Tag: 2020 census

Parenting science rooted in reality

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John Lawrence’s message from March 9, 2020

Do you have parenting questions? Science of Parenting has answers based on research and real-life experience. Human Sciences Extension and Outreach has been sharing the Science of Parenting for several years, but starting March 12, they’re adding a new podcast to their collection of resources for helping parents make informed decisions for their families. Did you know?

  • Human sciences specialists Lori Hayungs and Mackenzie Johnson, parenting educators who are parents themselves, talk about the realities of being a parent and how research can help guide parenting decisions. Mackenzie DeJong produces the podcast and Barbara Dunn Swanson provides research and writing.
  • The first season of the weekly podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast platforms and releases on Thursdays, March 12 to May 28. Once per month, the podcast hosts will appear on Facebook Live (noon to 12:45 p.m.); viewers can submit questions in advance to Facebook or Twitter @scienceofparent or by email to parenting@iastate.edu.
  • The Science of Parenting website, scienceofparenting.org, also will be relaunching with a new design. Blog posts and resource links provide additional parenting information.

The Science of Parenting continues to address today’s hot topics in parenting and provides research-based information that fits your family.

Annual Conference update

Join us at Annual Conference on Wednesday, April 1, as we look at how our personal success as extension professionals keeps us on track for building a #StrongIowa, where all Iowans benefit. Check out the agenda and register today. Early bird registration ($75) ends March 16 at 5 p.m. Then registration increases to $85.

  • The festivities begin on Tuesday, March 31 with our Awards Ceremony and Reception. Join us from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center to honor our colleagues’ accomplishments and length of service.
  • Our conference day starts April 1 with registration at 8 a.m. at the Scheman Building. We’ll hear from two highly recommended speakers and choose from 11 breakout sessions on a variety of professional development topics.
  • Several high-quality prizes will be raffled off at the end of the day, including two Fitbits, two Fire HD tablets, one set of Apple AirPods, and an iPad. And yes, you must be present to win.
  • After the conference, those interested may attend one of two optional sessions: 1) ISU Benefits as a County Employee and 2) Ready to Retire from ISU? Five Things to Know First (for ISU-paid employees). Registration for these sessions is not required.
  • Annual Conference is open to everyone in ISU Extension and Outreach. Councils, please consider closing your office or having someone fill in for the day so that all ISU Extension and Outreach staff members can attend.

More notes

  • 2020 Census update: The fact sheet “2020 Census: You Count” now is available in both English and Spanish. See the Indicators website for these materials and many other Census-related resources.
  • Applications will be accepted from March 9 until May 15 for the summer 2020 Vice President for Extension and Outreach Tuition Assistance Program. County-paid and ISU-paid extension employees may apply for the program, whether taking credit courses from Iowa State, a community college, a private institution or other accredited public institution.
  • The Iowa Extension Council Association conference, Focus for Success, is March 28 in Ames. Council members and extension professionals are invited, and the early bird registration deadline is March 18. Staff who would like to share their programs and showcase services at the conference’s idea fair should register their displays by March 15.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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Pesticide safety for Iowans

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Feb. 24, 2020, message from John Lawrence

ISU Extension and Outreach began offering pesticide safety education in 1976, when legislation first required applicators to be trained in the safe and effective use of pesticides. This program, which used to be delivered to our county offices by huge satellite dishes, now is distributed via Blu-ray discs. Technology isn’t the only thing that changes in our Pesticide Safety Education Program. Each year, the PSEP provides the latest information to keep all Iowa applicators up to date on current pesticide safety and pest management. Did you know?

  • Our PSEP provides Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) recertification programs that cover a variety of topics, including laws and regulations, personal protective equipment, pesticide labels, safe application techniques, storage and handling, protecting sensitive areas such as groundwater, non-target sites and pollinators, and pests and pest management.
  • During the 2018-2019 season, PSEP held 278 programs across Iowa that educated 13,831 private applicators with the help of field agronomists and county extension staff. Last year 11,198 commercial applicators attended a CIC recertification program.

CIC programs are offered throughout the year in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. PSEP also is involved in integrated pest management, worker protection, environmental quality and agricultural health.

