The Channel

As we continue moving forward together, the agency is kicking off a new monthly series designed to help all staff better understand our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan – and, just as importantly, what it means for your work every day.

Beginning in January, Cabinet members will release short “Strategic Plan Explainer” videos through The Channel. Each month, one member of Cabinet will walk through a key part of the plan and highlight real connections to the services we provide across Central Rivers AEA. Whether you support students directly, work in operations, provide professional learning, or serve behind the scenes – this series is meant to help staff see how our shared goals and values align with the many ways we serve.

We invite you to engage with this series along the way. Have questions? Want to share reflections or ideas? Feel free to leave comments on each post. Your input helps strengthen our collective understanding and supports ongoing alignment as an agency.

Schedule:

• January: Introduction to the Strategic Plan + Mission & Vision – Stan Rheingans, Chief Administrator
• February: Core Values – Karl, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of Human Resources
• March: Goal #1: Promoting safe, orderly, and welcoming learning environments – Tesha Moser-Zimmerman, Executive Director of Educational Services
• April: Goal #2: Promote equity in education by closing achievement and opportunity gaps – Annette Hyde, Executive Director of Special Education
• May: Goal #3: Ensure consistent quality in the delivery of AEA services to Iowa’s accredited schools – Karl Kurt (Wrap-up/Summary)

Thank you for taking time to follow along each month and for the work you do every day to advance our mission. We’re excited to build shared clarity and momentum around the Strategic Plan – and we hope this series helps every staff member feel connected to the bigger picture.

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors approved the agency office calendar for 2026-2027. The calendar lists all holiday and office closed days for the school year. Download your copy of the new calendar now, or visit our staff website under Resources > Agency Office Calendar > 2026-2027 CRAEA Office Calendar.

As we look toward the 2026-27 school year, we want to ensure everyone has the information they need to plan their schedules. If you are a member of our certified staff and are considering reducing your work hours (FTE) for the upcoming year, please keep the following details in mind:

• Deadline: All requests must be submitted by March 1.
• Action Needed: Complete the request form by March 1.
• Submission: Please email your finished form to hr@centralriversaea.org.

If you have questions about how a reduction might affect your role or benefits, please reach out to your direct supervisor or the HR team.

Supporting employee wellness continues to be a priority, and we’re pleased to share that we are moving forward with a new Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) benefit in partnership with ASI, our flexible spending partner, launching in early 2026.

The LSA is designed to give employees greater flexibility in supporting their personal health, fitness, and overall well-being – especially as many of us set New Year’s resolutions and wellness goals. Funded through our self-funded health insurance plan, this benefit allows for responsible use of available plan resources while offering meaningful, employee-centered support.

How the Lifestyle Spending Account works:

• Up to $250 reimbursement per benefit-eligible employee (Based on a 1.0 FTE; prorated for reduced FTE)
  • Note: We originally planned to provide a $200 benefit, but because the benefit is taxable, we increased the amount to $250 to help offset the associated taxes for employees.
• Covers approved wellness and lifestyle-related expenses
• Eligible expenses must be incurred between January 1 and March 31, 2026
• Reimbursements will be paid in February and March, with a short April run-out period for submitting claims.
• Note: Claims must be submitted by April 30, 2026 to be considered for reimbursement! If the funds are not claimed by the deadline, the money is forfeited (lost).

Claim submission made easy:

Employees will submit LSA claims directly through the ASI Flex online portal or mobile app by uploading receipts for approved expenses. There is no requirement to verify that an expense is used exclusively by the employee (for example, a family gym membership); however, participation is limited to benefit-eligible staff only. (Those who receive a contract or Notice of Conditions document.)

Once eligibility data is loaded in January, employees will receive an email from ASI with instructions on how to set up their accounts and begin submitting claims. For help accessing your account or using the portal, please contact Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist.

A time-limited new year benefit:

The LSA will be rolled out as a New Year – focused, time-limited benefit, reinforcing our commitment to wellness during a season when many employees are prioritizing healthy habits and personal goals. Eligibility will be loaded in January, initial reimbursements will begin in February, and reminder communications will continue throughout the three-month window. More details – including eligible expenses and step-by-step instructions – will be shared as we approach the launch date. We look forward to offering this flexible new benefit and supporting employee well-being in a practical, meaningful way.

For questions, please reach out to Jennifer Coombes, Interim Chief Financial Officer or Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of Human Resources. Check out the LSA brochure for more information.

If you missed the all-staff update on December 9 via Zoom, the slide deck and recording information can be found below. The next meeting (unless canceled if there are no new updates) will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 4:00-4:30 pm.

Resources from 12/9/25:

• Slides
• Recording
• Zoom link for future meetings: https://aea1.zoom.us/j/99941260595?pwd=1L7Lj66bUNsF6KqJ3t9TU3eTHuO3aB.1
• Meeting ID: 999 4126 0595
• Passcode: 713069

Early next week, we will launch our new public website. This change is part of a statewide effort to make all AEA websites more consistent, so families, schools and community partners can more easily find the information they need. The main content on the new site has been agreed upon by all AEAs.

