The Channel

As we welcome 2013, we know that many of you are working on professional goals as a part of the new evaluation process. Over the past few months, the administrative team has created a list of common themes regarding the professional development needs co-identified by staff and supervisors.

To assist classified and NUSS staff with meeting their professional goals, the following list of professional development opportunities has been compiled. Please review the list and collaboratively begin making plans with your supervisor to get registered or arrange to participate in the opportunity that best applies to your specific needs and goal(s) for the year.

Thank you to everyone who donated both cash and prizes for the 2012 Food Bank Drive. Together, we were able to raise $1,540 to help stock food pantries in Iowa. What a great accomplishment! Special thanks to Kerri Wilson, Amanda McMartin, Barb Ehrig, Donna Perry, Lori Thomas, and Beth Strike  for their support and assistance with this process.

On December 18, a random number generator was used to pick the winners of the prizes donated by our administrative staff. The winners are:

Google Apps for Education is a free suite of hosted communication and collaboration applications designed for schools and universities.  AEA 267 employees have access to a variety of Google tools including Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Sites, Google Groups, etc.  AEA 267 employees do NOT have access to Google Mail (Gmail) and are expected to keep their Exchange calendar current.

The purpose of Google Apps at AEA 267 is for AEA 267-related work that supports the goals and objectives of AEA 267.  You should not use your AEA 267 Google Apps account for personal use and AEA 267-related work should reside in your AEA 267 Google Apps account, not in a personal Google account.

AEA 267’s Acceptable Use Policy also applies to the use of Google Apps.  When using your AEA 267 Google Apps account, AEA 267 manages and owns the data. Accounts can be suspended if there is a violation of the agency’s acceptable use policy.

As with any file, if an employee has a file(s) that is vital, it is the employee’s responsibility to back-up those files in multiple locations (e.g. download the file(s) from Google Docs to an AEA 267 server, an external hard drive, flash drive, or download all your data from Google using Google Takeout.)

In addition, AEA 267 employees are responsible for protecting confidential information and must adhere to AEA 267 policies and federal policies as outlined by the Family Educational Right and Responsibility Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  AEA 267 employees are responsible for taking the necessary measures to ensure that confidential information is not shared inappropriately.

It is important and part of your professional responsibility as an AEA 267 employee to protect student and other personal information.  Keeping your passwords safe and secure is one way to ensure that this information is protected.  Keeping a list of passwords where they are easily viewed by others is a risky and unsafe practice, e.g. passwords written on scraps of paper, or listed in a text document on your computer.   Remember, the person whose name is on the account is responsible at all times for its proper use.

If you feel that your password has been compromised, contact AEA 267’s Information Tech as soon as possible and then change your password. The privacy and protection of personally identifiable student and employee data is of paramount importance.

Did you know that 88% of Iowans filed their income tax returns electronically last year? Filing electronically or “e-filing” is easy, safe, and decreases the time it takes to receive your refund. Those individuals who are 25 or younger, 65 or older, or in the military may qualify to efile for free. For more information, visit www.iowa.gov/tax

The Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) website offers a convenient feature called “My Account” which offers individualized information about your IPERS benefits. This feature allows you to view a record of contributions, keep your contact information up-to-date, estimate your benefits, and update beneficiary information. For more information, visit www.ipers.org

It now appears that an extension of the current reduction in Social Security tax will not go beyond December of 2012. Please let this serve as yet another reminder that beginning with your January 2013 paycheck, your actual “take home” pay will be 2% less.

Finally, if you have an opportunity, please wish Dennis Scudder well as he completes his final month with the agency before retiring. Dennis has served as the helm of AEA finances since 1974, as one of the original employees of the system. He has done an outstanding job as a steward of public resources and in guiding the financial decisions of the agency.

For several years the agency has hosted an Office Support Professionals Day (OSPD) to provide staff members with an opportunity to meet and learn together around common needs. While this day served a purpose, staff members now have an opportunity to participate in customized professional development that meets their unique needs through the new evaluation process. Thus, the “one size fits all” approach to learning no longer fits.

Thank you to those who have assisted with this event in the past.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met January 2, 2013 at 4 p.m. in the AEA 267 Cedar Falls Conference Center for a work session.  During the work session the board explored the results of the Culture/Climate Survey presented by Janelle Brouwer, Special Education Coordinator, and were given a financial update by Dennis Scudder, Director of Finance.

Following the work session, the regular meeting was held at 6 p.m.  During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review regarding the AEA 267 Leadership Teams.
• Approved the 2013-14 Proposed Budget for Publication.
• Approved agreements with Hampton-Dumont and Marshalltown School Districts for the Ladders to Learning Program.
• Approved the Extended School Year Calendar for 2013.
• Approved the 2013-14 Office Calendar.
• Heard a variety of reports by directors and fellow board members.

Thank you to the more than 460 of you who participated in the Culture/Climate survey! Your responses represent approximately 60% of our total staff which is an amazing response rate. Although we have areas for continued growth, the results were extremely positive.

As you can see, our areas of strength include having a trusted colleague at work, understanding expectations and feeling like our colleagues are committed to their work. Our areas for growth include acknowledging each other’s work through praise and recognition, ensuring that we honor the opinions of others, and giving feedback on progress.

Our agency Leadership Teams will be analyzing the survey results later this month and developing action steps to guide future work. Again, thank you for your participation!

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met December 5, 2012 at 6 p.m. in the River Hills School Conference Room for their regular meeting.  During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a program review regarding Google Hangouts.
• Approved AEA 267’s Professional Development agreement with Drake University for 2012-2013.
• Approved participation in 2012-2013 Iowa Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.
• Renewed the lease with North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO) for the Charles City sector office.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Immediately following the regular board meeting, the AEA 267 Foundation Meeting was held.  Board members were given a tour of AEA 267 River Hills School.