The Channel

Another ordering opportunity for AEA 267 clothing is now available. New styles and colors have been added and the ordering process is easier than ever. Check out the catalog and download an order form from the staff website today if you are interested. (Login: aeastaff/Password: aea267ia)

AEA 267 Educational Directories continue to be distributed. Watch for the spiral bound booklet with the purple cover! Please note that in the school district directory section, Woden-Crystal Lake Elementary School was inadvertently omitted by the district when they submitted their contact information. While the online searchable schools directory is correct, if you are using the hard copy directory, you will want to add the following information in the margin somewhere:

Woden-Crystal Lake Elementary School

120 5th Street East
Crystal Lake, IA 50432
Phone: 641-565-3211
Fax: 641-565-3320
Dwight Widen, Principal
dwiden@woden-crystallake.k12.ia.us

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The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6:15 p.m. on October 1, 2008 at the AEA 267 Conference Center in Cedar Falls for their regular meeting. Prior to this meeting the Board met to formally retire the 2007-2008 Board of Directors.

During the meeting, the board:

• Elected Charlotte Upah as board president and Darrel Lind as board vice president.
• Appointed Kerri Wilson as board secretary and Dennis Scudder as board treasurer.
• Approved the appointment of Charlotte Upah to the AEA Legislative Committee (also serving as representative to IASB Delegate Assembly) with Darrel Lind as alternate and Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson to the AEA Executive Committee with Susan Grimes as alternate. Approved the appointment of Richard VandeKieft, Charles Vaughn and George North to the Audit committee.
• Approved Wells Fargo Bank as a depository of AEA funds with a $10,000,000 limit and the F & M Bank as a depository of AEA funds with a $3,000,000 limit.
• Appointed Steve Weidner as legal counsel for 2008-2009.
• Accepted with regret the retirement of Susan Gerken, School Psychologist (Castle Hill) effective June 30, 2009 and the resignation of Sara Johnson, School Psychologist (Castle Hill) effective as soon as suitable replacement is found.
• Motioned to hire Laura Ross, Teacher of Mental Disabilities (River Hills); Caleb Wallace, Teacher of Behavioral Disorders (Devonshire); Anne Berthelsen, School Psychologist (Marshalltown); and Katherine Anderson, Early Childhood Special Educator (Sector 8).
• Approved the lease of the Coop Warehouse in Marshalltown.
• Approved the reciprocal transportation agreements between Allison-Bristow and Aplington-Parkersburg; Allison-Bristow and Greene; Forest City and Lake Mills.
• Reviewed the GASB 45 Compliance Services Program developed by IASB to see whether this is a viable way to meet GASB 45 requirements.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Congratulations to new River Hills principal, Mike Lonning, for being featured in the September 2 Waterloo Courier. Thank you for representing AEA 267 and River Hills School so positively.

There is a major rearrangement taking place in the Clear Lake Special Education area. The staff will now be arranged by discipline. It has been a huge undertaking for all of the affected staff, as well as for the custodial staff, technology staff, and even the local telephone company. Staff have been patient while dealing with interrupted telephone and voice mail service as well as being displaced while carpets are cleaned and furniture is relocated. Since a few of the staff have relocated from the Clear Lake office to a location in one of their schools, and while all of the telephone work is being completed, please don’t hesitate to check with the receptionist or any of the Special Education secretaries in Clear Lake who will be happy to assist anyone having trouble reaching staff members.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6:00 p.m. on September 3, 2008 at the AEA 267 Conference Center in Cedar Falls for their regular meeting.

During the meeting, the board:

Heard a review of AEA 267 finances for 2007-2008 from Director of Finance, Dennis Scudder.

• Accepted with regret the retirement of Lois Hoffman, Work Experience/Transition Specialist (Waverly-Shellrock), effective December 31, 2008 and the resignation of Barbara Gransee (Eldora), School Psychologist, effective as soon as a suitable replacement is found. Motioned to hire Cassandra Wheeler, 1.0 FTE Teacher of Multi Disabilities (Gladbrook-Reinbeck MS); Lacey Brakebill, 1.0 FTE Teacher of Early Childhood Sp Ed (Denver Elem.)
• Heard and approved the Second Reading of Board Policy # 405.10: Adoption Leave
• Heard and approved the Second Reading of Special Education Policy Revisions; updates of a  variety of AEA 267 Board Policies related to special education
• Renewed the Partner Contract with Exceptional Persons for the provision of Early Access Services
• Approved the agreement with Mercy Medical Center-North for Educare Instructional Programs in which AEA 267 provides a special education teacher and an instructional assistant for the Educare classroom on a part-time basis
• Approved LEA Transportation agreements
• Approved the agreement with Grant Wood AEA for support of E2T2 projects
• Accepted a grant from the R. J. McElroy Trust
• Selected Charlotte Upah as delegate and Daryl Lind as alternate to the IASB Delegate Assembly.

AEA 267 print and production staff are doing a masterful job of keeping up with requests at this busy time of year. Still, there are simple things we can all do to make their job easier. Whenever possible, and especially given this time of year, please remember to provide ample lead time in requests.