The Channel

As you use the Infinite Visions system to submit leaves, mileage/expense reimbursements and to access other tools and resources, please be sure to double-check your personal information and make any necessary updates. Use the “My Personal Information” menu within the system.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met October 2, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the AEA 267 Clear Lake office for their regular meeting. During the meeting, board members were recognized for their dedicated service to AEA 267 this past year. The board then adjourned the final meeting of the 2012-13 Board of Directors.

Immediately following, the board called to order their first meeting of 2013-14 during which time the board:

• Elected Charlotte Upah as President and Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson as Vice President and Kerri Wilson administered the oath of office for all members.
• Appointed Kerri Wilson as board secretary and Dave Nicholson as board treasurer and administered the oath of office to each.
• Heard a program review from Dave Nicholson, AEA 267’s Director of Finance, regarding a financial update and the final Certified Annual Report.
• Set meeting dates and times for the 2013-14 board meetings. Meetings will be held the first Wednesday of each month with the exceptions of December 2013, January and August 2014, which will be held the second Wednesday.
• Approved appointments to the AEA Legislative Committee, the AEA Executive Committee, the AEA Audit Committee, the IEC Committee, and the IAEP Committee.
• Approved Wells Fargo Bank as the depository bank and established financial limits.
• Appointed Steve Weidner as legal counsel for 2013-14.
• Approved reciprocal transportation agreements for the following school districts:
  1. Clear Lake and Forest City
  2. Clear Lake and Ventura
  3. Central Springs and Osage.
• Approved an agreement with Marshalltown Community Schools for assistance with the Ladders to Learning program for 2013-14.
• Approved a contract with Waste Management for services at the Clear Lake office.
• Approved the first reading of the following board policies:
  1. 507.1-Student Wellness
  2. 401.3-Employee Background Checks
• Approved a contract with Solution Tree for RtI Coaching Academy.
• Tabled a request to accept bids and approve the purchase of Media vans.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and board members.

(The following message is shared as a courtesy to the United Way. Pledge consideration is completely optional.)

United Way is changing lives of children, seniors, families and individuals in our community. By focusing on education, income and health—the building blocks for a good quality of life—United Way is making this a better community for us all.

Data tells us the investments United Way is making in our community are working. Thanks to your donation, families are more stable, teen pregnancies are down and child abuse has decreased. But the work is not done. United Way wants to do better, and you can help.

By giving what you can, you can change our future, and make our community better. Please give. You can do so online with your local United Way. There you will also be able to find information on your local United Way and its funded partners and programs, as well as other ways you can be involved in making your community stronger.

• Cedar Valley United Way
• Marshalltown United Way
• United Way of North Central Iowa (Mason City)
• Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way

The iVisions expense reimbursement module is now ready! It is located under the My Toolbox menu item. This is the required method for submitting reimbursement requests effective Monday, September 9^th.  Requests that have already been submitted for August are being manually processed, no further action on your part is necessary. Although the instructions are archived in the portal, a courtesy copy can also be downloaded here.

The AEA 267 Monthly Mileage and Travel Reimbursement Claim form (located at the bottom of the Travel policy in My Toolbox) must be completed before submitting a request in iVisions. The form has been modified to account for regular travel separate from professional learning travel. You will simply enter the total dollar amounts for each type of reimbursement. The date range should be the first through the end of the month. Please save the completed form to your desktop. The form will be attached to the request in iVisions along with any required receipts.

Other Expense Reimbursement information:

• Requests route directly to your supervisor, similar to Leave Requests.
• Annual Cell Phone Stipend: More information will be coming regarding the process for cell phone reimbursements which take place in October.
• Direct Deposit of an expense reimbursement is automatic when you sign up for Payroll direct deposit. If you have previously signed up for direct deposit for payroll, we will use the same information to set up your direct deposit for your travel reimbursement. Please email ap@aea267.k12.ia.us (accounts payable) if you would prefer a paper expense reimbursement check.
• AEA 267 supplies must be purchased using a purchase order or p-card/credit card.  AEA supplies purchased with your own resources are not reimbursable.

Questions may directed to your administrative support secretary or ap@aea267.k12.ia.us (accounts payable in the Business Office)

While the online searchable schools directory (including labels) is current and accessible, the hard copy of the Ed Directory is still being printed. The directory will be distributed to AEA 267 staff members within the next two weeks. Questions? Contact Lori Thomas, Administrative Secretary.

The AEA Contact Manager system will be current with updated educator contact information by the end of the month.

A special note about the superintendent and principal labels: These labels contain van route information effective October 21, 2013. Thus, the route numbers are actually incorrect until that time. Please make manual changes to the labels until October 21.

Thank you again for your attendance and participation during the sector kick-off meetings held last month. For your continued reference throughout the year, the materials shared during the meeting are now located under the “Sector Resources” category on our staff website (remember to use your email login and password to access the staff website).

Please take note of the following reminders from the Human Resources (HR) office:

• September 15 is the deadline for notifying HR of intentions to change lanes on the salary schedule (certified staff).

• Per changes in law as explained during the Sector kick-off meetings, background checks are being conducted on all AEA 267 staff members. Checks must be completed by June 30, 2014.

• Personnel files are in the process of being converted to an electronic form to be included in each employee’s specific iVisions file. Stay tuned for password-protected access in the future!

• All professional licenses must be kept current. Professional licenses renew on the last day of the month of the individual’s birthday.

• Unpaid days will not be granted except under unique circumstances at the discretion of the supervisor.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors will meet in the AEA 267 Clear Lake Office for their October board meeting. The location change will allow board members to view recent improvements to the facility as well as tour the AEA 267 Charles City office en route.

Opheim

Barb Opheim, who represented the Waterloo territory on the AEA 267 Board of Directors, attended her final board meeting this month. Opheim, whose term has expired, will not run for re-election. She was awarded with a plaque for her contributions to the agency and will be missed on the board. We wish her the best in her future endeavors!