Month: November 2018

Longtime board member Richard Vande Kieft passed away on Wednesday, November 7. He resigned from the Central Rivers Area Education Agency (AEA) Board of Directors on July 11 following an extended illness. Richard began serving on the board in 2008 and held the Director District 7 seat representing the school districts of Cedar Falls, Denver, and Janesville. In addition to serving on the AEA board, he also served 31 years on the Cedar Falls Community School District Board of Directors, including nine years as board president or vice president.

At the state level, Richard served as a member of the board of directors of the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) from 1993 to 2011. Elected to leadership positions of president-elect, president or treasurer of the association from 1998 to 2011. He served on the IASB Legislative Resolutions Committee, and also served and chaired the Board of Trustees for the Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust (ISJIT), Iowa Schools Cash Anticipation Program (ISCAP).

At the national level, Richard served as an Iowa representative to the NSBA Delegate Assembly and has served on both the Central Region and National Nominating Committees for NSBA directors and president.

“Dick Vande Kieft is an incredible example of selfless service to the community,” said Sam Miller, Central Rivers AEA Chief Administrator. “He worked quietly behind the scenes for decades serving children, families, and educators in the Cedar Valley. His leadership will be sorely missed.”

For information about arrangements as well as a complete obituary,  please visit http://www.dahlfuneralhome.com/obituary/richard-vande-kieft.

An email was recently sent from HR regarding the annual review of agency policies and other informational items.  Included in this email was a link regarding mandatory trainings for Central Rivers AEA staff. Please take a moment and review the listing of mandatory trainings as they pertain to you. It is each staff member’s responsibility to keep up-to-date on these trainings.  If you have any questions, please contact the Human Resources Office at 319-273-8245.

To support a timely staff replacement selection process and assist in budget planning, the Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors approved an early retirement/resignation notification incentive for Administrative staff, Certified staff, and Non-Union Support Staff for 2018-19.

The incentive will be administered as follows:

1. Commitments of separation by resignation or retirement at the end of the 2018-19 work year submitted by Certified, NUSS, or Administrative Staff, and
2. received in the Human Resources Office between October 8, 2018, and December 3, 2018, and
3. accepted by the Board no later than the regular meeting on December 5, 2018,
4. will receive an early notification incentive payment of $1,500 to be payable June 20, 2019,
5. subject to the employee fulfilling their individual employment contract obligations for the 2018-19, work year.

Retirees that separate prior to the end of the 2018-19 calendar year are not eligible for the early notification incentive and this incentive is not available to CWA staff.

Congratulations to everyone in the Marshalltown Office who has worked to coordinate and complete a number of facility improvements. New conference room furniture and “soft seating” for informal gathering areas were installed earlier this month along along painting and other improvements.

A small token of appreciation from the agency in honor of American Education Week will be distributed next week. Our agency enjoys a strong reputation for delivering high-quality services…and that’s because of you! Take time during American Education Week to reflect on your many contributions to the children, families, and educators we serve.

Congratulations to everyone who is participating in the Own it! Bingo challenge. We are very close to meeting the 90% goal that was set during the all-staff kickoff meeting in August which means everyone earns a free Central Rivers AEA t-shirt!  

To order your t-shirt, please access the webstore  and indicate your choice. (Please note that the store opens on November 9 and closes on November 18.) There is a limit of one shirt per employee. Shirts will be distributed by your Regional Administrator/Supervisor (selected at checkout) after the orders are completed. Please also note that the deadline for the November Own it! Bingo challenge is November 9. Let’s do this!

Chief Administrator Sam Miller, along with agency executive directors, visited each of our three offices in October and provided updates on a variety of topics including budget, health insurance, and important initiatives such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). A recorded version is available for those who were not able to attend in person or via Zoom.

Central Rivers AEA has committed to serving our communities during the holiday season and again this year those in the Cedar Falls office have the opportunity to support the Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley.  The annual “Fun with Frosty” event will take place on Wednesday, December 12 from 4:30-6:30 at the Boys and Girls Club located at 515 Lime Street, Waterloo.

Volunteers are needed to help serve dinner and run the various games and activities for the kids. If you would like to have some fun while helping make the holidays a little brighter for others, please sign-up on this Google document by Monday, November 26.