The Channel

The AEA 267 Professional Development Office began experimenting with an interactive tool on the website that allows users to hold a live “chat” with an AEA 267 professional development staff member in seeking help to professional development related questions.

“We are really excited about this tool,” said Dr. Sara McInerny, Service Area Director for Educational Services. “We are working really hard to be responsive to customer requests in professional development and this allows us to cut down on response time significantly. It’s a very innovative approach.”

The AEA 267 Board of Directors held a public hearing at 6 p.m. on October 7, 2009 in the AEA 267 Clear Lake Office to hear public comments regarding the Clear Lake remodeling project. No visitors were in attendance to speak for or against the remodeling proposal.

The 2008-2009 Board met in the Clear Lake Office at 6:05 p.m. and moved to adjourn the final meeting of the 2008-2009 Board of Directors, thanking members for their dedication in directing the agency through another successful year of operation.

The 2009-2010 Board of Directors met at 6:15 p.m. and Board Secretary Kerri Wilson administered the Oath of Office to newly elected board members: Charles Vaughn, Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson, Richard Vande Kieft and Debra Rich.

During their regular meeting, the board:

• Elected Charlotte Upah as President and Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson as Vice President. Kerri Wilson administered the oath of office to each newly elected officer.
• Appointed Kerri Wilson as Board Secretary and Dennis Scudder as Board Treasurer.
• Toured the AEA 267 Clear Lake facility, focusing on the areas that are to be remodeled.
• Heard the recommendations of the architect on bids received and selected the best bid,  Larson Construction, to begin work on the project immediately.
• Set meeting dates and times for the 2009-2010 board meetings. Board meetings will continue to be held on the first Wednesday evening of the month.
• Approved the following appointments: Charlotte Upah and Darrel Lind as alternates to the AEA Legislative Committee (also serving as representative to the IASB Delegate Assembly); Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson with Susan Klaessy as alternates to the AEA Executive Committee.
• Approved Wells Fargo Bank and F & M Bank as depositories of AEA funds.
• Approved Steve Weidner as the board’s legal counsel for 2009-2010.
• Motioned to hire Tina Csukker, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education (Castle Hill) and Sara Smith, Speech-Language Pathologist (Sector 2);
• Heard a report regarding the 2008-2009 fiscal year and a preview of 2009-2010 from Dennis Scudder.
• Approved reciprocal transportation agreements between neighboring school districts.
• Approved the agreement with Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services to partner with AEA 267 in providing the educational program for students in the Four Oaks Independence Facility.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Four teachers from AEA 267 River Hills School will travel to Minneapolis this month to present ideas on how to provide literacy to all children through the use of adapted books. Heather Kruger, Cynthia Gitta, Diana Scott and Jenny Schlader will present to educators from all over the world at the 2009 Closing the Gap conference. Congratulations!

The 2009-10 AEA 267 Board of Directors was sworn in at their regular board meeting on Wednesday, October 7. Former Educational Services consultant, Deb Rich, joined the board replacing retiring board member Betty Westmeyer representing Director District 4. Rich brings a wealth of knowledge to the board and has served in education in a variety of capacities.

Outgoing  board member Westmeyer was featured in a recent Waterloo Courier story celebrating over two decades of service to the board.

Denean Bauer, AEA 267 Teacher of Multi Disabilities at Gladbrook-Reinbeck passed away on October 4 following a lengthy battle with cancer. Services were held on October 8 in LaPorte City. A memorial fund has been established in her name to support education at Union High School. Our condolences go out to Denean’s family and co-workers during this difficult time.

The Iowa State Board of Education issued full accreditation status to Area Education Agency 267 (AEA 267) at their regular board meeting held Wednesday, September 9. The accredited status indicates that the agency has met all requirements for services designated by Chapter 72 of the Iowa Administrative Code.

“As an agency, we take the accreditation process very seriously and use it as an important way to receive feedback about our strengths and challenges,” said Dr. Dean Meier, AEA 267 chief administrator. “We are confident that our services are of the highest quality and this designation by the State Board of Education affirms that.”

Every five years, each of Iowa’s 10 Area Education Agencies (AEAs) undergoes an intensive review of services designed to ensure that the agencies are meeting all requirements. The process includes interviews with representative local school personnel as well as agency staff members. Local school districts go through a similar process.

Among a number of strengths noted by the accreditation review team, the agency was applauded for taking a leadership role in key areas including special education, school improvement, school media, and serving students for whom English is a second language.

For a full copy of the findings, visit the agency website at www.aea267.k12.ia.us and click on “About Us” and then “Continuous Improvement.”

For information related to Iowa AEA accreditation, visit the Iowa Department of Education website at http://www.iowa.gov/educate/.

