The Channel

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.

Betty Westmeyer, Director District 4

Betty Westmeyer, a long-time advocate for students with special needs, is stepping down from the AEA 267 board when her term ends in October. Westmeyer has been a member of the AEA board since 1982 when her son was a student at River Hills.

When asked about the highlights of her tenure as an AEA board member, Westmeyer cited her advocacy for a formal graduation ceremony at River Hills School. “Prior to that, there had not been a ceremony,” she said. “I’ve attended every ceremony since 1984 when they started and I’ve shed tears every time. It’s a very moving experience.”

Westmeyer was also instrumental in the transition from three Area Education Agencies (AEAs 2, 6 & 7) to one in 2003. “It was a time of great uncertainty and fear of the unknown. I feel very good about how things have turned out.”

Although her accomplishments are many, Westmeyer feels a tinge of regret about the fact that her advocacy for lengthening the school year has not resulted in real change in the state. She has been a long-time proponent of a longer school year to retain and advance student learning. Still, she feels the time is right to step down.

“The friendships I have made while on the AEA board have been wonderful,” said Westmeyer. “This closes an important chapter in my life. My advice to any new board member is to speak up and let people know how you feel…being a board member is very rewarding.”

In her capacity as an AEA 267 board member, Westmeyer has represented Director District 4 which includes the school districts of Charles City, Denver, Janesville, Nashua-Plainfield, Sumner, Tripoli, Wapsie Valley, and Waverly-Shell Rock. A search for a candidate to fill Westmeyer’s vacancy is pending.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6 p.m. on August 5, 2009, in the AEA 267 Conference Center for their regular meeting.

During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a review of the work and experiences of the AEA 267 Crisis Response Team from Stan Hanus (team leader) and other members of the team regarding their recent work in Aplington-Parkersburg.
• Accepted with regret the resignation of Andrew Meister, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Devonshire), effective immediately.
• Motioned to hire Jon McEwan, Jr., Teacher of Multi Disab/Severe & Profound (Mason City); Rebecca Eness, Speech-Language Pathologist (TBD); Cam Turner, School Social Worker (Castle Hill School); Jared Pospisil, Teacher of Multi Disabilities/SCI (Union High School); Farrah Olson, Work Experience/Transition Specialist (Sectors 1,2,4); Jeanna Cripe, Teacher of Behavior Disorders (Devonshire).
• Approved 2009-2010 master contract with the AEA 267 Education Association.
• Heard the second reading of board policies #405.1 (sick leave) and #405.2 (vacation leave).
• Approved the contract with Pruckler Physical Therapy.
• Approved the 2009-2010 contract for Adaptive P.E. Services with Marshalltown CSD.
• Accepted with gratitude a memorial gift to AEA 267 from the family of Deb McGowan. An outdoor bench will be placed near the front entrance of the AEA 267 Marshalltown conference center.
• Approved the consortium agreement between Mid-Iowa School Improvement (MISIC) Consortium and Bremwood providing access to MAP tests.
• Approved the transportation agreement between EPI, INRTC and AEA 267.
• Approved the agreement with Iowa Falls Community Schools for lease of office facilities in Iowa Falls.
• Approved the contract with the Iowa Juvenile Home to purchase psychologist services from AEA 267.
• Reviewed the mileage reimbursement rate. The board elected to maintain the current mileage rate.
• Approved contracts with North Iowa Community Action for Project Child Care and Head Start.
• Approved the contract with Iowa State University for LEA Administrator Technology Professional Development for 2009-2010.
• Approved renewal of the partner contract with Exceptional Persons for provision of Early ACCESS services.
• Approved the architectural contract and authorized preliminary window and door projects for the Clear Lake remodeling work.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

Nine AEA 267 staff members will represent the agency throughout the day on August 13 at the state AEA booth in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair. Staff members will give out AEA logo tattoos to children, talk about AEA services and gather AEA success stories from those who stop by.

This is the second year the AEA system has had a booth at the State Fair. Last year’s booth was a huge success resulting in thousands of contacts with Iowans throughout the state.

Members of the Iowa AEA Communications Committee pose with Miss Iowa 2008, Abby Curran, at last year's Iowa State Fair.

For those staff members coming back from extended time away from the office over the summer, please remember to update your voice mail greeting and any automated email responses you set prior to leaving for the summer. Remember that the agency requires that all voice mail greetings be current for the day or week. If you need assistance, please see the help guides and scripts posted on the staff website.

Hats off to AEA 267 Devonshire students for raising over $400 for the Waterloo Canine Unit through their “Caring Coins” program. Students presented their donation to the chief of police and others from the department (including drug dog, Spike) at a special ceremony Thursday, June 4. The event is set to receive positive news coverage from both KWWL-TV and the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.

This project is one of many AEA 267 Devonshire students take on to contribute positively to the community. Thanks for doing such a great job! Special thanks to Cindy Lang and Paula Goetz for their leadership.

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.