Thank you for continuing to submit your weekly Harvest entries. The Harvest guidance can be located online. Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.
Central Rivers AEA strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcomed and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Continuing work done by the Equity Committee, in partnership with the Leadership Academy, we will invest in employee development initiatives to foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
“Courageous Conversations” will be featured monthly in The Channel, offering staff opportunities for self-guided learning. Each month, there will be a Zoom meeting focused on the content shared the prior month.
If you would like to join us for a Courageous Conversation about Black History Month, please join the Zoom meeting on Friday, March 7 from 8:00 – 8:45 am.
Black History Month, known in the United States as African American History Month, is an annual celebration of ‘the countless Black men and women who have contributed to the advance of human civilization,’ according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
In the US, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” which was created by historian Carter G. Woodson (son of former enslaved individuals) and other prominent African Americans in 1926. They chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. In 1976, President Ford officially recognized the month as an observance. Every American president since has designated February as Black History Month.
In 1979, the first-ever Canadian proclamation was issued by Toronto to formally proclaim February as Black History Month. In 1988, Nova Scotia observed its first Black History Month. In 1993, Ontario proclaimed February as Black History Month which then led the way for the House of Commons to officially recognize February as Black History Month across all of Canada.
Many countries celebrate Black history and culture with their own observances that range from a day to month-long celebrations. Here are some examples:
The Iowa withholding formula and IA W-4 form have been updated for 2025 to reflect changes in state income tax laws. Starting January 1, 2025, Iowa will adopt a flat 3.8% income tax rate as required by Senate File 2442, passed in May 2024.
When you receive your January 2025 pay stub, compare it to your December 2024 pay stub to see how the new tax law (Senate File 2442) has affected the Iowa income tax withheld from your paycheck. If you think any adjustments are needed, contact Shane Wolf, Payroll Specialist, to request a 2025 State W-4 form. Shane can be reached by phone at (319) 273-8203 or by email at swolf@centralriversaea.org.
The virtual all-staff update with Keystone AEA has been rescheduled this month to Wednesday, January 15, beginning at 4:00 pm. This will allow us to provide an update following the Governor’s Condition of the State address on Tuesday evening, as well as the first few days of the 2025 legislative session.
The Zoom link remains the same and the calendar invitation has been updated on the CRAEA Master Calendar. The meeting will be recorded for those who are not able to attend.
The RIC 403(b) plan lets you save for retirement with pre-tax (and possibly Roth) contributions. To start, open an account and submit the Salary Reduction Form to payroll. The 2025 contribution limit is $23,500, with higher limits for those 50+ or with 15+ years of employment. You can adjust your contributions anytime by submitting a new form. For more information, check out this 2025 Annual Eligibility Notice Iowa Retirement Investors’ Club (RIC) 403(b) Plan document or visit the RIC website to contact a provider.
Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email for Monday, January 20 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 20 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 21. Thank you.
Email “away” message example:
Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Tuesday, January 21. 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.
