The Channel

Stan Rheingans, who has served as interim chief administrator for Central Rivers AEA since July 1, 2024, has announced his plans to retire effective June 30, 2026. During his tenure—through a shared services arrangement with Keystone AEA—Stan has provided unwavering leadership as our agency navigated the early implementation of HF 2612, one of the most complex chapters in our history.

“Stan’s steady hand and clarity of purpose helped our agency focus on what matters most for students and educators, even amid significant change,” said Dr. Deb Rich, president of the CRAEA Board of Directors. “We are grateful for his service and our partnership with the Keystone AEA Board.”

The CRAEA Board of Directors will begin the process of seeking a new chief administrator to start July 1, 2026. Details regarding timeline and opportunities for staff input will be released in the near future. An announcement will go out to superintendents on Monday.

On behalf of the Board and our leadership team, thank you, Stan, for guiding Central Rivers AEA through a pivotal period. We wish you all the best!

As a reminder, beginning July 1, 2025, van delivery became a purchased service for school districts as part of the implementation of HF 2612. While some districts have opted to continue this service, others have not. (Please refer to the August edition of The Channel for more information of this document which details which districts have purchased van mail delivery.)

Regardless of whether a district has purchased van delivery, AEA staff members will still receive delivery of necessary professional items such as adaptive equipment, test kits, Creative Services orders and interoffice mail. These will be delivered to the office location within the school building you have designated. Please confirm this location with our delivery team by emailing delivery@centralriversaea.org when requesting pick-up or delivery.  

To ensure we are managing limited delivery resources responsibly, van delivery is reserved strictly for professional purposes. This means only work-related items such as those listed above should be requested for delivery. Personal items – including birthday cards, gifts or other non-work-related packages – should not be sent via van delivery. Routes are jam packed given our partnership with public libraries so drivers appreciate your consideration in requesting additional stops.

We would like to welcome incoming staff for the 2025-26 school year!

Pending October Board approval, all certified staff will receive $120 cell phone reimbursement for the 2025-26 school year. This payment will be made the first payroll after final Board approval.

For CWA/Nuss staff, the request form will be emailed to you after final Board approval of the Cell Phone Reimbursement policy. The completed request form will require a quick turn-a-round. This payment will be made the first payroll after final Board approval. Reach out to the HR/Business Office with questions.

Please be sure that you are signed* up to receive Central Rivers AEA Alerts via text, call or email. Alerts are used to announce agency-related emergency updates, building closings or professional learning cancellations.

*If you are already signed up, you do not have to do anything.

Sign up today at https://myalerts.centralriversaea.org/. If you have questions, please reach out to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services.

All Central Rivers AEA staff are invited to take advantage of the well-being options that the Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors voted to support again this year:

• Meet one-on-one with Certified Professional Coach, Dr. Leslie Moore, over Zoom.
  • Sessions can be scheduled online with at least two days’ notice, up to 60 days in advance and are available between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm (save your spot online).
• INspired Leadership two-day workshops will be offered (dates to be announced).

All options are offered to enhance your well-being, life satisfaction and assist you in meeting your personal and professional goals. Reach out to inspired@centralriversaea.org with any questions!

The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners has updated requirements for renewing licenses. Here’s what you need to know:

• Verification needed: A Master’s degree (or higher), at least 10 years of PK–12 licensed experience and current Mandatory Reporter training for child abuse.
• Substitute Experience: May count toward years of experience if you can verify at least 91 days of substitute work per year.

Application Process:

• Renewal is completed online only.
• You’ll need to upload verification of your degree, years of experience and mandatory reporter trainings.
• Administrators must also provide evaluator training (completed within the past 10 years). This requirement has been in effect since July 1, 2023.
• No Mail Applications: All renewals must go through the online system.

Detailed instructions for submitting applications can be found online for review.

Iowa’s AEAs have teamed up with Upper Iowa University to offer a fully online Special Education Consultant Endorsement program. The program can be completed in just nine months and is tailored to the work of AEA consultants. Important items to note:

• Cost for AEA staff: $250 per credit hour
• Format: Three bundled courses, meeting once a week for eight weeks.
• Schedule:
  • Consulting: Oct. 27–Dec. 18, 2025
  • Assessment: Jan. 12–Mar. 5, 2026
  • Curriculum Design: May 18–July 9, 2026
• Register online.

