Grant Wood Area Education Agency
Chief Administrator Announces Departure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cedar Rapids…Grant Wood Area Education Agency Chief Administrator, Ron Fielder, asked the agency's board of directors to release him from his contract on June 30, 2011, the end of the agency's fiscal year.

Fielder has been the Chief Administrator at the agency since 1987. Prior to coming to Grant Wood AEA, he was a teacher and school administrator in Kansas. The Grant Wood AEA board of directors will begin a search in January for Dr. Fielder's replacement.

Grant Wood AEA employs over 500 people in the East Central Iowa area. The agency's chief role is to provide special education related services to schools, including such services as speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists for children from birth through age 21. The agency also offers an extensive library of books, videos and on-line resources for teachers to use for classroom instruction. The agency is known for its quality professional development classes for teachers and school administrators. School districts use the AEA for a variety of other administrative and support services, including payroll and accounting and PowerSchool, an online support system for schools, students and parents.

When making the announcement of his departure, Fielder explained that he intends to keep his options open but hopes to continue his efforts in helping to develop educational leaders and supporting regional service agencies. He also intends to be involved with community development, systems thinking and design, and with K-12 educational activities related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). An avid musician, he will continue to play with the musical group "The Agency" which features mostly blues and rock and roll music.

Grant Wood Area Education Agency serves 32 school districts and 22 approved nonpublic schools in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties.