Author: Beth Strike

Beginning July 1, AEA 267 Media services (including the lending library) will be operated from the Marshalltown Office. The move will create greater efficiencies in both staffing and van routes. Locating the program in Marshalltown should not significantly impact services to either AEA staff or our LEA partners given that van delivery will still take place weekly. However, ordering cut-off times may need to be adjusted. (Details about changes to van routes and ordering cut-off times will be communicated later this spring.)

Along with changes to Media, Creative Services will be based in Cedar Falls with some on-demand availability for print in both the Clear Lake and Marshalltown offices. Keep sending your print orders as the same great service is in place; however, please be mindful of quick turnarounds where possible. The more planful you can be about your order, the better. Due to decreased visitor traffic over the years, the Production Lab in the Clear Lake Office will be closing on June 30. Lamination and letter cutout (die cut) services will still be available by sending orders to Creative Services.

Please change your voicemail greeting and set an away message to your email during the holiday breaks so that callers and/or e-mailers will know when they can expect to hear from you.

Voice mail example:

“Hello, this is (your name). Our office will be closed beginning Monday, December 26 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3. Please leave your name, telephone number and a detailed message and I will call when I return. Thank you!”

Email “away” message example:

“Thank you for your email. I will be out of the office beginning Monday, December 26 through January 2 and will respond to your email upon my return. Thank you and have a wonderful holiday!”

If you need assistance with either task, please visit with your supervisor or administrator.

According to Food Bank of Iowa, one in five Iowa children do not have enough food to eat. For every $1 donation, four meals can be provided to needy families in our area. From now until December 16, AEA 267 staff members are invited to donate funds to support area food pantries. For every $1 you donate, your name will be entered into a raffle for prizes donated by the AEA 267 administrative staff.

To participate, take your monetary donation to Lori Thomas in Cedar Falls, Laura Rinnels in Clear Lake, Jennifer DuVall in Marshalltown, or Joan Coffin at River Hills School. Prizes include gift cards to places like Casey’s, HyVee, Kohls, Target and Walmart, along with incredible gift baskets.

When you think of a playbook, you typically think of a collection of high impact strategies or “plays” that a coach uses to direct his or her team to victory. The agency has put together our own playbook that guides where we will focus our efforts to yield the highest impact change for students. Very soon, copies of the playbook will be available to each team as well as conveyed through a laptop cling and other formats to communicate our strategic priorities to those we serve.

Watch for it!

Those of you who have been with the agency since the time of our merger know that our agency name has a storied and interesting history. For some, the name “AEA 267” is synonymous with the joining of three agencies into one. For many, the name is a constant reminder of separateness. This theme was reported by the Iowa Department of Education during previous site visits where both staff and our LEA partners voiced that our name was part of a larger concern around not yet fully uniting as one organization despite over a decade of efforts.

For those reasons and many others, the AEA 267 board took a bold step during their October meeting to change the agency’s name. The new name, Central Rivers Area Education Agency, is a nod to the many rivers that run throughout our 18-county territory, uniting us and flowing freely without regard to geography.

“The board rarely makes unilateral decisions, but in this case we felt it was appropriate to move ahead without a lengthy process that detracted from the important work that our staff and schools have to do ,” said Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson, AEA 267 vice president. “The timing is right given recent conversations around updates to facilities, the fact that our website is in the midst of a complete overhaul, and many of our building signs are in need of replacement. From a dollars and cents standpoint we had to make these improvements anyway. Why not take advantage of the timing and forge ahead?”

The new name will be phased in around the first of the year when the new agency website is launched. Supplies bearing the agency’s current name will be used up throughout the spring and the official changeover will take place on July 1, 2017.

Please help us embrace and celebrate this positive change!

Regardless of your role with AEA 267, safety should always be your top priority. For those staff who make home visits, staying safe requires extra vigilance and attention to detail.

The agency offers a “Home Visitor Safety” course each fall to anyone  who will be providing home visits or would like more information on working safe. To register for the class, please sign up online at ‘My 267’ for professional development course #15305 “Introduction to Coaching and Home Visitor Safety.” If you are interested and become aware of additional safety courses available in your community, please share your interest with your Regional Administrator.

Aside from the Home Visitor Safety course, there are some basic guidelines that you can use in your daily work to help reduce your risks. Please take a minute to review these important reminders:

• If you ever feel unsafe, the agency supports you in driving by or leaving a home immediately. Always follow-up with a call to your Regional Administrator to report the incident.
• Always be aware of what is going on around you. Stay alert.
• Contact the family in advance and do some research if you need to. Plan your route and know your surroundings.
• Wear your AEA identification badge, have your cell phone charged, and be sure your online calendar is current so that your whereabouts are clearly known.
• Park in a well-lit area with access to an easy exit. Keep your keys handy and leave your purse (covered) in your car or trunk.

