This week’s issue of Friday News includes:

  • Jerry Stremel joins the Friday News blog - Be aware of words
  • Seating chart for agency PD
  • May birthdays
  • Contracts & salary schedules
  • Licensure reminder

Genuinely Jerry:  Be aware of words

As dedicated professionals we take pride in our advocacy for children and families.  We expect the most of ourselves and of one another in providing quality services to our schools.  This sense of advocacy is a commendable trait that serves us well, and at times, can also put us and/or our colleagues in awkward and legally indefensible positions.

 

It has come to my attention that some of us, as Prairie Lakes staff, may inadvertently be sending compromising messages to our schools and families.  I am aware of at least two recent occasions when one, or more of our staff have led parents and schools to believe that we would happily provide more support services to students on IEPs if only we weren’t so short-handed. In both of these occasions, the service in question was speech therapy but it could easily have been in other disciplines or service areas.
 
Imagine what an awkward position that creates for the speech/language pathologist?  Imagine how we might defend that position should we be faced with a challenge to the provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)?  Imagine the difficulty our schools will have defending that position to the affected families?

 

How might we respond instead?  Consider saying, “We are recommending a level of service appropriate to the identified needs of the child.” or perhaps, “The services proposed will adequately address the child’s special learning needs.” As long as the data support the recommended services, we can both ethically and legally defend our service proposal and our professionalism. Remember, our responsibility is to provide an appropriate education, not to try and be everything to everybody. 

 

Please remember, it is very damaging to our public relations with both our families and schools if we in any way contribute to the idea that our services are less than satisfactory.  I know the passion all of you bring to your profession.  I only ask that you temper your advocacy with sound judgment in the manner in which you communicate with our constituents.  Always remember that what you say has an affect on other people’s perception of you, your colleagues and the AEA as a whole.

 

Seating chart

Check out the seating chart for the all-agency professional development day. Table 1 will be at the back of the Expo Center, by the restrooms and numbers will progress from there.

 

May birthdays

1 Dennis Feddersen 
2 Sam Salinas 
2 Sarah Glawe 
4 Jill Sundblad 
8 Kandy Martin 
9 Linda Williamson 
9 Melissa Wurth 
12 Annette Louk 
18 Patti Meyer 
19 Jeff Willer 
19 Emily Frostestad 
22 Coletta Jaeger 
23 Addy Leistikow 
23 Connie Pavelko 
24 Penny Nelson 
24 Pat Novak 
24 Doreen Debeck
25 Rich Feilmeier 
26 Shannon M Hagen
29 Radina Stuhrenberg
31 Scott Fosseen

 

Update on contracts & salary schedules

Contracts for classified staff have been sent out and are due back to Ginger Hoffman by May 7. The salary schedule for the PLAEA Education Services Association is here.

 

Licensed staff contracts were sent out on Thursday, April 24. Contracts are due to Ginger by May 14. The Licensed Staff salary schedule is here.

 

Licensure reminder

All licensed staff are responsible for ensuring that a current license is on file with the Board Secretary (Ginger Hoffman). This is a requirement for employment, and it also determines eligibility for Teacher Quality monies.  
 

To check your licensure expiration date go to:
http://www.state.ia.us/boee/
 
From there you can:
Search for Information on a Teacher’s, Administrator’s, or Coach’s License or Assignment
Apply for a license.
Renew a license.