Two local teachers earned state recognition for their efforts in supporting positive behavior in students. Julia Tjeerdsma at Madison Elementary in Pella and Tiffany Mueller at Prairie City Elementary earned distinction as Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports’ People of the Year from the Iowa Department of Education. Both teachers serve in the Heartland AEA and are among 17 educators total in Iowa recognized. PBIS is a multi-tiered system of support framework that attends to both academic and social-emotional-behavioral needs of students.