Polk Suburban UniServ Visit Leads to Heartland AEA

On Tuesday, November 27th, I joined UniServ Director Wayne Bauman at the Johnston office of Heartland AEA. Here we were greeted by the "Dynamic Duo" of Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell (on the left) and Frances Budreck Davis (on the right). This two-some serve as co-presidents of the Heartland AEA-EA.

Gilmara and Frances gave Wayne and I a tour of two of the Heartland AEA office locations before Wayne had to head out to participate in "Evaluator's training".

At the Johnston office we wound throughout the huge facility set up in a maze-like arrangement. It didn't take me long to figure out I couldn't retrace our steps! In the Media Center I learned that they have children's books in five languages in addition to English! They have print books available in Bosnian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian and Spanish!

Frances is a school Psychologist and works exclusively in the Waukee School District with secondary students. Gilmara works "agency-wide" as a Program Learning and Leadership Consultant. Part of Gilmara's job is to see how staff can serve students' better through cultural competencies.

Pictured (above) with Gilmara and Frances is Wayne Bauman, Polk Suburban UniServ Director.

Following our tour of the Johnston office, Wayne and I joined our "Dynamic Duo" for a tour of the Woodside office.

The last Heartland AEA office we were able to visit on Tuesday was in Newton. I learned a great deal by having this chance to visit with our great leaders! Heartland AEA serves some 126,000 students in central Iowa; which is approximately 33% of all students in Iowa! Gilmara, Frances and I then had lunch together in Newton before heading out our separate ways.

Thanks, Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell and Frances Budreck Davis for your leadership on Team ISEA!