If you notice something missing or have questions about what you see, please contact Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services. Our current website content will not be removed right away. Content will remain available for several months to ensure we can review and retain anything important during the transition.

Thank you for your patience and support as we take this next step together!

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

We are proud to share that Central Rivers AEA met all requirements for both IDEA Part B and IDEA Part C as part of the annual determination process required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Each year, the Office of Special Education Programs requires the Iowa Department of Education to review every Area Education Agency’s compliance with and implementation of IDEA, and CRAEA met requirements across the board.

This achievement reflects the daily work, shared responsibility, and collective commitment of staff across our agency. Through coordinated roles, services, and teams supported by the communication and collaboration that connect them, we build strong systems that consistently deliver for children, families, and districts.

Strong results across early ACCESS (IDEA Part C)

Our Part C indicators reflect exceptional performance across all required areas:

• Timely services: Achieved 100%, demonstrating that eligible infants and toddlers received services within required timelines.
• Timely transition planning: Reached 100%, ensuring early and coordinated planning for children approaching age three.
• Transition notification to education agencies: Achieved 100%, supporting seamless communication to prepare for transitions to Part B services.
• Timely evaluations & IFSPs: Reached 98.86%, reflecting timely completion of evaluations and development of Individualized Family Service Plans.
• Timely transition meetings: Achieved 98.84%, showing strong coordination to support smooth transitions from Part C to Part B.

In multiple areas, Central Rivers AEA met or exceeded state averages, demonstrating both consistency and growth over the past year.

Continued excellence in school-age services (IDEA Part B)

Our Part B indicators also reflect strong, sustained performance over time:

• Timely initial evaluations: Improved to 100%, reflecting that students were evaluated within required timelines after parent consent for an initial special education evaluation.
• Timely transition from Part C to Part B: Increased to 99.32%, demonstrating strong coordination to ensure eligible children transitioning from Early ACCESS have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthday.
• Postsecondary goals in IEPs: Remained consistently high at 99.87%, showing that IEPs for students age 14 and older include appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals to support successful transitions beyond high school.

These determinations are more than percentages. They speak to the timely access to services our teams provide for children and families, the strong partnerships we maintain with districts, the trust placed in our systems and practices, and our collective commitment to continuous improvement.

Together, we are not only meeting requirements. We are building and sustaining practices that make a meaningful difference. Thank you for the work you do every day. This success belongs to all of us.

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Special Education Updates

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Ed Services/Media Updates

Central Rivers AEA, in partnership with Keystone AEA, launched the Staff Tech Hub, a resource to help you use technology effectively in your job!

This quick, living document is updated monthly and focuses on three key areas:

1. Assistive Technology
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3. Practical Tech Tips

The goal is to keep you informed, build your confidence, and share tools and strategies to make your work easier and more impactful.Check out what’s new this month and start growing your tech skills! Reach out to Tiffanie Zaugg, Assistive Technology/AI Specialist, with questions.

Reduce stress & increase peace

Want more peace and less stress in your work and/or personal life? Core Energy Coaching can help! Central Rivers AEA offers free 1:1 coaching sessions with certified well-being coach Dr. Leslie Moore on Zoom. Coaching creates the space for individuals to recognize and shift out of Level 1 and 2 energy – where fear, doubt and conflict often take the lead – and move toward more empowering states like Level 5 and 6, where collaboration, possibility and purpose begin to drive thought and action. By helping people identify limiting beliefs, release blame and reframe challenges, coaching fosters a mindset rooted in curiosity, compassion and shared success. The result is greater clarity, confidence and connection – both internally and across teams. Schedule your session online!

Enhance your well-being & earn $250

Central Rivers AEA continues to encourage our staff to enhance their well-being by offering a $250 incentive for submitting evidence of understanding and skills in one micro-credential related to INspired Leadership! To learn more about microcredentials, review the Micro-credential Explanation document. To learn about and/or register for a microcredential you are interested in, choose and select: 1) Awareness of Internal Energy, 2) 4 Key Mindsets, and 3) Overcoming Internal Energy Blocks [requires both prerequisite microcredentials above]. Evidence submitted will be reviewed by Dr. Moore. If you need to create an account, have questions about microcredentials or aren’t sure how to sign up, contact Kay Schmalen at kschmalen@centralriversaea.org.

Over the next few weeks, your email signature will be updated automatically*. The information in your signature comes from the staff directory, including your email, photo, title, phone number and office location. Please take a moment to check the staff directory to be sure everything is correct. If something is missing or incorrect, contact your region’s administrative assistant.

*You will receive an automated email when your signature is updated. Once you get it, refresh your web browser to see the new signature. Here is an example of what the new email signatures will look like:

If you need help (such as removing your photo or adding credentials or a phone number) please contact Contessa Van Buskirk or Phil Hendricks.

Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email for Monday, January 19 so that callers and/or e-mailers know all Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day.

Voicemail example:

Hello, this is (your name). All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will get back to you when offices reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, January 20. Thank you.

Email “away” message example:

Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Tuesday, January 20. Thank you.

If you need assistance with either task, please contact the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.