Author: Beth Strike

Earlier this year, the Iowa Department of Education commissioned two independent reports with regard to the Iowa Assessments, which schools are required by Iowa Code to administer for accountability purposes.

The objective of these reports was twofold:

1. To determine the level of alignment between our Iowa Core standards and the reading and math portions of the Iowa Assessments in grades 3-8, 10 and 11.

2. To set performance standards for the Iowa Assessments at each grade level to indicate students’ college and career readiness.

Data Recognition Corporation was chosen through a competitive-bidding process to complete these reports: Iowa Assessments Standard Setting Technical Report  and Iowa Report on Math and Reading. While the purpose of these reports was to comply with U.S. Department of Education requirements, it was hoped that the reports would add context to an ongoing discussion around the future of accountability testing in Iowa.

Iowa’s students and schools deserve a high-quality accountability assessment that is aligned to our statewide standards. This is critical not only in our efforts to determine whether schools are meeting Adequate Yearly Progress targets under the federal No Child Left Behind law, but also in our efforts to improve our education system.

We are pleased to welcome Bryan Burton to our board as the representative for Director District 8 serving Waterloo. Bryan is an Engagement Lead for the Blue Zones Project in Cedar Falls. He and his wife and three children live in Waterloo. He is very active on a number of boards. Look for more information about Bryan in an upcoming edition of Intersections!

Every five years, the agency participates in an accreditation site visit facilitated by the Iowa Department of Education. The site visit serves as an opportunity to ensure that AEA standards for service are being met and that progress is being made toward goals. The agency’s site visit will be held on April 22-24, 2014. In the coming months, staff members directly involved with providing service in the agency’s core work areas may be asked to participate in the visit through structured interviews. In the meantime, if you are responsible for a core work write-up, please ensure that it is complete! We hope to put our best foot forward during the site visit process and showcase the incredible work being done on behalf of children by our staff and those we serve! For more information, contact Dr. Jon McKenzie.

Iowa’s AEAs are teaming up to provide a series of mini-webinars this year.  A shout-out to all AEA technology integration consultants who are providing leadership and making this happen! These short sessions will run at various times throughout several days this year and will cover the topics around themes: English Language Arts, STEM, Digital Learning Day: Resources for MTSS/RtI, iPads. The Hangouts on Air will only be 10-20 minutes and run throughout the day. Visit the website to check out the hangout schedule and dates! The hangouts will be recorded and posted on the page with resources so if you can’t attend live you can always go back and watch later.

The AEA 267 Human Resources office continues to receive questions concerning cell phone use and reimbursement for staff members.   AEA 267 employees have several options when considering cell phone use involving agency business.  Options that employees may consider would include the following:

1. Purchase a Track Phone.  Most track phones cost $105 for 1000 minutes.  We have several employees who are utilizing this option and all seem to feel this is a good option for them.  Since the agency reimburses employees $10 per month for cell phones, this reimbursement should cover the cost of the phones.  This option gives the employee a working cell phone number that is agency specific and allows personal cell phone numbers to remain private.   Employees with questions on Track phones, may contact Dr. Jerry Schnabel for more details.
2. Google Voice.  Google Voice is a web-based communication platform for linking multiple phones to a single phone number.  Specific instructions for securing a Google Voice account can be secured from the Info Tech Department or for additional help, please visit the Google Voice Help Section.
3. Add another line to your existing phone plan.  Several cell phone providers offer family packages with cellular phone contracts.  Most cell phone companies contacted indicated an additional line would cost approximately $10 per month.  This additional line would have a cell phone number different from your personal cell number.  The advantage of this option would be that you could use the same phone for work and for personal use.  Again, the agency reimburses employees $10 per month for cell phone use.  This should cover the cost of the additional line.
4. NQ Call Blocker.  I am not very familiar with this cell phone option, but it was discussed during the Labor and Management meeting this month.  This is a free service application that can be downloaded to your smart phone from the Internet.

Please don’t forget that Verizon, U.S. Cellular and AT&T all offer “Educator Discounts” for cell phones.  These discounts vary from 18% to 20% savings on your monthly bill.  For more information on the “Educator Discount”, please contact your cell phone provider.  Some of the providers require an annual registration to maintain the discount.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met November 6, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the AEA 267 Cedar Falls Conference Center for their regular meeting. During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review showcasing InfoTech efforts to use webinars to provide professional development for teachers around text complexity and online resources. The program was presented by Cheryl Carruthers and Jane Frizzell.

• Following a second reading, approved board policies:

  • 507.1-Student Wellness

  • 401.31-Employee Background Checks

• Heard a first reading of board policies:

  • 401.5-Physical Examinations and Fitness

  • Reviewed the 100 and 200 series of board policies

• Approved the Educator Quality Committee members.

• Approved the AEA 267 Advisory Committee members.

• Approved the Title III grant agreement for 2013-14 with the Iowa Department of Education.

• Approved the contract with Dr. Ann Mausbach for Align the Design professional learning.

• Approved the reciprocal transportation agreements between the following school districts:

  • Central Springs and RRMR

  • Clear Lake and West Fork

  • Mason City and Central Springs

  • Mason City and Clear Lake

  • Mason City and RRMR

  • Mason City and West Fork

  • Osage and RRMR

  • Osage and St. Ansgar

• Tabled the consideration of bids for the purchase of media vans.

