Year: 2014

Given low usage and costs associated with upgrading technology, the ICN equipment has been removed from the Clear Lake Office. This is consistent with trends across the state although ICN access is still available through Clear Lake High School, Mason City Newman as well as three sites at North Iowa Area Community College. The room has been converted to a dedicated Polycom meeting space and renamed “Room E” with the former Room E (the smaller room down the hall from the administrative offices) becoming open work space.

An email is going around with the subject “URGENT AND IMPORTANT” and asks you to click on a link. This is a “phishing” scam that pretends to give you a link to a Google document, but in reality it is a link that sends you to a fake Google Site that asks you to enter your email address and email password (claiming you need to login with your account credentials in order to “access Google Drive” to “see the document”).

What really happens, is that you unknowingly give away your account username and password, allowing scammers to simply login and take over your account, sending further email (phishing for more accounts) to everyone in your account’s contact list/address book.

Phishing scams sometimes appear to come from someone you know, or from a reputable business, such as a bank, PayPal, Ebay etc. AEA 267 takes measures to block such email, but our most important line of defense is you, so if an email asks for a username or password, or just doesn’t seem right, it most likely is not. Simply deleting it and not clicking on the link is the most prudent action you can take. If you are unsure of the authenticity of the email but think it may be legitimate, contact the sender and ask them if they sent it. If you think you may have given away your account credentials, please notify our AEA technology staff and change your account password right away.

While the online searchable schools directory (including labels) is current and accessible, the hard copy of the Ed Directory is still being printed. The directory will be distributed to AEA 267 staff members within the next two weeks. Questions? Contact Lori Thomas.

The AEA Contact Manager system will be current with updated educator contact information by the end of the month. (Use your email login/password to access.) Remember that this system is a great tool to target email messages to specific groups of teachers served by our agency. Need help? Contact Beth Strike.

Are you in need of a business card? A new interactive order form is now available on the staff website (remember to use your email login and password to access) under Communications & Technology>Communications Guides & Templates>Business Card Print Order. Please be sure to include the billing code for your department when placing your order!

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met Wednesday, September 3 at 6 p.m. in the AEA 267 Cedar Falls Conference Center for their regular meeting. During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review regarding the Accreditation (Site Visit) Report from Dr. Jon McKenzie.
• Removed Item #5, the approval of the 2013-14 Certified Annual Report (CAR) for submission to the Iowa Department of Education due to a technical problem with the uploading tool.
• Appointed Richard Vande Kieft as the AEA 267 delegate and Dr. George North as the alternate to the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Delegate Assembly to be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. David Giese was appointed Legislative Action Network (LAN) representative for the next IASB state convention.
• Approved all consent agenda items.
• Approved an agreement with Charlson Physical Therapy for 2014-15.
• Approved the E-rate Management agreement with Let Me Help You With That, LLC for 2014-15.
• Approved a lease agreement for 2014-15 with Hampton-Dumont CSD for office space.
• Approved a lease agreement with Lutheran Services in Iowa, Inc for shelter classroom space for 2014-15.
• Approved the 2014 Iowa AEA legislative priorities.
• Held a discussion regarding the sale of the Eldora office, approved the resolution and set a public hearing date.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

The AEA 267 Foundation meeting was held immediately following the regular board meeting.

Nearly 130 staff members were recognized during the August Sector meetings for their years of service to children, families and educators served by the agency. Staff members receiving recognition included those staff members who had reached five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35-year milestones. Although each individual recognized deserves congratulations, special recognition goes to our 40-year employees including Judy Moser, Janice Dykstra, Catherine Edwards, Rick Pearce, Georgine Myles, and Joanne Broadston.

A complete list of employees who were recognized is available on the staff website under Sector Resources and 2014 Sector Meetings. (Remember to use your email login and password to access the staff website.)

Congratulations to all!

Nearly 40 new AEA 267 staff members took part in this year’s New Employee Orientation which was held on August 8 at the AEA 267 Cedar Falls Conference Center. Dr. Roark Horn and Kathy Enslin, along with other central office support representatives, helped welcome new team members and orient them to the agency and our work.

All of us remember what it was like to be “new” to the organization. As you go about your daily work, please reach out to any of the following new staff members you may come in contact with and help them to become better acquainted with the agency.

