March “Hall of Fame” winners pictured with Sam Miller (L to R) Chad Pinkston, Cindy Baker & Barb Schroeder
Congratulations to Barb Schroeder, Cindy Baker, and Chad Pinkston, our latest Hall of Fame Award Honorees!
Barb Schroeder, Administrative Assistant to Service Area Director Ed. Services is based out of the Cedar Falls office. Prior to joining AEA 267 in 1987, Barb attended Hawkeye Tech and worked as a circulation manager for a magazine publication in Grundy Center.
Barb’s days range from assisting the Educational Services staff with many day-to-day tasks to organizing and planning a wide variety of meetings, trainings, and student events. She focuses on building relationships with staff members and letting them know she is here to support them in any way she can.
Finding humor and being thankful every day is Barb’s motto and her co-workers tell us it shows in every aspect of her work and is what makes her a “rock star.”
Cindy Baker, Special Education Technology Specialist began her career with the agency in 1979 as part of Northern Trails AEA, working in the Mason City satellite office as a special education secretary. She eventually became a systems manager before moving into her current position in 2014.
Serving as the primary contact for the AEA web IEP and IMS systems for the Northeast and Northwest Sectors, Cindy’s day-to-day responsibilities involve working directly with AEA staff, LEA staff, and administrators in troubleshooting problems with the web IEP/IMS systems. Her biggest reward each day is the feeling that she is a part of the big picture in furthering the agency’s mission to improve student learning.
Cindy believes the key to working in education is to be patient and stay flexible, as she never knows what each day will bring. That belief has paid off for Cindy — after 37 years, she has kept her positive attitude and is greatly admired by both her co-workers and those she serves.
Chad Pinkston, Site Superintendent/School Psychologist received his degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and began his career with AEA 267 in 2004 as a psychology intern.
Chad wears many different hats at AEA 267, serving as a school psychologist, team representative for the south region, a member of the Crisis Response Team, and site superintendent for the Marshalltown office. His days are varied and consist of ensuring that operations run smoothly in the Marshalltown office, developing and supporting behavior intervention plans, assisting with secondary transition compliance, and being available to respond to crisis situations that might arise within the districts we serve.
Chad told us it is not hard to stay positive and dedicated to our mission each day because he is truly grateful to have the opportunity to serve kids, parents, and educators. Those who work with Chad describe him as a dedicated, effective leader who treats everyone with respect and appreciation.
Please join us in congratulating these three outstanding team members!
Do you work with someone you consider to be the best-of-the-best? Submit your nominations for the the AEA 267 “Hall of Fame” recognition program. All nominations will remain on file for consideration during future months.