More notes

  • Congratulations to 12 extension professionals who will be honored at the ISU 25 Year Club banquet on March 2. Reaching 25 years of continuous service during calendar year 2019 are Patricia Gibler, Patrick O’Malley, Vicki Speake and Richard Wrage. Reaching 35 years are Richard Jauron, Christine Knight-Gipe, Jane Hayes-Johnk, Jerolyne Packer, David Stender, Jill Weber and Jeanne Wiebke. Donna Donald will be honored for reaching 45 years of continuous service this year.
  • The archive of the 2020 Census webinar (from Feb. 11) is available. In the coming months you may get questions about the Census or you may have the opportunity to educate people about it. A video, handouts and other helpful materials are available from the Indicators website.
  • On Feb. 28 from noon-1 p.m. you can join Human Sciences’ Acts of Kindness Celebration on Zoom to share and celebrate all the acts of kindness that were completed during the month. You’ll also find out who wins the grand prize – an assortment of homemade/specialty items from our Human Sciences community. For more information contact hs_wellbeing@iastate.edu.
  • Registration is open for our 2020 Annual Conference, Wednesday, April 1. You’ll find plenty of professional development, inspiration and networking as we celebrate successes and make progress toward our personal and professional goals. Some breakout sessions have attendance caps, so register soon. Annual Conference is open to everyone in ISU Extension and Outreach. Please join us.
  • ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the Extension Disaster Education Network, which focuses on reducing the impact of disasters through education. Extension safety specialist Chuck Schwab is our EDEN contact. EDEN is asking extension professionals to respond to the Extension Disaster Needs Assessment Survey, at http://bit.ly/Extension-Disaster-Needs-Assessment. Please respond by the end of February. Your input will help EDEN draft the request for proposals for their competitive grant program for developing new or updating existing resources.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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Our internal communications progress

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John Lawrence’s message from Feb. 10, 2020

Nearly a year ago the Internal Communications Task Force delivered their findings at our Annual Conference. Since then the leadership team and I have been addressing their themes and recommendations. We provided an executive summary last April and updates over the past several months. Now it’s time for our first-year, internal communications progress report.

What we’re already implementing

  • We established the Vice President for Extension and Outreach Tuition Assistance Program to help our people move forward with their extension careers.
  • We initiated the county visit notification email protocol for systematically communicating when staff and faculty will be visiting a county – whether they are from campus, another region or the county next door.
  • We created a virtual suggestion box so you can share questions, comments and concerns at any time. Feedback is anonymous and confidential.
  • My new Office of the Vice President website is a public site for current news, updates and information on initiatives – providing easy access for our councils. In addition, a new MyExtension homepage is coming soon. It will become our “frontpage” for internal communication from leadership to staff.
  • We had engaging discussions during our first round of area-wide meetings in August and September. The next round will take place in fall 2020.
  • In September we held listening sessions on Structured for Success. We plan to hold listening sessions on other topics this year.
  • In January we began Second Monday Live. These monthly Adobe Connect sessions provide opportunities to connect with the leadership team. (Today’s February edition addressed the Master Conservationist Program and MyData, our forthcoming mandatory reporting system. Next week we’ll send the link for the archived session.)
  • Terry Maloy, Iowa Extension Council Association executive director, is invited to leadership team meetings once per month.
  • In January, County Services began the County Services Connection, a monthly newsletter directed to county staff, councils and regional directors.

What we’re working on

As we implement Structured for Success, we will be taking a close look at roles of field specialists, regional directors, county staff and councils. We want to clarify individual responsibilities for better accountability. The two-way scorecard is under development and will formalize these communications.

We are fully committed to improving our internal communications in ISU Extension and Outreach. This is a continuing process that is strengthening our organization so we can better serve Iowans and build a #STRONGIOWA.

More notes

  • Please review the February program update from the leadership team for current examples of what is happening across our programs.
  • Watch this video about why the census is important to Iowa and plan to participate in our 2020 Census webinar, Tuesday, Feb. 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/census/. Learn what you need to know about how to ensure all Iowans are counted.
  • The Structured for Success final regional boundary map has been updated with all counties’ model choices.
  • The ISU Extension and Outreach 2019 Annual Report is available online as a webpage as well as an accessible PDF file. You can use the report to share how we support what Iowans value: #STRONGIOWA.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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The 2020 Census matters to us

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John Lawrence’s message from Jan. 27, 2020

In a few weeks, Iowans will be receiving their invitations to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census. An accurate count of Iowa’s population will provide key demographic information to help us understand who and where our clients are. But did you know? 2020 Census data also will:

  • guide planning and decisions in Iowa communities,
  • determine how many representatives Iowa has in the U.S. Congress, and
  • impact federal funding for many services and programs.

Our state receives nearly $9 billion in federal funds every year. If Iowa’s population is undercounted, our state’s federal funding could be in jeopardy. An undercount of even 0.1% could mean losing $89.6 million from 2020-2030. An undercount of 1% would equal 10 times as much – $896 million.

