Office Standard 2007 – Retail $399, IEC Price $59.98
• Microsoft Office Professional 2007 – Retail $499, IEC Price $89.98
• Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Standard K-12 – Retail $1,399, IEC Price $219.98
• Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium – Retail $1,699, IEC Price $319.98
• Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred 10.0 Student/Teacher Edition – Retail $99, IEC Price $49.98
• Inspiration Kidspiration 3 Student Single – IEC Price $29.98

Questions? Contact Deb Culp, AEA 267 InfoTech Administrative Assistant.

Linda Martin, AEA 267 Consultant for Curriculum, was recently elected to the State Coordinator Advisory Committee for We The People: The Citizen and the Constitution for 2009-2011. Congratulations, Linda!

Well over 2,000 local educators have already responded to the annual Department of Education Customer Feedback Survey, which closes on April 9. The survey provides local educators across the state with an opportunity to provide feedback about the quality of AEA services they receive.

“We set a goal this year of getting at least 2,000 responses,” said Dr. Dean Meier, chief administrator. “With a response this great we can have confidence in the results and act accordingly.” The agency serves about 5,000 educators, which means over 25% of them responded–a respectable rate in the social science world.

The results of the survey will be analyzed over the coming months once the survey has closed. Data will be shared with staff via a variety of formats.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors held a joint meeting with the boards from North Iowa Area Community College, Hawkeye Community College, and Iowa Valley Community College from on April 1, 2009 at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls. An overview of AEA 267 programs and services, as well as celebrations and challenges, was presented. The community colleges shared highlights from their respective colleges.

The Board reconvened at 7:15 p.m. in the AEA 267 office in Iowa Falls for their regular meeting.

During the regular meeting, the board:

• Toured the Iowa Falls sector office facilities.

• Accepted with regret the resignation of Angela Fitch, School Psychologist (Independence Middle School); Jessica Uhlenhopp, Teacher of Mental Disabilities, Severe & Profound (River Hills); Deb Kenyon-Thom, Youth Shelter Teacher (Black Hawk Co Youth Shelter); Katie McClurg, Speech-Language Pathologist (Roosevelt Elem, Mason City); and Tiffany Orosco, Speech-Language Pathologist (Charles City). Retirement notices were also accepted including that of Margaret Dunlap, Special Education Consultant (Charles City) and Jean M. Ebert, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education (SE Elementary, Waverly) both effective at the end of the 2008-09 school year.
• Motioned approval to hire Lorri Mehmen, Teacher of Mental Disabilities, Severe & Profound (River Hills).
• Approved the second reading of the following board policies:

701.1  Public and Media comment
701.2  Media Coverage of Board Meetings
702.2  Public Complaints
801.1  Information and Technology Services

• Renewed the lease agreement with North Iowa Community Action for the Charles City office.
• Approved a bid for a school bus to serve the AEA 267 instructional programs.
• Approved a renewal agreement with the Iowa School Cash Anticipation Program (ISCAP). Since 1985, the Iowa School Cash Anticipation Program (ISCAP) has allowed Iowa school corporations to pool their temporary cash flow borrowing needs in a safe, cost-effective program. Temporary cash flow deficits for Iowa school corporations happen for a variety of reasons, including uneven distribution of property tax collections. ISCAP allows schools to cooperatively issue warrant certificates to finance cash flow deficits until revenues from property taxes and state foundation aid are received. When ISCAP funds are not being used, they are invested in a guaranteed investment contract.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.