• Whitney Aldrich, Teacher of Mental Disabilities/Severe & Profound (River Hills)
• Jason Andersen, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Pinecrest Center)
• Jennifer Anderson, Special Education Consultant (East Sector)
• Elizabeth Ascherl, Speech-Language Pathologist (NW Sector)
• Jeromiah Bliss, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Bremwood)
• Wendi Coen-Ward, Sector Administrative Secretary (Charles City)
• Stephanie Collins, Special Education Consultant (South Sector)
• Michelle Cowell, Instructional Technology Consultant (Cedar Falls)
• Suzie (Doris) Cuellar, Educational Assistant (State Training School)
• James Fineran, Teacher of Mental Disabilities/Severe & Profound (River Hills)
• Patricia Foster, Consultant for Reading/Language Arts (Cedar Falls)
• Brooke Foster, Educational Assistant (River Hills)
• Kelly Gallagher, Consultant for School Improvement (Cedar Falls)
• Kara Graves, Detention Center Teacher (Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center)
• Shannon Graves, Educational Assistant (Pinecrest Center)
• Michelle Haberman, Early Childhood Consultant (Clear Lake)
• Christopher Hamilton, Art Teacher (Bremwood)
• Angela Harvey, Audiologist (Clear Lake)
• Molly Johansen, School Psychologist (NW Sector)
• Jeremiah Johnson, Math Teacher (Bremwood)
• Jodie Klatt, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Pinecrest Center)
• Jennifer Kluesner, Educational Assistant (Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center)
• Hannah Korcuska, School Psychologist (East Sector)
• Ann Lasher, Special Education Consultant (NE Sector)
• Jenna Nasheim, Physical Therapist (NW Sector)
• Sara Nickel, Consultant for School Improvement (Marshalltown)
• Sara O’Brien, Audiologist (Cedar Falls)
• Audrey Putz, School Social Worker (East Sector)
• Corey Rogers, Consultant for School Improvement (Cedar Falls)
• Alayna Schutte, Assessment Intern (Cedar Falls)
• Jessica Sexe, Speech-Language Pathologist (South Sector)
• Kara Slagle, Speech-Language Pathologist (South Sector)
• JR (Scott) Trembly, Special Education Technology Specialist (Cedar Falls)
• Craig Tubbs, Educational Assistant (Pinecrest Center)
• David Valdez, Physical Education Teacher (River Hills)
• Diane Volkman, Special Education Consultant (South Sector)
• Jennifer Waterman, School Psychologist (NE Sector)
• Kami Wenzel, School Psychologist (NW Sector)
• Sara Wiley, Speech-Language Pathologist (NW Sector)
• Amy Williams, Technology Services Coordinator (Marshalltown)
• Dawn Williams, Special Education Consultant (NW Sector)
• Blake Yanda, Educational Assistant (Bremwood)

AEA 267 Educational Services consultants Barb Shafer, Terry Boezinger, Patty Foster, Heather Gould, Shaelynn Farnsworth, and Drinda Williams are leading a major effort to implement a groundbreaking approach to supporting students in reading and writing. Known as ‘the workshop model,” the approach has proven a successful model to improve core instruction in reading and writing.

“This is the right time because the focus now is on addressing core instruction and creating a framework in which teachers can provide levels of support to all students,” said Drinda Williams. “This model really lends itself to the multi-tiered system of support.”

The workshop model is a structured instructional framework. To start, the teacher provides a 10-15 minute “mini-lesson”that has a focused teaching point. At the end of the mini-lesson students engage in a brief guided practice to try out their learning under close teacher supervision. Next there is independent practice, when students apply their learning to their own work–whether that be reading “just right” books they have selected, or as they write on topics of their own choosing. During this independent practice time, the teacher confers with students and provides additional teaching to those who need more support. Finally, students have an opportunity to share their learning.

Currently, seven schools/districts have been selected to participate in a pilot including Central Springs, Aplington-Parkersburg, Orchard Hill Elementary & Holmes Jr. High in Cedar Falls, Grundy-Center, East Marshall and West Marshall. Each of the seven were selected based on a readiness survey and overall goals in literacy. Two teachers from each building or district will receive on-going training and weekly coaching during the first semester of the year. During second semester, these model classroom teachers will also begin learning more about how to be coaches and change agents in their schools. Next yearthese teachers will serve as model classrooms and they will work with AEA consultants to train others in the school to realize the promise of system change.

“My greatest hope is that this changes a school building, moving them to best practices in a cohesive way,” said Williams. “This is not a shotgun approach where we just spill the professional development  out and hope a few get it. It’s got to be a systems change and student-centered.”

A huge thank you to everyone for participation in the August Sector meetings held August 11-14! It was great to reconnect, learn together and prepare for the school year ahead. Photos from the week will be available to view on the AEA 267 Facebook page in the near future.