Category: Uncategorized

The popularity of Google Sites has lead to an increase in sites authored by AEA 267 staff. The agency now has approved AEA 267 Google Sites Guidelines to ensure the appropriate use of this great tool both internally and with those we serve. Please review the guidelines and ensure that you understand them if you are a Google Sites user. Questions? Please contact Deb Versteeg, Digital Teaching and Learning Coordinator.

Please make special note to let Gus Delamore, Lead Maintenance, and Dyan Johnson, HR Secretary/Central Services Receptionist, know if you are cancelling a room you had previously reserved on the AEA 267 Cedar Falls campus, if the cancellation is within three days of the event. This will help to avoid unnecessary room setup and preserve the efforts of our custodial staff.

Copyright has become an important topic in recent years–especially for educators! A helpful guidebook has been created with answers to your most frequent questions.

As the date of our all-staff kick-off meeting quickly approaches, please be aware of some final details to ensure a successful day. We are looking forward to seeing you!

• Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Coffee, water and light snacks will be available in the lobby. Lunch will be provided.
• Parking at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the UNI campus is limited. Please reference the information on parking before venturing to Cedar Falls. (Watch for signs!)
• Those that signed up for agency-sponsored transportation have been notified via email regarding departure times and locations. Please check your email if this applies to you. The transportation sign-up is now closed.
• Dress for the day is professional casual. Please note that the building is sometimes chilly so please dress accordingly!
• The agenda for the day includes keynote speakers from members of Administrative Cabinet, Ron Steele (KWWL-Channel 7) and Dr. Jason Glass (Iowa Department of Education). We will end promptly at 3 p.m.
• Please come with an open mind, positive attitude for learning and patience as we work together to make the day a success!

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6 p.m. on August 1, 2012 at the AEA 267 Cedar Falls Conference Center.  During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review from Dr. Jon McKenzie regarding EdInsight, a web-based statewide educational data warehouse that gives educators consistent, reliable and accurate quality data about Iowa education.
• Approved the mileage rate at $.37/mile for 2012-13.
• Approved purchase of a financial and human resources software, which will give staff members 24/7 access to human resources records, leave data, pay stubs, and other information beginning July 1, 2013.
• Approved a contract with Pruckler Physical Therapy.
• Approved the 2012-13 transportation contract with EPI/Northland Regional Transit.
• Renewed an agreement with Eldora-New Providence Schools for 2012-13.
• Approved the E-Rate management proposal for 2012-13 with Let Me Help You with That, LLC.
• Took action to close the AEA 267 Hampton office effective July 1, 2013.
• Approved agreements with Statewide System for Vision Services.
• Approved a revised Director District map.
• Approved a contract extension for Dr. Roark Horn to run from 2013 through 2016. Roark is in his last year of his current three-year contract.

Effective July 1, 2012, there will no longer be morning snacks and/or candy provided by AEA 267 for professional development offerings and/or meetings.  The cost of morning snacks and candy have been a tremendous expense which the agency can no longer afford to offer.  Vending machines will be available for purchase of snack items.

Instructors may request coffee and/or water by completing the Food Request form. If a light lunch is to be provided, the cost of the lunch will be included within participant registration.  Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions – Food Requests for further clarification or feel free to contact the AEA 267 Professional Development department, Jackie Gray.

A change in how mileage start points are calculated should ensure fair reimbursement for professional travel for staff in light of some new assignments. The contract states that the distance from an employee’s home to “the nearest assigned place of employment” is the mileage subtraction for determining mileage reimbursement. This week in Administrative Cabinet, the group made a decision to interpret “nearest assigned place of employment” as one of the following, whichever is the most advantageous for staff:

1. The distance from home to the current assigned office; or
2. The distance from home to the mileage start point from last year; or
3. The distance from home to a building in a current assigned district.

Every employee will have the same mileage subtraction or less than last year. Every day the subtraction will be the same most advantageous subtraction regardless of whether you are heading to that site or not.