The Channel

Jo Darter, special ed secretary, and her husband, Bill, are the grandparents of a new grandson. Braylon Allan Darter was born Friday, August 29 at 11:41 p.m. at Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center. He weighed 8 pounds and was 21 inches long. Braylon is the son of Jason Darter and Rosa Granados.

The AEA 267 Leadership Team is excited to introduce the Predictive Index (PI) to staff. The PI is a unique resource that AEA 267 administrators will be using to help ensure that the agency provides the most supportive and productive work experience for all employees.

The PI is a survey tool that provides objective and specific information relative to individual skills and talents. The tool is being used to help the agency/staff move toward:

• More effective communications
• Stronger team interactions
• More informed hiring decisions
• More accurate analysis of individual professional development needs

The Pl has the potential to help all of us to better understand ourselves and work more effectively together. Additional information will be shared via Intersections and your administrator. In the meantime, please contact your service area director with questions.

Purchasing supplies for the agency? Remember to check first with the Iowa Educators’ Consortium (IEC) or our own internal co-op before purchasing from another vendor. In most cases, co-op prices are lower and can save the agency money.

One of the original Area Education Agency 7 staff members, Karen (Garvin) Wente, passed away due to sudden illness on November 3. Although officially retired after 35 years of services to the Area Education Agency system, she was active as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) grant received by Area Education Agency 267, School Administrators of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Education.

Karen’s contributions will be sorely missed. Click here for complete details.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met at 6:00 p.m. on November 5, 2008 at the AEA 267 Conference Center in Cedar Falls for their regular meeting.

During the meeting, the board:

• Heard a review from Dr. Sara McInerny and Dr. Dean Meier of the Iowa Superintendents Network (the Elmore Project), a professional development opportunity for AEA 267 superintendents
• Approved the renewal of lease for classrooms on the Bremwood campus.
• Approved reciprocal transportation agreements
• Approved an Orientation and Mobility Service Agreement and an Itinerant Teacher Service Agreement with the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.
• Approved a GASB 45 Service Agreement with IASB.
• Approved the following agreements for Early Childhood and Headstart Programs: Mid-Iowa Community Action; Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation; North Iowa Community Action; and Tri-County Child and Family Development Council, Inc.
• Approved the 2009 Iowa Drug and Alcohol Testing Program (IDATP) Annual Participation Agreement.
• Approved the Mental Health Agreement with Early Childhood Programs (ECP) of Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation.
• Reviewed the 100 series of AEA 267 board policies.
• Approved the purchase of a pick-up for maintenance and snow removal.
• Heard a variety of reports from directors and fellow board members.

The AEA 267 Business Office is in the process of organizing informational meetings regarding 403b plans in response to recent changes in legislation. An announcement with dates, locations and times will be sent via the all staff listserv in the coming weeks. For those interested, please plan to attend.

Watch your van mail in the next few weeks for a United Way campaign pledge card. The AEA 267 campaign will run through November 14, 2008. Given Mother Nature’s rath this spring and summer, needs are great for many Iowans. To learn more, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwnaIDSbVVA.

Giving is soley up to your personal discretion.

Anne Magnuson, Speech-Language Pathologist, and Deb Price, Early Childhood Special Educator, have received the Bingham Innovation Award from the Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation.  The mission of the Innovation Award is to stimulate Speech-Language Pathologists’ and Audiologists’ evaluation of current practices and encourage design of new replicable approaches to clinical services.  Anne and Deb were awarded $500 to use to purchase materials to support their work in training and implementing the use of Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDI’s) at http://ggg.umn.edu in all preschool settings in the Forest City School District.

Congratulations to Carol Hunchis, Speech-Language Pathologist, who was selected as one of the four runner-ups in the Excellence in Education Award program sponsored by ISEA, WHO radio, KDSM FOX 17, and Iowa Farm Bureau. Carol, along with the other honorees will be honored on Monday, October 16 at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.