In the coming months you may get questions about the Census or you may have the opportunity to educate people about it. Learn what you need to know about the 2020 Census during a live webinar Tuesday, Feb. 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/census/. Sociologist Sandra Burke will discuss how Census data benefits communities, why it’s important to get an accurate count, and how extension professionals may be able to help. In addition, GIS specialist Bailey Hanson will demonstrate finding Census information on the updated Indicators website. There also will be plenty of time to ask questions.

Let’s do our best to ensure all Iowans are counted in the 2020 Census.

Justice statement update

Beginning Feb. 1, the updated justice statement (also known as the non-discrimination statement) must be included on all departmental publications and county-produced materials offered by ISU Extension and Outreach. This new process is based on USDA guidance and is required by federal regulation. The purpose is to make clear to prospective applicants or participants that the university is committed to equal opportunity employment and equal access to its programs and activities. We are used to putting the statement on printed materials and displaying posters that include the statement. Now, PowerPoint presentations, videos and podcasts must include the statement, as well.

Please review the Justice Statement Usage Guidelines for specific information regarding when to use the long and short versions of the statement. Templates on MyExtension will gradually be updated. In the meantime, please follow the guidelines as you create or reprint materials.

More notes

  • Nominations for ISU 2020 Extension and Outreach Awards are due Feb. 10 at noon. There are categories for faculty and staff (university and county paid), as well as volunteers, councils and support units. Please nominate your colleagues for their work to build a strong Iowa. The awards will be presented at our Awards Ceremony, March 31, 4-6:30 p.m. at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center.
  • Please join us for budget officer John Flickinger’s retirement celebration, 2-4 p.m., Feb. 6 in the Campanile Room at the Memorial Union. John is retiring on Feb. 7. He joined ISU Extension and Outreach in 1993 and has been with the university since 1987.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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Sharing our Crop Advantage

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John Lawrence’s message from Jan. 13, 2020

With up-to-date scientific knowledge from Iowa State, Iowa’s crop producers will be prepared to manage potential issues when they arise or even before they arise. That’s the goal that drives our annual Crop Advantage meetings. Every January, Agriculture and Natural Resources extension specialists travel to locations across the state to share updated management options and recommendations on current and future crop production issues. Did you know?

  • The 2020 meetings began Jan. 3 and conclude Jan. 30. Content at each of the 14 sessions is driven by county needs and local production issues.
  • Farmers and crop advisers who participate gain a solid foundation of current, research-based crop production information to help them make smart, informed decisions for their farming operations.
  • Last year more than 2,000 people, representing all 99 Iowa counties and surrounding states, attended Crop Advantage meetings. Eighty-four percent of participants said information they gained would likely save them between $5 and $20 per acre.

This year’s agenda includes the market outlook for 2020, weather and climate trends, grain drying and storage, emerging insect pests such as soybean gall midge, nitrogen management, tar spot and other corn and soybean disease issues, and fertilizer application technology. In addition, Certified Crop Advisers can receive continuing education credits and pesticide applicators can recertify.

More notes

  • Please review the January program update from the leadership team for current examples of what is happening across our programs.
  • The 2018-2019 4-H Statewide Data for Decision Makers and 4-H Data for Decision Makers by county reports are available for your use. These resources for 4-H data are helpful for grant opportunities, discussions with partners and county plans of work for local 4-H programs.
  • On Jan. 1, ISU Extension and Outreach entered a three-year memorandum of understanding with the ISU Alumni Association. The goal is to more fully support each other’s programs. We look forward to exploring opportunities to increase alumni engagement with extension programs, councils and county offices.
  • Remember to submit your 2019 stakeholder reports. We are publishing the reports on the County Services website as they are received. You can use your county stakeholder report throughout the year to build awareness of programs, demonstrate impact and outcomes, and show return on investment. Thank you to everyone who contributes to these reports. Sharing our extension stories helps people know how we are working in your county and throughout the state to build a strong Iowa.
  • Join Cyndi Wiley, Iowa State’s digital accessibility coordinator, for Making Social Media Posts Accessible, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m. Connect online. This is the first in a new digital accessibility webinar series. The series will continue February through May on the last Tuesday of the month, 10-11 a.m.
  • Learn about the 2020 Census during a webinar Tuesday, Feb. 11 at noon. Community and Economic Development will share information about how the Census is conducted, what it means for communities and how county offices may be able to assist local officials. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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