The Channel

Long-time AEA 267 employee Judy Dixon, a special education consultant in Sector 8, has passed away.
Services were held on Sunday, May 31, 2009 at St. Timothy United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. Concern and sympathy are extended to her family and co-workers.

Based on an extensive review of a variety of data sources which speak to the needs of our educational partners, a near final draft of the agency’s plan for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or “stimulus” funds is now available. The plan calls for a variety of “focus areas” or initiatives, including:

• Saving Current AEA 267 Positions:  Approximately 14 positions that would have been reduced or retirements not filled will be maintained.
• Early Childhood:  Provide intensive support to districts in birth-age three, ages three-kindergarten, and first through fifth grades.  This focus area would include support for literacy, math, and science as well as other areas.
• Iowa Core Curriculum:  Provide an additional 1.5 FTE to help districts with their implementation of the Iowa Core Curriculum.
• Instructional Decision Making (IDM):  Provide for materials and cost of additional staff time to provide for training of AEA and LEA teachers and staff in IDM.
• Schools in Need of Assistance (SINA):  Provide resources to assist SINA schools in the timely completion of their school audit.
• English Language Learners:  Provide an additional 1.0 FTE to provide consultant support to districts with growing and large ELL populations.
• Technology:  Upgrade AEA 267 technology to better support technology integration and web-based and other learning delivery systems.
• Leadership Development:  Provide internal staff development in critical areas so the AEA is less reliant on one person and would have potential back-up due to illness, retirement, etc. of key staff.
• Administrative Technology Leadership Development:  Provide technology training to school leaders to help them better utilize instructional technologies in their building or district.
• Professional Development: Provide resources to offer additional professional development opportunities for AEA and LEA staff.

AEA/DE Collaborative Projects, including:

• Learning Supports:  Commit .5 FTE for a Learning Supports Coordinator.
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS):  Commit .5 FTE for a PBIS Coordinator.
• Challenging Behaviors:  Commit 1.0 FTE for a Technical Assistant Consultant to address challenging behaviors.
• AEA 267 support for Iowa Department of Education (DE) Iowa Core Curriculum (ICC) efforts:  Provide a prorated share of support for DE ICC efforts.
• Instructional Coaching Academy:  A statewide professional development opportunity to train up to 80 trainers in instructional coaching strategies.

“These funds have very specific guidelines attached to them regarding how they may be spent,” said Dr. Dean Meier, chief administrator. “We believe we have made a direct match between the intent of the funds from the Federal government’s perspective and the most pressing needs of the children, families and educators that we serve. We are excited about the potential the funds create for increased student achievement.”

For a complete copy of the current draft of the plan, download it here.

The Workplace Environmental Safety Assessment form and procedure is now available.  This is a new form that is only to be used by AEA 267 employees if they believe there is an environmental safety issue at one of the AEA 267’s facilities to which they are assigned.  They are not to be used for maintenance work.  This form will be kept at your school/building secretary’s desk where staff will have to request a form.

For more information, contact Roxanne Colling, Personnel Specialist.

A project to include the conversion of the Educational Services area to a large conference room with moveable walls has been approved by the AEA 267 board of directors. The remodeling project, which will begin late summer, will create badly needed meeting space for larger groups. Currently, the agency must rent meeting space off-site for groups over 70.

“It isn’t cost effective for us to continue to rent space outside of the agency to hold larger meetings,” said Dr. Dean Meier, chief administrator. “This improvement will enhance our professional development program and allow us to better serve our educational partners.”

In addition to the larger conference space, the plan calls for expansion of the women’s bathroom in the center of the building to accommodate the increased traffic in that area. Both the women’s and men’s bathrooms will also be upgraded.

To eliminate off-site storage space and provide shelter for delivery vans, a non-climate controlled garage will be built on the property as well. The agency has rented storage space in Mason City for several years to create needed space.

“The agency has a line item budget for facility improvements each year,” said Meier. “These needs in the Clear Lake office have been around for quite some time and we need to address them.”

A schematic of the updated floor plan is available here.

The agency will shift to summer hours beginning Monday, June 8. Summer hours will be from 7:30 am-4 pm through August 14.

Are you interested in being trained to perform CPR/Basic First Aid or to use the Automatic Defibrillator? The agency is offering another round of trainings to those interested both as a benefit to staff in their personal lives and to add to the cadre of employees who have the ability to save lives should an emergency arise in the office.