The agency will soon be writing a new five-year comprehensive service improvement plan (CSIP) that we believe will respond to the needs of the districts we serve. As we prepare to write that plan, all school districts have been invited to react to a presentation regarding what we believe we have been told about our strengths, areas where we need to grow and future needs of our districts through the needs assessment process. Districts have been asked to send teams of up to four people (including the superintendent) to one of three sessions coming up in October.

For more information contact Dr. Dean Meier, Chief Administrator.

While the online searchable schools directory is current and accessible, the hard copy of the Ed Directory is still being finalized. The directory prints September 15 and will be distributed to staff members in the weeks following.

Questions? Contact Jan Alger, Secretary to Administration/Communication.

Health officials believe that with school back in session a new surge of H1N1 cases will be reported. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following strategies for reducing the spread of illness:

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze OR cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.

Put used tissues directly into a waste basket.

Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds OR clean with an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

For more information, visit the CDC website.

Iowa AEA Online is a statewide collaborative project that provides no-cost access to high-quality, web-based resources for all Iowa students and teachers. These electronic, across-the-curriculum resources allow all schools, regardless of financial or geographic constraints, to offer a “library without walls” that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from any Internet-accessible computer.

Iowa AEA Online is funded by Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. The resources include:

• AccuWeather provides current weather information to enhance science curriculum for projects, research, and presentations.
• AP Images is the database of the Associated Press Archives offering teachers and students access to AP articles, audio clips, charts, graphs, tables, maps, and photos from the 1840s to moments ago.
• Atomic Learning is an electronic help desk and training system for computer applications. New for 2009-2010 – Assistive Technology Collection focused on helping educators, students and parents use and apply assistive technology.
• iCLIPART for SCHOOLS is new for 2009-2010 and is a collection of more than 7.8 million photos, clipart, fonts, animations, sounds, and HD video backgrounds.
• DE streaming is a web-based digital video delivery system from Discovery Education, which provides more than 6,600 full-length videos and more than 68,000 video clips searchable by keyword, subject area and grade level. New for 2009-2010 – Games, skill builders, math tutorials, and more.
• EBSCO is the largest school subscription agency of full-text periodicals, newspapers and reference tools for elementary, middle, and high school students, and offering teachers access to more than 500 education journals.
• Learn360 is new for 2009-2010 and is a web-based digital delivery system for streaming and downloading full videos, video clips, images, audio, digital files, and podcasts.
• SIRS Researcher offers thousands of relevant full-text articles and analysis on today’s social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political, and global issues. New for 2009-2010 – New interface and expanded coverage.
• World Book Web includes continuously updated articles from the 22-volume print set plus thousands of additional articles, pictures, maps, videos, animations, primary source documents and links to other websites. New for 2009-2010 – French and Spanish encyclopedias, World Book Discover for differentiated instruction, and three new World Book Digital Libraries.

Iowa AEA Online supports the content standards for the Iowa Core Curriculum by bringing a wealth of information to teachers and students. These online resources offer students and teachers carefully selected resources to enhance classroom learning, featuring content that is continuously updated, often within hours of an event.

By contracting for online resources for all school districts statewide, Iowa AEA Online provides equity of information for all learners and educators in Iowa.

Questions? Contact one of the AEA 267 Media Specialists today.

Need a replacement or additional health care card? Information on how to order online can now be found on the staff website. Look under “Resources to Make your Life Simpler” then “Benefits Forms and Information.” The Business Office is working on a similar resource for ordering dental and vision cards.

Questions? Contact Betty Beauregard, Benefits Specialist.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 4:00 p.m. on September 2, 2009 in the AEA 267 Conference Center for their regular meeting.

During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a review of the audiology program from Discipline Facilitator/Audiologists Christine Hull and Marlys Ebaugh who demonstrated the impact that stimulus dollars have had on the audiology program through the purchase of updated equipment.
• Accepted with regret the resignation of Sheryl Frascht, Consultant for Professional Development (Cedar Falls), who resigned on September 3.
• Motioned to hire Bill Aguiar, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Devonshire); Jennifer Aldrich, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education (Castle Hill); Vickey Basgall, School Social Worker (Sector 1); Heather Gould, Consultant for Reading/Language Arts (Marshalltown); Sarah Holden, School Social Worker (Sector 5 & 6); Nathan Johnston, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/Resource (Denver Elementary)); Kathy Kline, Teacher of Multi Disabililties/Resource (Sumner-Fredericksburg High School); Angie Koop, School Social Worker (Sector 6); Tara McGrath, Early Childhood Special Educator (Sector 7); Melanie Roby, School Social Worker (Devonshire/Bremwood); and Dan Ryan, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/SCI (State Training School).
• Appointed Charlotte Upah and Susan Grimes as delegate and alternate to the IASB Delegate Assembly.
• Approved the lease agreement with Blue Bird Bus Company for the lease of a special education bus.
• Approved the recommendation from the River Hills Foundation Committee for purchase and installation of playground equipment and surface at River Hills.
• Approved the contract renewal with the Iowa Department of Public Health for substance abuse prevention.
• Accepted the Excellence in Education Enrichment Grant from the R. J. McElroy Trust.
• Approved the specifications for the Clear Lake remodeling project and authorized advertisement for bids on the project.
• Approved the contract for the window/door project at the Clear Lake building.
• Conducted a public hearing regarding Acceptable Use Policy 101.4 and approved with no changes for 2009-10.
• Authorized reserving funds for Retro Program for worker’s compensation.
• Approved the 2009-2010 lease agreement of the Coop Warehouse in Marshalltown.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Read a recap of the board meeting in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.

