Welcome Message from Heartland AEA Chief Administrator

Jon Sheldahl
Chief Administrator
Heartland AEA

Hello school leaders and welcome to the 2017-18 school year! I want to introduce myself and wish you an outstanding school year. I have had the pleasure of meeting many administrators and educators in the Heartland AEA service area over the years and I look forward to meeting many more of you in the very near future.

This is my first year at Heartland AEA as chief administrator, but for the past 16 years, I've served as both associate superintendent and superintendent of the Ottumwa Schools, before becoming the chief administrator at Great Prairie AEA in 2011. Prior to this, I spent two years in the Heartland AEA area as the superintendent at Stuart-Menlo/West Central Valley. Prior to that experience, I was an elementary and middle school principal in Arizona and in Burlington. I began my teaching career in 1982, teaching language arts and reading in Carroll. I attended Luther College and later graduated from the University of Iowa. I did my master's and doctoral studies at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz, and I grew up in Carlisle (Class of '78).

I like to use the term “service agency” when I refer to AEAs because it reminds us all of the reason for our existence. We exist to serve you. Please know that we are committed to partnering with you to the greatest extent possible and that we want you to think of Heartland AEA as a resource that is always just a call or email away. Effective communication and positive relationships are critical to our ability to provide new services and to improve upon those existing services to which you have become accustomed. Your regional director and local AEA consultants will continue to call on you as they have in the past, and we will continue to provide network opportunities as well but we also want you to reach out whenever you feel the need. We will continue to take formal steps to gauge local district needs, but good communication runs two ways and we always want to hear from you.

Have a great year and know that you have a staunch advocate in your AEA administrator. Nothing is more important or more noble than the work you are doing for the children and families of Iowa and I am honored to have the opportunity to partner with you in that endeavor.

Jon Sheldahl
Chief Administrator
Heartland AEA
jsheldahl@heartlandaea.org
(515) 270-9030 ext. 14314