GHAEA Voice

Abby Patterson, program manager for the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program, will be at Halverson Center on Feb. 12 for Understanding NEAR: Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience . The training will focus on understanding the relationship between brain development and adverse childhood experiences, as well as how to make individuals, families and communities more resilient. This training is for AEA staff, special education reps, Early ACCESS and early childhood educators.   Register here (click on Workshop, early childhood). 

GHAEA is bringing in Dr. Kimberly St. Martin, assistant director, Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative, for the MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support and Response to Intervention) Conference , April 5 , Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Live video feed sites will be available in Creston and Red Oak. St. Martin will provide informational support for MTSS/RtI. The intended audience is AEA staff, instructional coaches, classroom teachers, interventionists, building leadership team members, special education staff and administrators. Registration is $25 for GHAEA staff and local school staff; $50 for those outside the GHAEA area. For more information, contact Jenny Barnett, Terri Bush or Patrick Rabbitt . 

Who would guess that David Bryne, former front man for the Talking Heads, would make an observation that Des Moines may be one of America's next creative hub. Politico reporter Colin Woodward concurs in "How America's Dullest City Got Cool" (Jan. 21, 2016). "Over the past 15 years, Des Moines has transformed into one of the richest, most vibrant, and yes, hip cities in the country, where the local arts scene, entrepreneurial startups and established corporate employers are all thriving." Read more here.

Thanks to  Emily Selsor  (administrative secretary, Osceola) for sharing these photos from the Osceola Regional Office holiday party!  The Osceola Regional Office proudly wear their ugly sweaters in the spirit of the holidays! Melanie Van Dyke and Carissa Otto won the Ugly Sweater Contest. 

Get your cowboy on! The 18th Annual MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) Gala will be held on March 4 at the MidAmerica Center in Council Bluffs. Individual tickets are $70 and $650 for a table of 10. The evening includes dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 19. Click here to reserve online . 

Brittney Haskell , speech-language pathologist (Peterson) hails from Grinnell, IA. She enjoys working with all ages and watching children succeed in school. Brittney enjoys spending time with her grandparents in Lincoln City, OR, and likes doing DIY projects, cooking, arts/crafts and sewing. One of her favorite musical artists is Bruno Mars. 

2-1   Janis Wanke 2-3   Kerry Aistrope 2-3   Ami Leath 2-3   Christel Nelson 2-4   Wendy Rodriguez 2-8   Harva Paul 2-9   Kristi Minnick 2-11   Caitlin Boyer 2-12   Debra Johnsen 2-15   Stephanie Dredge 2-15   Mary McLaren 2-16   Denise Fricke 2-19   Amber Kearney 2-20   David Henry 2-21   Julie Honan 2-23   Steve Martin 2-24   Jody Madsen 2-24   Amber Zimmer 2-26   Amber Johnson 2-26   Cheryl Mulligan 2-27   Mary Carstens 2-28   Debra Schwiesow

Early ACCESS is a partnership between families with young children, birth to age three, and providers from Iowa's AEAs, Departments of Education, Public Health, Human Services and Child Health Specialty Clinics. The purpose of the program is to encourage partnerships among families and staff to work together in identifying, coordinating and providing needed support and resources that will help the family assist their infant or toddler to grow and develop.       Fifty GHAEA staff are part of the Early ACCESS team, headed by Regional Administrator Angie Hance , that makes a difference in the lives of so many children.   Intervention during the first three years of a child’s life can increase a child's rate of growth, social and emotional development, acquisition of knowledge and skills and use of appropriate behaviors to meet his/her needs, while decreasing the likelihood of special education and reducing the need for expensive and more intense services in the future.        

On Feb. 26, BrightBytes' Iowa education research partner Karen Goldstein will be at the Avoca Regional Office for a day of thought, leadership and team planning . The day is designed for school teams including   leaders who have responsibility for curriculum, technology, professional development; building principals,  instructional coaches and innovative teachers . . . anyone who is part of creating and implementing a vision of technology integration! Register here or contact Judy Griffin for more information. 

The statewide Iowa AEA system has added a new board to  its Pinterest account and it focuses on well-being . Here you can access recipes, quotes and tips for healthy living, among others. Be sure to check out Iowa AEAs on Pinterest for other boards such as behavior resources, literacy, love of teaching and fin e arts, just to name a few. 

Regina (Gina) Mieska (audiologist, Avoca) and husband, Jeremiah, have four children: Luke, Owen, Jude and Finn. "Helping kids hear and watching them grow and be successful with the resources I've provided is so rewarding, as well as working with teachers, parents and multi-disciplinary teams," Gina says. When she's not watching her children play sports (baseball, basketball, football, soccer and wrestling), she enjoys reading and boating. Her travels have taken her to Ireland and the Dominican Republic. 