Tuesday, July 28th–Clear Lake Office

Wednesday, July 29th–Marshalltown Office

Friday, July 31st–Cedar Falls Office

For more information or to sign-up for the training, please contact Kerri Wilson at 319-273-8201. Thank you to Julie Neuberger for her willingness to provide this training to staff.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met for a Board retreat at 4:00 p.m. June 3, 2009 to discuss the proposed AEA 267 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program plans and to review proposed remodeling plans for the Clear Lake office. They reconvened at 6:00 p.m. in the AEA 267 Conference Center for their regular meeting.

During the regular meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review of a book produced through AEA 267’s Service Learning Grant, The Bosnian KOLO Folk Dance Photo Book, by authors, Zulfeta Rizvic and Sefika Sarkic, and AEA 267 editors, Linda Martin and Dr. Sara McInerny.
• Motioned to hire Mandy Burns, Physical Therapist (Marshalltown); Kari Christenson, Special Ed Consultant (Sector 4); Tiffany Everding, School Psychologist (Sector 8); Pamela Johnson, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education (East Buchanan Elementary); Leanne Kaiser-Wehling, SLP (Sector 2); Judith Kenealy, Special Ed Consultant (Sector 2); Seth Kite, School Psychologist (Sector 6); Lydia Robertson, Speech-Language Pathologist (location TBD); Angie Schrage, Multi-SCI Teacher (New Hartford Elementary); Janet Thomas, Speech-Language Pathologist (location TBD); James Zabel, Teacher of Multi-Disabilities/Resource (Tripoli Middle/High).
• Accepted with regret the resignations of Michelle Krivanek, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education (Castle Hill School); and Jamie Sadler, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/SCI (State Training School).
• Approved a lease extension for the Grinnell sector office.
• Approved the second reading of the following board policies:

o    601.4    Financial Records
o    602.1    Custody of Funds
o    602.3    Deposit of Receipts
o    603.6    Inventory
o    605.1     Insurance Management

• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.
• Held a strategy session for collective bargaining issues.
• Discussed ratification of collective bargaining contracts for 09-10: AEA 267 CWA.
• Held an exempt session to discuss non-union support staff and administrative salaries for 2009-2010.
• Approved salary packages for 2009-10 including 4.11% total package for CWA staff; 3.93% total package for Non-Union Support Staff and 3.52% total package for administrative staff.

All mileage and expenses for July 1st 2008 – June 30th 2009 must be submitted to the Business Office by July 6th to be paid on the July 15th mileage check.  This will be the final scheduled mileage check run for the 08 – 09 fiscal year.

If you have any questions please call Kelly Johnson at 319-268-7612 or Angela Graves at 319-268-7633.

For months, talk of the availability of federal stimulus funds has been just that—talk. In recent weeks, however, it has become official that Area Education Agencies and local school districts will receive a boost with stimulus funding. Specifically, AEA 267 will receive approximately $7,350,000 in stimulus dollars for use over two years.

The government has outlined four guiding principles for the use of the stimulus dollars:

• Spend quickly to save and create jobs
• Ensure transparency and accountability
• Thoughtfully invest in one-time funds
• Advance effective reforms

AEA 267’s use of stimulus dollars will be aligned with district needs. A careful examination of the following data resources is taking place:

• 2008 on-line survey of AEA 267’s Comprehensive Service Improvement Plan taken by 59 of 60 districts
• Summary report of 60 AEA leadership team visits to each of our 60 school districts and their leadership or school improvement team
• All 60 LEA Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs) and Annual Progress Reports (APRs)
• DE LEA Site Visit Reports (as available); and
• other student achievement data.

Planning will move swiftly so that the money can be put to use as quickly as possible. It is hoped that by next month an official list of priorities and initiatives can be shared with all staff and the public.

“This additional funding will allow us to retain our current work force and add positions in priority areas for the next two years,” said Dr. Dean Meier, chief administrator. “While the funding is short-term, it does provide us with an exciting opportunity to see what can be done to increase student achievement with additional resources. We feel fortunate to be in this position.”

It is unclear whether additional funding will be available after the two years are up.

