Dr. Roark Horn and Dr. Mary Stevens were the featured guests on the May 31 edition of KWWL’s “The Steele Report” hosted by anchor Ron Steele. The 30-minute show provided an excellent opportunity to educate the public about the historical impact of Iowa’s AEA on children, families and educators as well as examine current trends.
The Steele Report: 40 Years of Iowa’s AEAs (videos)
In case you missed it, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier and the Mason City Globe Gazette both published an exceptional feature story about the work of AEA 267 and our impact over the past 40 years that will make you proud to work for the AEA system.
How can you help spread the word about this mission of AEAs? Share the story from our agency Facebook or Twitter account with your friends and followers! It takes all of us to help inform the public about what we do! We need your help!
If you haven’t already done so, please mark your calendar to attend the 2015 all-staff kick off meeting on August 12, 2015 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) campus. This exciting day will mark only the second time that all agency staff has come together in one location for learning and team-building. The meeting will serve as a great opportunity to recognize your colleagues for their years of service, get to know our new Chief Administrator, Sam Miller, learn more about the changing demographics of Iowa and those we serve, and jump start the new school year.
The day will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. followed by an official welcome at 9 a.m. Keynote presentations, along with service area team time (for Special Education and Ed Services staff members), will follow. Lunch will be provided. (If you have special dietary needs that should be considered in the planning of lunch, please contact Kerri Wilson directly at 319-273-8201 by July 31). You will not need to bring a laptop for this meeting. You may want to bring a sweater or jacket in case the auditorium is cool.
For staff member convenience, as well as to conserve funds, the agency will provide transportation via rented cars and vans starting from the Marshalltown and Clear Lake AEA 267 offices. While riding agency provided transportation is not mandatory, if you choose to drive yourself to the meeting, please be aware that mileage will not be reimbursed. (Please note that you will be paid mileage for any mileage to pick-up sites less your usual round trip mileage to work.) If you plan to participate in agency-sponsored transportation, please respond via this link by August 3.
Parking: The GBPAC has requested that we park in the B Lot (across the street from the Center) https://shar.es/1rZoxn. There will be no need for a parking pass or money if you park there. Please note there is metered parking behind the GBPAC, and if you park there you will be required to feed the parking meter. If you park in the A lots you will be ticketed or towed, as a special parking permit is required for those areas.
Prepare for an incredible day! Enjoy your summer break and we look forward to seeing you in August!
Kelsey Baker
Kelsey Baker, AEA 267 School Psychologist, is the author of the newly published, “Our Special Family,” a book written to help and encourage families who have a child with special needs. Kelsey’s oldest son, Brody, was diagnosed with biotin (vitamin B7) deficiency after a newborn screening at one week old. The book is told from Brody’s younger brother, Eli’s perspective.
In her position at AEA 267, Kelsey sees many families facing similar circumstances. “…one of the children has a disability or deficiency, and the other sibling does not, which creates unique family dynamics. Children may not understand why a sibling may require more time, treatment and attention. This can be troublesome for children. Therefore, I was inspired to use literacy addressing family issues from a child’s perspective.”
Kelsey also hopes to make parents aware of the importance of newborn screening. More than 50 conditions can be detected by using only a few drops of blood collected from the newborn. Early detection and intervention can prevent problems before they can cause a child serious and permanent harm.
“Our Special Family” will be available for area educators and parents through the AEA 267 Lending Library and Family Educator Connection resource library in the near future.
Beginning Monday, June 8, AEA 267 office hours will be 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, August 10.
The AEA 267 Board of Directors met Wednesday, June 5, 2015 at 5 pm in the Cedar Falls AEA 267 Conference Center. During the meeting, the board:
The AEA 267 Foundation Meeting was held immediately following the board meeting.
Although this video may seem familiar, it’s been refined to include a very special success story. Robbie Beard, a former student with special needs from the Marshalltown area, is now a successful, contributing citizen who attributes much of his success to the support of organizations like AEA 267. Robbie’s story will inspire you and affirm your commitment during these busy weeks of May! Many thanks to Linda Vann for her contributions and willingness to be interviewed for this story!
Annually, AEA Board members from across Iowa gather in West Des Moines for the AEA Boards of Directors Conference. This year’s Conference was held on April 16 & 17 and AEA 267 board members (Bryan Burton, David Giese, Darshini Jayawardena, Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson, Dr. Debra Rich and Richard Vande Kieft) represented our agency. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Brad Buck, Director of the Iowa Department of Education, AEA Executive Director Brent Siegrist and our AEA Lobbyists and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds. Special sessions were presented by the AEA Chief Administrators and Executive Directors– “AEA System Update,” Lisa Wilson, Grant Wood AEA – “Generations in the Workplace,” and Grant Lichtman, Author and Educational Consultant – “The Future of Learning”. A special treat this year was an Innovation Showcase held on the first evening, where students from across Iowa showcased some great programs and initiatives in which they are involved.
Please plan to attend one or more of the upcoming retirement open houses honoring AEA 267’s 2015 retirees. The celebrations will be held on Tuesday, May 12 (Cedar Falls Conference Center); Wednesday, May 13 (Clear Lake Office); and Thursday, May 14 (Marshalltown Office) from 3:30-5 p.m. at all locations. These celebrations present a wonderful opportunity to congratulate our honorees and recognize them for their dedication and years of service.Those being honored this year include:
Cedar Falls
Clear Lake
Marshalltown Office
If you have not already done so, please mark your calendar to attend the 2015 all-staff meeting on Wednesday, August 12 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) campus. While we have not finalized all the details on the day yet, we are hoping to be able to offer carpooling options for staff. Stay tuned for more details to come this summer.