I hate to see the holidays go, so here are a few more photos from office holiday celebrations to keep the festive mood around a little longer!  Creston Regional Office holiday gathering.  A holiday selfie from the Atlantic Regional Office. Channeling their inner Picasso are Rachel Eikenberry, Jenny Seuntjens and Leslie Dickinson, Missouri Valley. 

1-18   Connie Hiatt 1-20   Connie Fenn 1-24   Emily Schwartz 1-28   Marsha Guttau 1-28   Seth Piro 1-29   Carrie Powders 1-29   Laurine Price 1-30  Jennifer Adams-Potter 1-30   Sarah Girres 1-30   Dan Kenkel 1-31   Jill Hoy 1-31   Denise Young 2-1   Janis Wanke 2-3   Kerry Aistrope 2-3   Ami Leath 2-3   Christel Nelson 2-4   Wendy Rodriguez 2-8   Harva Paul 2-9   Kristi Minnick 2-11   Caitlin Boyer 2-12   Debra Johnsen

Looking for a simple, effective way to improve your life in 2016? These powerful habits can improve your life almost immediately, according to Dean Bokhari, who writes and speaks on living a meaningful life. Details can be found at mindbodygreen.com) . 1. Before you go to bed at night, tell your brain, "Wake me up at ___ a.m." 2. Drink a liter of water upon rising. 3. After you brush your teeth, pause for a moment and smile at yourself. 4. Take a walk. 5. Give thanks. 6. Do the most important thing you have to do first. 7. Compliment someone. 8. Sweat! 9. At the end of the day, revisit your day and focus on the good stuff. 10. Read for at least 20 minutes a day.

The Iowa Department of Education has released a list of frequently asked questions about the pending dissolution of Farragut Community School District. The district will continue to exist and operate as a school corporation until June 30,2016, under receivership of GHAEA. As Chief Administrator Lane Plugge pointed out in an email to staff on Nov. 20, staff working in these schools should be cognizant of how the loss of the Farragut CSD will impact students, staff and community. "We will all need to be sensitive to this change," Plugge said. "Losing a school is extremely difficult for a community and my goal is to provide leadership so that the students and staff will have a quality experience for the remainder of the 2015-16 school year. I would appreciate your assistance in making this possible."

Registration is open for GHAEA's MTSS Conference , April 5 , at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. GHAEA offices in Creston and Red Oak will serve as live video feed sites. Presenter Dr. Kimberly St. Martin is the assistant director of Michigan's Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative. The intended audience for the conference includes AEA staff, instructional coaches, classroom teachers, interventionists, building leadership teams, special ed staff and administrators. Registration is $25 for GHAEA and LEA staff (in GHAEA) and $50 for those outside the GHAEA area. For more information, contact Jenny Barnett, Terri Bush or Patrick Rabbitt .

Roy  Medina (Peterson) wins the prize for most festive attire! Faith Bessire and Angie Williams enjoying a holiday gathering hosted by Deb Johnsen for the Missouri Valley office. The holiday spirit is alive and well at the Creston Regional Office.  Andy Raczynski and Sandy Williams play an AEA version of Family Feud (Halverson).  What? You call this an ugly sweater? Diane Emsick was the winner of Peterson's Ugly Sweater Contest. There is an artist in each of us! Leslie Dickinson and Jennifer Christensen (Missouri Valley) proudly display their artwork with guidance from Woodbine artist Bracinda Blum. 

1-6   Susan Himes 1-8   Nancy Boswell 1-8   Janice Hughes 1-9   Eunice Bohanan 1-9   Leah Olson 1-10   Michael Peters 1-10   Jennifer Reed 1-14   Lori Durand 1-14   Karen Meiers 1-17   Amy Kading 1-17   Amy Rommel 1-18   Connie Hiatt 1-20   Connie Fenn 1-24   Emily Schwartz 1-28   Marsha Guttau 1-28   Seth Piro 1-29   Carrie Powders 1-29   Laurine Price 1-30  Jennifer Adams-Potter 1-30   Sarah Girres 1-30   Dan Kenkel 1-31   Jill Hoy 1-31   Denise Young

1-8-2001 Maryann Angeroth 1-4-1982  Marjorie Armstrong 1-3-2008  Stacy Buresh 1-2-2008  Ashley Denton 1-5-2015  Mollie Frazier 1-2-2001  Sarah Girres 1-7-2008  Martin Mulligan 1-4-1979  Laureen Price 1-19-1995  Keri Riddle 1-11-1979  Andy Ruff

Curious what the top education stories were of 2015?  Education Week  has posted their top 10 education stories of 2015 , based on articles most viewed by readers.