Author: cvanbuskirk

Mental health conditions and substance use disorders can be costly. Not only for the individual experiencing the life-altering effects of the disease(s), but effective treatment can also be expensive. Because of this, employers are increasingly expected to offer comprehensive health benefits that support their employees’ mental and physical well-being. In this new video episode, Wellmark^® Blue Cross^® and Blue Shield^® experts Cammy Jenkins and Dr. Matt Stanley shares how.

Wellmark has expanded mental health resources and how employers can help their employees gain access. Don’t have time for the whole episode? Select a chapter within the link to watch specific segments. Included in this episode:

• The increased need for mental health resources (1:40)
• Wellmark’s dedicated behavioral health team and their commitment to members (4:55)
• Self-service mental health access on myWellmark^® (10:40)
• Additional resources available to employers and members (12:10)
• Mental health vs behavioral health explained (14:05)

Summer office hours went into effect on Monday, June 3 and offices will be open 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. A reminder to all Central Rivers AEA staff that all CRAEA offices will be closed on Fridays in June and July. Regular office hours of 8:00 am – 4:30 pm will resume on Monday, August 5. Enjoy your summer!

Stan Rheingans, chief administrator at Keystone AEA, will be stepping in as the interim chief administrator at Central Rivers AEA beginning July 1. He’ll be taking over for Joel Pedersen, who will become the new president of North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC). We wish Joel well in his new role!

Dr. Deb Rich, CRAEA board president, extends a warm welcome to Rheingans, stating, “We’re pleased to have Stan join Central Rivers AEA. His wealth of experience and commitment will drive both of our organizations forward in our mission to support the children, families, and educators throughout the 26 counties of Iowa under our shared coverage.”

Stan brings over 25 years of education experience, ranging from superintendent and principal roles to teaching social studies/history. He also served as a Combat Engineer Platoon Leader in the U.S. Army, earning the Bronze Star Medal. Stan’s leadership style, rooted in teamwork, empowers others to make decisions that benefit all students.

We’re pleased to strengthen our partnership with Keystone AEA to better serve over 63,000 students and 5,000 educators across our districts in north central and northeastern Iowa. Welcome aboard, Stan!

For those of you that couldn’t attend the optional all staff Zoom meeting on May 1, the slides and meeting recording are available.

• Zoom meeting recording | Passcode: F#*P0!zp
• Slide deck

A reminder that all legislative updates/resources are available on the staff website. (Resources > Legislative Updates, Resources & FAQs)

There will be an optional “watch” party opportunity at each of our three main locations (Clear Lake, Marshalltown and Cedar Falls) on Wednesday, May 22 at 9 am as part of the retirement recognition program.

While the recognition program will be virtual (see Zoom information below), you are encouraged to join your local colleagues for cake and punch while you watch the program if your schedule allows! Please RSVP on this form by Wednesday, May 15 so that we have enough cake for all who attend. 

Zoom information:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/82565733666
• Meeting ID: 825 6573 3666
• One tap mobile +13017158592,,82565733666# US (Washington DC) +13052241968,,82565733666# US

Need support? Contact the CRAEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or call 319-273-8231.

Congratulations and thank you for your years of service to our retirees!

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Farewell messages to 2024 retirees

We understand that many of you may want to share your well wishes, memories, and messages of appreciation for our 2024 retirees. To facilitate this, we have created a Padlet where you can leave your messages. Click the link(s) below on the person you wish to leave a message for. (Each person has their own specific link.) There is no deadline for submitting your messages, so feel free to take your time in crafting your messages. Your contributions will undoubtedly make their retirement even more special.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the careers of all the retirees. Your kind words will be a cherished keepsake for them as they begin this new chapter in their lives. If you have any questions or need further assistance accessing the Padlet, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ashley Samek or 319-273-8280.