For questions, contact Michael Hagensick at hagensickm43@uiu.edu.

Save the date: Third annual Early ACCESS Day: October 9

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, October 9, we’ll celebrate the third annual Early ACCESS Day – a day to connect with community partners, share resources and spread awareness about how Early ACCESS supports families with young children. This year’s focus is on partnering to tell our story by strengthening connections with medical providers, childcare programs, public health and other community organizations across our 18 counties.

What is Early ACCESS?

Early ACCESS is Iowa’s early intervention (IDEA Part C) program for children birth to age 3. We partner with families to provide no-cost developmental evaluations and coaching in everyday routines so little ones can grow, learn, and participate.

How can you help?

Even if you’re not part of the Early ACCESS team, you can support the day by sharing about Early ACCESS with a colleague, family or community partner, highlighting available resources, or simply starting a conversation about why early support matters.

Together, we can grow awareness, expand partnerships and ensure families know where to turn for help when it matters most.

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website. Be sure to review the updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information).

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website. Be sure to review the updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information).

To help protect student privacy, we’re asking all staff to review their Google Drive. Please check your files and remove or update any that are shared as “Visible to anyone in Central Rivers AEA” or “Anyone with the link.” All Central Rivers AEA staff:

• Update the sharing settings to “Restricted” or share only with specific people.
• Delete any outdated files you no longer need.

This small step helps keep student information safe. More detailed instructions can be followed online. Please contact the CRAEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231 if you have questions or need assistance.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools continue to evolve and become part of our daily work, Central Rivers AEA has set clear guidelines to help staff use these tools safely, ethically and effectively. AI can support our work and help us better serve schools, but it also brings important responsibilities. Please review the full Central Rivers AEA Guidelines for the Use of AI & Emerging Technologies, and keep these key points in mind:

• Keep Information Safe: Never enter personal details or confidential student data into AI tools. Always check the tool’s security before using it.
• Be Transparent: If you’re using AI in a project or meeting (like an AI assistant in Zoom), let others know.
• Use Responsibly: Make sure AI is used in ways that reflect our values – avoiding bias, protecting privacy and supporting our mission. If you’re unsure, the tech team is here to help.

Let’s continue to explore AI in smart and responsible ways to better support each other and the schools we serve.

Iowa’s AEAs are pleased to begin a new partnership with the State Library of Iowa to deliver materials through the IA Shares delivery service. This collaboration will leverage AEAs’ existing infrastructure to enhance service and efficiency for Iowa’s public libraries.

IA Shares is a statewide delivery service program that provides once-a-week delivery of library materials for all public libraries and the State Library. The cost of IA Shares is paid for with a portion of the federal funding the State Library receives from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Beginning Aug. 4, 2025, the IA Shares delivery service will be fulfilled by the Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) van delivery system.

“The AEA’s established network serves every corner of Iowa through the school system and is a natural and efficient partner for IA Shares,” said Brenda Hall, interim director of the State Library. “Our new partnership keeps money in Iowa, reduces costs for the State Library and maximizes the return on public investment. With nine hubs across the state and high-capacity cargo vans, I’m confident the AEAs are well-equipped to meet the demands of IA Shares delivery.”

With a system of hubs and routes, IA Shares facilitates quick and efficient delivery of library materials. Any library material that can fit in a tote or bag and is under 50 pounds can be sent to another Iowa public library via IA Shares. With 543 public libraries across the state, the AEAs will now ensure timely and reliable delivery to each of them.

“We’re proud to expand our van delivery service to support Iowa’s public libraries,” said Cindy Yelick, Chief Administrator of Heartland AEA, representing Iowa’s AEAs. “As state-funded agencies, we’re always looking for ways to maximize our impact, enhance efficiencies and strengthen partnerships across the state. Supporting library delivery aligns with our mission of supporting education, access to information and learning for all Iowans.”