• Approved the agreement with Hampton-Dumont CSD for the Ladders to Learning program for 2013-14.

• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Please be sure that you have read and are familiar with agency policy regarding the use of agency equipment (including technology) for personal use. Although we typically have few problems stemming from the violation of this policy, it’s important to stay familiar with it and aware of daily actions that may be in violation. Questions? Contact Kathy Enslin.

Wapsie Valley CSD was recently recognized by KWWL-TV for their implementation of PBIS and the Olweus Bullying Prevention program. The story featured the tremendous progress the district has made due, in large part, to support provided by AEA 267 staff members.

For more information about PBIS or Olweus, please visit the AEA 267 Learning Supports website.

River Hills School held their annual open house on Thursday, October 3. The event was a huge success with students and their families, friends and staff enjoying a fun night of fellowship and great food. The highlight of the evening was the students’ pumpkin decorating contest.

Each classroom created a decorated masterpiece to proudly display in the front lobby of the school. There were scary pumpkins, funny pumpkins and even a Papa Smurf pumpkin!

What a talented and creative group of students!

As you may know, staff members in our Information & Technology service area have been reviewing three and five year trends in how we deliver materials to the classroom. Physical delivery of materials has gone down 39% in the past five years; with a total of 90,000 items shipped from the lending library last year. Two million items were accessed or downloaded electronically this past year, which is an increase of 43% in the last three years.

Given the undeniable trend toward digital delivery of classroom materials, it has become apparent that we could better serve our schools by spending more resources on enhancing digital services and fewer resources on van delivery by moving to weekly physical delivery of materials. Thus, beginning the week of October 21, AEA 267 will move to once a week van delivery to our school buildings.

The new van delivery schedules for our school buildings have been posted to our GetMedia web page.

Two school districts have exceptions to the once-a-week delivery. The Cedar Falls CSD has a contract with our print/production services that requires a daily pick-up of materials and the Waterloo CSD buildings will receive media items 3 times a week.

For more information about this transition, or to provide feedback, please contact Dr. Jerry Schnabel, AEA 267 Director of Information & Technology.

As you work through your first time submitting mileage and expense reimbursements in the new Infinite Visions system, you may experience some frustrations if you haven’t taken time to review the screencast or written instructions provided within the portal. Please take a few minutes to use these important resources to assist you in the process. If you find that it would be helpful to have someone personally walk you through the process, please contact any administrative secretary, Cindy Fry or Sarah Brown in the Business Office.

Please be aware of a recent change to the email addresses of Heartland AEA staff members. The protocol for email is now first initial, last name @heartlandaea.org.

You may wish to make changes to contacts from Heartland AEA in your email address book.

As you use the Infinite Visions system to submit leaves, mileage/expense reimbursements and to access other tools and resources, please be sure to double-check your personal information and make any necessary updates. Use the “My Personal Information” menu within the system.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met October 2, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the AEA 267 Clear Lake office for their regular meeting. During the meeting, board members were recognized for their dedicated service to AEA 267 this past year. The board then adjourned the final meeting of the 2012-13 Board of Directors.

Immediately following, the board called to order their first meeting of 2013-14 during which time the board:

• Elected Charlotte Upah as President and Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson as Vice President and Kerri Wilson administered the oath of office for all members.
• Appointed Kerri Wilson as board secretary and Dave Nicholson as board treasurer and administered the oath of office to each.
• Heard a program review from Dave Nicholson, AEA 267’s Director of Finance, regarding a financial update and the final Certified Annual Report.
• Set meeting dates and times for the 2013-14 board meetings. Meetings will be held the first Wednesday of each month with the exceptions of December 2013, January and August 2014, which will be held the second Wednesday.
• Approved appointments to the AEA Legislative Committee, the AEA Executive Committee, the AEA Audit Committee, the IEC Committee, and the IAEP Committee.
• Approved Wells Fargo Bank as the depository bank and established financial limits.
• Appointed Steve Weidner as legal counsel for 2013-14.
• Approved reciprocal transportation agreements for the following school districts:
  1. Clear Lake and Forest City
  2. Clear Lake and Ventura
  3. Central Springs and Osage.
• Approved an agreement with Marshalltown Community Schools for assistance with the Ladders to Learning program for 2013-14.
• Approved a contract with Waste Management for services at the Clear Lake office.
• Approved the first reading of the following board policies:
  1. 507.1-Student Wellness
  2. 401.3-Employee Background Checks
• Approved a contract with Solution Tree for RtI Coaching Academy.
• Tabled a request to accept bids and approve the purchase of Media vans.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and board members.

(The following message is shared as a courtesy to the United Way. Pledge consideration is completely optional.)

United Way is changing lives of children, seniors, families and individuals in our community. By focusing on education, income and health—the building blocks for a good quality of life—United Way is making this a better community for us all.

Data tells us the investments United Way is making in our community are working. Thanks to your donation, families are more stable, teen pregnancies are down and child abuse has decreased. But the work is not done. United Way wants to do better, and you can help.

By giving what you can, you can change our future, and make our community better. Please give. You can do so online with your local United Way. There you will also be able to find information on your local United Way and its funded partners and programs, as well as other ways you can be involved in making your community stronger.

• Cedar Valley United Way
• Marshalltown United Way
• United Way of North Central Iowa (Mason City)
• Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way