• Bonnie Bartlet, SLP Assistant
• Kandi Bienfang-Lee, School Social Worker
• Jill Bird, Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Marcia Brolsma, Admin Assistant/ Executive Director of Sp Ed
• Gail Cavner, Early Access Educator
• Stacey Davis, SLP
• Christy Diemer, COTA
• Tina Graven, Consultant for Literacy
• Susan Heath, SLP 
• Robin Hopperstad, SLP
• Laurie Huftalin, School Social Worker
• Pam Kabela, Tech Specialist – Sp Ed
• Amy Knupp, Executive Director of Sp Ed
• Ann Lasher, Special Education Consultant
• Tammy McDermott, Special Education Consultant
• Kristi Meyers, SLP
• Julie Miller, Regional Administrator
• Theresa Relph, SLP
• Terri Riebkes, SLP Assistant
• Linda Rosenboom, Occupational Therapist
• Sue Longcor, Consultant for Literacy
• Darla Sharar, SLP
• Brenda Thune, Special Education Consultant

Join us in thanking our amazing board members during School Board Recognition Month! Serving almost 62,000 students, 5,000 educators and over 500 staff members, these nine dedicated volunteers are the backbone of the agency, setting the course for all we do! Help us thank them for their dedication and commitment to Iowa’s students and our agency staff by sending them an email of appreciation. 

• Nicole Lovik-Blaser, Director District 1
• Dr. Deb Rich, Director District 2 – President
• Kathryn Enslin, Director District 3
• Dr. Darshini Jaywardena, Director District 4
• Dr. Mary Stevens, Director District 5
• Maureen Hanson, Director District 6 – Vice President
• Dr. Tony Reid, Director District 7
• Bryan Burton, Director District 8
• Dennis Craun Jr., Director District 9

As a reminder, insurance open enrollment closes on Friday, May 24. All benefit-eligible employees must enroll or waive coverage, even if you have no changes or are resigning/retiring! This is the only time per year you can make any changes without a qualifying life event. The new rates and coverage take effect July 2, 2024.

The Zoom meeting recording and passcode can be found below.

• Central Rivers AEA benefits insurance meeting recording
• Passcode: yds+?!7P
• Insurance enrollment 2024 slide deck
• Additional Resources – Staff Website

If you have questions regarding your coverage options, please contact Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist, at (319)-273-8202 or via email at benefits@centralriversaea.org.

Thank you to those of you who ordered t-shirts from our incredible Empowered students! If you didn’t order a t-shirt, feel free to wear anything green on May 16 to join the fun and raise awareness.

Here is another resource from Make It OK that reminds us to make a note and make it happen! Simple changes can make a big difference.

Show your support for Mental Health Awareness Month by wearing your favorite green shirt, custom Empowered shirt or other apparel on May 16! Send us selfies and group photos wearing your green and supporting mental health on May 16 – email us at socialmedia@centralriversaea.org or cvanbuskirk@centralriversaea.org.

Summer office hours of 7:30 am – 4:00 pm will begin Monday, June 3, and run through Friday, August 2. This will provide greater flexibility to those on contract in the summer months. In addition, the flexible summer schedule starts on Monday, June 3, and will run through Friday, August 2.

Between the dates identified above, staff can work one of the following flexible schedules with supervisor approval.

1. Four, 10-hour work days with Fridays off.
2. Four, 9-hour work days with a half-day of virtual work on Friday.
3. Five 8-hour work days with Friday being virtual. 

Please see Friday closures in June/July FAQs. Your supervisor will work with you to identify your flexible summer schedule plan. 

Please note that all offices will officially be closed on Fridays during this period, so staff working on Fridays will do so virtually with the exception of those whose roles and responsibilities do not enable them to work from home.

New Micro-credential available: 4 Key Mindsets

All Central Rivers AEA staff have access to a personalized, self-paced opportunity to learn about and adopt practices to support the 4 Key Mindsets in or to enhance relationships and meet their personal and professional goals. Some important details:

• The 4 Key Mindsets Micro-credential is now available in the CRAEA On-Demand Library.
• Staff who demonstrate and submit evidence of meeting all success criteria will earn the Micro-credential.
• If earned before June 1, 2024, staff members may be eligible for $250.
• Read over the document for more information or log in now and register in the CRAEA On-Demand Library by selecting “Micro-credential” in the “Categories” dropdown.