If you have some ideas on how to improve staff safety, feel free to share them with your Regional Administrator.

Flu season is right around the corner and the agency is offering a flu shot clinic at each of our office locations on Wednesday, October 19th.

• Cedar Falls: Conference Center Lobby, 6:30-8:00 A.M.
• Clear Lake: Room D, 7:00-8:30 A.M.
• Marshalltown: Room A, 6:30-8:00 A.M.

Sign-up by Friday, October 14 by calling (319-273-8246) or emailing Kathy Barfels in Human Resources. Employees and family members covered by AEA 267 health insurance can fill out a form at the time of the shot and the clinic providers will file the form with our insurance company. All others will need to pay at the time of the shot. *The clinic is not limited to AEA 267 employees.

AEA 267 will receive an intensive, “differentiated accountability” site visit by the Iowa Department of Education (IDE) in May. The department will first complete a “desk audit” around AEA standards including a focus on closing the achievement gap and early literacy. The audit will be followed by a formal visit from an IDE-assembled team including representation from schools we serve as well as staff from the other AEAs. Data will be collected around the healthy indicators rolled out by the Department last year.

The visit is a welcome chance for the agency to collaborate in an almost professional learning community environment to look closely at what’s working and not with regard to the impact of our services. We have already self-identified many areas for growth and are in the midst of implementing several new approaches including the Regional Administrator model.

Watch for more information to be shared at a future date!

The AEA 267 media center has a new video recording device available called the SWIVL that staff can use to record instructional content such as presentations or trainings.

The SWIVL is essentially a robotic mount that can hook up to a variety of tablets and smartphones. The kits available for checkout do not come with a tablet or smartphone so staff members must have access to one and be able to download the SWIVL App to their device. The app accesses the camera on your tablet or phone to record video content while the robotic platform holding your device “swivels” back and forth to track the movements of whichever individual is wearing the kit’s tracking “marker” around their neck.  From the app you can then easily upload your recorded clips to the internet.

Currently SWIVL kits are available for checkout only by AEA 267 staff intending to capture video for instructional uses.  The media center has six devices available.  Just contact any AEA 267 media center location to request and reserve a kit.  Also, please keep in mind that you may need to have individuals you’re recording fill out an AEA 267 media release form which is available on the staff website under Communication & Technology> “Digital Resources.”  If you have questions or need copies of the media release please contact Tiffany Schmitt. Also, please be mindful of copyright when considering your subject matter. This resource (also on the staff website) should be reviewed in advance.

Included in each kit is an instructional booklet to walk you through the process of setup and usage.  For further information and training on how to use the SWIVL, staff are encouraged to contact either Sarah Lalk or Cari Teske.

The Flex Room contains resources and technology that require special training in order to use them to their full capacity, beyond the basic projecting of one computer screen to all monitors.  This training will provide participants with the capability or projecting multiple devices at the same time, choosing multiple input and output selections and wireless presenting.  Participants can attend these half-day trainings for one, two, or three hours depending on their needs.  You can sign up for the Flex Room Training (Course # 15399)  through our professional learning system.

1. October 26 – 1:00 P.M.
2. December 13 – 1:00 P.M.
3. January 4 – 9:00 A.M.
4. April 25 – 1:00 P.M.
5. June 22 –  1:00 P.M.

If you have any questions about trainings, please contact Michelle Cowell.

The AEA 267 Board of Directors met Wednesday, October. 5, 2016 in the Cedar Falls Conference Center. The board agenda and packet is available online and the minutes will be published online after approval at the next month’s board meeting.

To support a timely staff replacement process and assist in budget planning, a retirement incentive will be provided for Certified and Administrative Staff who provide early notification of their intent to resign or retire at the end of the 2016-17 work year.

The proposed incentive would be administered as follows:

Commitments of separation by resignation or retirement at the end of the 2016-17 work year submitted by Certified or Administrative Staff, and received in the Human Resources Office between October 3, 2016, and December 2, 2016, and accepted by the Board no later than the regular meeting on December 7, 2016, will receive an early notification incentive payment of $1,500 to be payable June 30, 2017 subject to the employee fulfilling their individual employment contract obligations for the 2016-17 work year. This incentive is only being offered to Certified and Administrative staff due to the challenge in securing replacement licensed staff in these categories.

The topic of professional dress has recently been discussed at our Regional Administrators’ meeting in an effort to ensure that we present ourselves and AEA 267 in the most positive light.  Our dress code was last clarified back in 2012, but with the beginning of the year, we felt it was important to remind everyone of the expectations to ensure consistency.  

The “spirit” of our expectations around professional dress is to represent our agency in a professional light and underscore the important work that we do.  We hope to present ourselves as an organization that takes their work and roles seriously and dress in a way that is parallel to the responsibilities of our jobs.

