The Channel

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.

In early March (2013), the AEA print shop in Marshalltown will be moved to our Cedar Falls office. Due to budget constraints and a decline in print impressions, we are realigning our delivery of services to meet customer needs and maintain fiscal responsibility.

In the next few months, we will be visiting with the schools that typically send work to our Marshalltown office with more specifics. We will work for an orderly transition so there will be no disruption of services.

Although it is impossible to predict what the legislature will do, it appears that an extension of the current reduction in Social Security tax will not go beyond December of 2012. This means that beginning with your January 2013 paycheck, your actual “take home” pay could be 2% less. Please be aware of this possibility as you look ahead and plan your finances for 2013.

American Education Week presents a perfect opportunity to show appreciation for the positive contributions AEA 267 staff members make each and every day. Please take a moment to watch this brief podcast and accompanying video created especially for you. You may even spot someone you know in the video!

In response to staff feedback via survey and focus groups, a decision has been made to only hold all-staff meetings every three to five years. Dates have already been set for Sector/Agency meetings in each sector for August, 2013. Hopefully by getting these dates out far enough in advance, staff members will have ample time to adjust their summer calendars to attend without conflict. As a reminder, these meetings will be devoted both to sector-related business as well as agency updates. Please plan now to attend! All meetings will be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

• Monday, August 12: Northwest Sector (Clear Lake Office)
• Tuesday, August 13: Northeast Sector (Waverly High School Rada Auditorium)
• Wednesday, August 14: East Sector (Cedar Falls Conference Center)
• Thursday, August 15: South Sector (Marshalltown Office)

The national IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) awarded Gina Greene the 2012 ITCA Regional Parent Leadership Award. The award is given annually to acknowledge parent leadership on behalf of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. Winners are chosen for having made significant contributions in supporting and training families to advocate for their child(ren), serving on committees, and working on legislative initiatives that impact young children.

Gina Greene is an Early ACCESS Regional Coordinator with Area Education Agency 267 (AEA 267).  Gina has played an integral role in a variety of projects and served on committees in Iowa that have impacted infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. In her capacity with AEA 267, Gina works with AEA staff and community partners to improve the quality of services for children and families.

“We are thrilled that Gina has been recognized for her tireless efforts,” said Margie Jensen, AEA 267 Early ACCESS Regional Coordinator. “Children, families, and educators in our area are better for having Gina in their lives.”

Gina lives in Waterloo with her husband Paul.  They have three grown children, Lucas, Molly (Brian), and Tyler.  Gina is actively engaged in supporting her youngest son Tyler in his mission to educate the world in Ability Awareness, to show that what a person “Can Do” is more important than what they cannot.

By now, all classified and non-union support staff members have had their initial conferences with supervisors using the new evaluation rubrics developed collaboratively last spring. Staff members and supervisors used the rubrics to recognize both areas of strength as well as targeted areas for professional development and growth. The next step involves structuring professional development opportunities to meet common needs.

For more information about the evaluation rubrics, please visit the staff website or contact Kim Neal, Site Superintendent (Marshalltown office) or Dr. Anne Sullivan, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of Human Resources.

Although fine-tuning continues to take place, the new AEA 267 website continues to draw many compliments. Many new features have been added to the site including a first-ever interactive map that allows staff members, parents, educators and others to click-to-view a list of all of the AEA 267 staff members serving each school district. Try it today!

To report a technical issue or content error on the new website, please contact Cindi Helgeson, AEA 267 Administrative Secretary-Information Technology.

Although we have had warmer-than-average temperatures and perfect conditions for travel, winter weather is undoubtedly in our future. Are you ready?

For information regarding how to learn about office closings and professional development cancellations, please visit the inclement weather page on our staff website. (Use your email login and password to gain access.) If you have questions after reviewing this information, please visit with your supervisor. Please remember that AEA 267 no longer uses the news media to announce closings/cancellations.

Stay safe!

The AEA 267 Emergency Procedures have now been updated and are available on the staff website and by hard copy in each AEA 267 building (arriving by November 16). Please take a moment to review the updated procedures and ensure that you are prepared in the unlikely event of an emergency.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met November 7, 2012 at 5 p.m. in the Sumner High School Auditorium along with the Keystone AEA Board of Directors for a public hearing regarding the proposed merger of the Sumner and Fredericksburg School Districts.

Dr. Roark Horn explained the purpose of the meeting. Steve Weidner, the attorney representing AEA 267, detailed the procedures to be followed. Rick Engel, the attorney representing the school districts, gave a description of the reorganization proposal. Mark Wendland, Fredericksburg Board President; Roger Shaffer, Sumner Board President; and Rick Pederson, Sumner and Fredericksburg Superintendent, gave opening arguments.

Comments were made by individuals in the audience. Petitioners responded to comments and objections. Questions were heard from the AEA 267 and Keystone AEA board members. The hearing was closed. The decision of the combined boards was to allow the districts to go to a reorganization vote. Immediately following the public hearing, the board held their regular meeting.

During the meeting, the board:

• Approved the GASB 45 (Government Accounting Standards Board) Service Agreement with IASB.
• Approved the reciprocal transportation agreement between Central Springs and Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock School Districts.
• Approved the reciprocal transportation agreement between West Fork and Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock School Districts.