If you have content questions, reach out to Dr. Leslie Moore, Leadership Coach. If you have registration questions, please contact Angie Gansen, Professional Learning Registration System Coordinator.

April 16 Zoom meeting follow-up

Thanks to Jennifer Seward for capturing the anabolic and inspiring words our staff identified that they want to embody as we move forward together! How are you embodying your word? Remember, you’ve made it through 100% of the challenging events in your life – we will do so again – together!

We want to take a moment to recognize our retiring superintendents! All were honored by their peers this week during the monthly superintendents’ meeting. 

• Dr. Ed Klamfoth, Waverly-Shell Rock CSD
• Fred Matlage, Sumner-Fredericksburg CSD
• Dan Fox, East Buchanan CSD
• Dr. Anne Lundquist, Charles City CSD
• Mark Olmstead, North Butler & Clarkville CSD
• Chris Bergman, Belmond-Klemme CSD
• Steve Hanson, Meskwaki Settlement School
• Todd Liechty, Nashua-Plainfield CSD

Thank you all for your years of services and dedication to children, families, educators, schools and communities! Happy retirement!

Remember to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email for Monday, May 27 so that callers and/or emailers will know all Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day. 

Voicemail example:

“Hello, this is (your name). All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will get back to you when offices reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, May 28. Thank you.

Email “away” message example:

Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Tuesday, May 28. Thank you.

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

Thank you all for your strong advocacy efforts, courage and tolerance over the last few months. While we accept the challenge before us and get about the business of planning for our new reality, we know there are more questions than answers at this time

A reminder about the mandatory all-staff meeting that will be held in person in Cedar Falls on Tuesday, April 16 to coincide with Regional/Discipline meetings. We are planning to meet with all staff from 9-11 am and then dismiss regional and discipline staff to their meetings for the remainder of the day. This will be an opportunity for us all to come together, begin to craft a vision for the future, and reaffirm our commitment to our team.

Please note that staff working at a detention center, youth shelter or River Hills school do not attend this meeting.

A variety of sandwiches, chips and cookies will be provided for lunch. If you have a dietary restriction, please contact Lori Thomas, by Monday, April 15 to ensure your lunch is set aside for you at the front desk.

Links to the latest updates and resources:

• CRAEA Staff Q & A document: A time of transition
• CRAEA Staff Update – April 3, 2024 (slides)
• Summary of FINAL House File 2612

Zoom recordings

• Central Support (HR, Business Office, Custodial) | Passcode: MWxo02Y^
• Ed Services/Media/IT/Creative Services | Passcode: #Fw3Ru14
• Special Education | Passcode: &Daf3g3D

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out with any immediate questions or concerns. Be gentle with yourself and others in the days ahead.

The all-staff Coffee with The Chief Zoom for Friday, April 12 has been canceled due to the fact that we will be together on April 16 for the all-staff meeting.

The Open Enrollment period* for insurance begins Monday, April 29 and ends on Friday, May 24. *All benefit-eligible employees must enroll or waive coverage, even if you have no changes or are resigning/retiring!

Some important details to note:

• Beginning Monday, April 29, you will have access to EASE via the employee dashboard in ClassLink.  
• Updates to insurance will be shared during the benefits insurance presentation for all staff, held on Tuesday, April 30 at 4 pm.
• We will allow time for questions during the Zoom, or you can email your questions in advance to benefits@centralriversaea.org.
• The meeting will be recorded and posted on our benefits website for staff that cannot attend.
• Zoom Link: https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/82073489020

If you have questions regarding your insurance, please contact Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist, at (319)-273-8202 or via email at benefits@centralriversaea.org.