Here are some general reminders:

Monday-Thursday: Business casual (khakis/polos, dress pants, tops, etc.) to business professional (skirts, pant suits, etc.) depending on who your audience is for the day. If you are giving a presentation, you would probably choose business professional.  If you are simply working  in the office, then business casual is probably just fine (as well as a minimum expectation).

Friday: Jeans are welcome (with a business professional top).  However, again, please remember who your audience is for the day and dress appropriately given your audience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some general rules of thumb:

• Please, no t-shirts.   
• No Flip-Flops. (Flip Flops are not the same as open-toed shoes.)

If you have compelling reasons for requesting variance to the expected attire, please speak with your supervisor. Our hope is that we don’t have to spend a lot of time or energy on dress code issues as we all have much more impactful priorities that desire our attention!  Thanks for your cooperation. Questions? Contact your supervisor.

Safety and accountability are important values for all AEA 267 employees. To ensure that all our staff are safe and accountable, beginning with the 2016-17 school year, we are asking all staff to check into and out of the facilities they support. While most school buildings have a sign-in area, AEA 267 administration has asked that all do by the start of the new school year. Not only is this an important accountability step, it will also ensure that your whereabouts are always known in the event of an emergency.

In addition to signing in at buildings, starting July 1, all staff are asked to ensure that their online calendars are kept current and detailed as follows:

(Deviations from these expectations can be made at the discretion of the supervisor.)

(Category 1) “Full” Calendar: Calendars will indicate on a daily basis using the “busy” designation where the staff member is physically located at the approximate times. In addition, other meetings may be listed on the calendar that the staff member may want to be conscious of or attend if time allows and are indicated using the “free” or “tentative” designation. All leave types should also be noted (i.e. sick, personal, EQ, etc.) using the “out of office” designation.

Staff who fall into this category: Administrative Team, direct service providers such as ECSE, Early Access, itinerant hearing, itinerant visually impaired, orientation & mobility , OT/PT, work experience/transition specialists and coordinators, audiologists, audiometrists, COTAs, SLPAs, Family Educator Connection staff, technology consultants, consulting staff, teacher librarians, and technology staff who serve multiple locations or districts.

(Category 2) “Repeat” calendar: Calendar shows the physical location where the staff member is located each day as well as the actual times they are in each location. Use the “busy” designation.  (If you deviate from your assignment, that deviation should be noted on your calendar.) All leave types should also be noted (i.e. sick, personal, EQ, etc.). Use the “out of office” designation.

Staff who fall into this category: Staff members who have a consistent schedule at multiple locations (e.g. Special Ed Team Reps, consultants, social workers, psychologists, SLPs,  and support staff assigned to River Hills.)

(Category 3) “Minimal” calendar: Calendar indicates when the staff member is out of the office for a meeting, vacation or other leave. Use the “out of office” designation.

Staff who fall into this category: Staff members who have a consistent schedule at one location including secretaries, HR & Business Office staff, custodians, print room staff, lending library staff and shelter/detention staff. All leave types should also be noted (i.e. sick, personal, EQ, etc.).

(Category 4) No online calendar completed

Staff who fall into this category: Van drivers.

Questions? Contact your supervisor.

To support the new integrated services model, the agency is pleased to offer an electronic Professional Learning/Travel System to support staff with expenses such as conference registrations and travel arrangements (hotel/flight/rental car). The new system merges the internal PD request system, the external PD request form, EQ requests, and travel requests into one line of communication with notifications delivered via AEA 267 email. Transportation arrangements for staff will be handled by Keri Hudson (NW/S sectors) and Barb Schroeder (NE/E sectors). For your convenience, the system will be linked to the Professional Learning website. Staff will be asked to specify the type of request they are seeking. Options include:

Approval Only

o   I am requesting approval to attend an event and there are no material fees or travel arrangements needed. Any fees incurred are mileage only and reimbursement will be made by the staff member.

PO Number Needed

o   I am requesting approval to take an internal Professional Learning opportunity and need an internal purchase order number to register for a course with material fees. This is for No Credit. If approved, you will receive a purchase order number and will register for the AEA 267 PD offering using that purchase order number.) Travel arrangements will be forwarded to an administrative secretary.

Reimbursement Needed

o   I am requesting approval to take an internal course and plan to request reimbursement for material fees. This is for fee-based credits – graduate, licensure renewal, substitute authorization, Para educator, and classes with Audit Fees. If approved, you will then register using your credit card. Travel arrangements will be forwarded to an administrative secretary. Your credit card will be charged for the credit and the materials. You may request reimbursement for materials through the same process by uploading your invoice onto the system after registration.

Travel/Conference Registrations

o   I am requesting approval to attend an event and need travel and/or conference registration arrangements to attend. Travel may involve hotel, airfare, and rental car needs. If approved, the request will route to an administrative secretary for processing. Any mileage/parking/meal fees incurred will be submitted for reimbursement by the employee