May 10-16 is National School Board Recognition week. What a great opportunity to drop a quick note to our own AEA 267 board members thanking them for their dedication and support to the agency. AEA 267 board members provide countless hours of volunteer service and many drive a great distance to attend meetings, conferences and participate on committees. Say thank you today! Contact information is available here.

Over 91% of educators who responded to a recent Iowa Department of Education survey say that Area Education Agency 267 (AEA 267) services meet their professional needs. The survey, which has 11 basic questions about AEA services, yielded nearly 2,200 responses or about 42% of the educators served by the agency.

Other results include:

• 86% of educators say that AEA 267 staff maintain good working relationships
• 85% of educators indicate that AEA 267 staff have the knowledge and skills needed to have a positive impact on their school
• 84% of educators say that AEA services have assisted in improving their classroom instruction and/or job-related practices
• 80% of educators believe AEA 267 is responsive to their local student learning needs
• 80% of educators indicate that AEA 267 delivers current and timely services.

“I know large corporations that would be thrilled to get a 91% approval rating from their customers,” said Dr. Dean Meier, AEA 267 Chief Administrator. “It’s almost unheard of. We have some of the best staff in the state of Iowa and this just confirms that.”

It’s no secret that the agency has struggled with declining resources and funding at the same time that the demand for AEA 267 services is increasing. The economy and declining enrollment in local school districts, a key factor in AEA funding, has played a role.

“Like the local schools we serve, we are challenged every day with trying to maintain quality in light of fewer resources. Our staff members are rising to the challenge.”

The Iowa Department of Education AEA customer feedback survey is administered to all Iowa educators annually.

Please join any of our celebrations honoring this year’s AEA 267 retirees. All of the open house events are scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

On Monday, May 18 in Clear Lake those being honored are Mary Beshir, Margaret Dunlap and Al Hodapp.

On Tuesday, May 19 in Marshalltown those being honored are Sandy Bennett, Larry Bradley, Gerald Johnson, Kathleen McCall, Charlene Smothers, and Joan Studts.

On Wednesday, May 20 in Cedar Falls those being honored are Pam Bottorff, Denise Clipperton, Phoebe Drape, Jean Ebert, Rick Foster, Susan Gerken, Mary Heber, Lois Hoffman, Elizabeth Klein, Louise Krogh, LaRae Liger, Janice Metz, Linda Podhajsky, Sue Rittgers, and Bonnie Winther.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6:00 p.m. on May 6, 2009, in the AEA 267 Conference Center for their regular meeting.

During the regular meeting, the board:

• Heard a review from Caeli Schnabel, Jerry Schnabel’s daughter, on autism and special education services in China. A connection was made through Skype (by computer) to hear Caeli discuss her experience with Chinese education during a year-long visit on a Fulbright Scholarship.
• Accepted with regret the retirements of Sandy Bennett, Speech-Language Pathologist (Sector 5); Denise Clipperton, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/SCI (Waverly-Shell Rock High School); Louise Krogh, Special Education Consultant (Sector 9); Linda Podhajsky, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/Resource (Waverly-Shell Rock High School); LaRae Liger, Speech-Language Pathologist (Lincoln Elementary, Waterloo) all retiring at the end of the 2008-09 school year.
• Accepted with regret the resignations of Bev Oppold Blessman, Consultant for Career & Technical Education (Clear Lake); Ben Bristow, School Psychologist (Sector 9); and Lynn Ross,  Teacher of Multi Disabilities-Resource (Denver Elementary) all effective at the end of the 2008-09 school year.
• Motioned to hire Denise Dermody, Occupational Therapist (Cedar Falls); Meghan Smith, School Psychologist (Sector 5); Darlene Sousa, School Psychologist (Sector 5); and Sadie Terpstra-Schwab, Teacher of Mental Disabilities (Dike Elementary).
• Reviewed the 600 series of AEA 267 board policies: business procedures.
• Approved the contract amendment with FMC Decat for Coordination Services.
• Approved the EMC Agency Insurance Program for 2009-10.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

An exempt session for collective bargaining issues was held before adjournment.

A Foundation Board Meeting was held immediately after the regular meeting and members:

• Heard updates on the progress in fund raising and legal status.
• Reviewed liability insurance coverage for the Foundation.
• Heard a review from Dennis Scudder, Foundation treasurer, on future investment procedures for the Foundation.