Stan Hanus, AEA 267 School Psychologist

As nearly everyone is aware, on June 24 the Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District was struck by tragedy again when well known coach and teacher Ed Thomas was gunned down in the high school weight room. As many as 20 students and a handful of adults were witness to the event. Hundreds, if not thousands of others in the community have been impacted by his death.

Within a short time after the incident took place, the AEA 267 crisis response team, led by Stan Hanus, AEA 267 School Psychologist, was assembled and dispatched to assist. AEA 267 staff members stayed on site for two days providing crisis response assistance to students, faculty, administrators, and parents. Efforts were coordinated with mental health professionals from other crisis intervention organizations who were on the scene.

“I’m so impressed by the response I received from our staff when I put out the call for help,” said Hanus in reporting to the AEA 267 Board of Directors. “Obviously this happened when school was out and many staff were already gone and yet people quickly responded to help.”

The AEA 267 crisis response team also provided assistance to the Ventura Community School District later this summer when a student was killed in a car accident.

“We are there when districts need us,” said Hanus.

As we enter the 2009-2010 school year, we are also entering the first Stimulus year for our agency. At this time we have far more questions about the amount and guidelines related to Stimulus funding than we have answers. The agency is cautiously moving forward with plans for the use of the funds while at the same time ever mindful of the fact that the funds–and the programs and services we are able to utilize them for–will last at the most two years.

Here is the progress to-date regarding how the money is being put to use:

• Last October, it appeared that budget shortfalls would require
  that in the spring of 2009 up to 14 positions vacated due to
  resignations/retirements would go unfilled. Thanks to stimulus funding, the agency has been able to fill all 14 positions.
• Audiology equipment upgrades that may have taken years to purchase in a piecemeal manner have now been ordered.
• The agency is attempting to employ additional Early ACCESS Service Coordinators and Early Childhood providers.  That work is in progress and the search is on for quality available candidates.
• The agency has employed four instructional coaches in reading and math. More coaches are being sought.
• Support for the Iowa Core Curriculum is increasing through the reassignment of existing staff to this work.  Staff will be hired to cover the gaps left by those being reassigned.
• Support has been increased for Instructional Decision Making (IDM) professional development.
• Schools In Need of Assistance (SINA) designee schoools in AEA 267 will receive expanded support.
• The agency has employed an additional staff member to assist with English Language Learning (ELL) work.
• A professional development program for administrators in school technology has been initiated. This is being done in partnership with Iowa State University and leading expert Scott McLeod of the CASTLE program.
• The agency is providing additional staff to participate in statewide initiatives in Learning Supports, Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), Challenging Behaviors, and Instructional Coaches training.

The federal stimulus program is providing us with a unique opportunity to provide more services than we otherwise could have.  The rules, procedures and reporting requirements are demanding.  We will proceed with caution, focus on the federal mandated goals, and do our best to build the internal and external capacity of educators so even after the funds are gone, our ability to positively impact student achievement remains high.

Please note that summer hours will end on August 14. Normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will resume on Monday, August 17.

Plans continue to move ahead to begin upgrading the Clear Lake office facility in early fall. Remodeling is slated to begin in early October and be concluded by April 1, 2010 if not before. Over the summer months, Jan Alger, AEA 267 Secretary to Communication/Administration began the process of finding outside locations for all AEA 267 events previously booked in the affected conference rooms. If you have not heard from Jan about your event and believe you should have, please contact her.

If you are scheduling new meetings during our remodeling and need suggestions for locations, please contact Jan. A directory is also available on the staff website although not all locations and information are listed.  (To clarify, for new meetings being scheduled, your service area is responsible for ordering and taking care of all food needed and using your service area account code to pay for the room.)

The new rooms under construction will be labeled A, B & C. If you need to schedule a room after April 1, 2010, you may do so as the new rooms are now online (with descriptions) and available for reservations. Events that need to be scheduled in September can be held in the Community and Federal rooms. Please schedule them directly through Leah Peters, AEA 267 Receptionist in the Clear Lake office.

Questions? Contact Dr. Sara McInerny, Service Area Director at 1-319-273-8260.