If you missed the all-staff update on Tuesday, April 14 via Zoom, the slide deck and recording information can be found below. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 12, from 4:00-4:30 pm.
Resources from 4/14/26:
We are hosting a series of in-person training sessions focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) this August at the Cedar Falls office. These sessions are designed to be a collaborative space where we can learn together how AI might serve our mission of empowering educational partners. We want to ensure everyone feels confident and prepared as these new tools continue to evolve.
We’ve set aside specific days to work with different teams from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm:
To make things simple, we will meet at our Cedar Falls office for these sessions. We truly value your time and expertise, so you will be paid at your per diem rate for attending. While this is a required training, we want to be mindful of your summer plans; if you have a vacation already scheduled, just check with your supervisor to have the requirement waived. We will share specific training outcomes as we get closer to August. In the meantime, if you have questions or need clarification, please reach out to your supervisor.
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.
We would like to welcome incoming staff for the 2025-26 school year!
Please give a warm welcome to Central Rivers AEA Creative Services’ newest team member, Mark Sabotta! Mark joined our team on April 13 as a Web Developer/Programmer. He is based out of the Cedar Falls office.
Hi, everyone! I’m so excited to be working for Central Rivers! I can’t wait to leverage my diverse set of experiences to become an increasingly valuable member of the team. My experiences include eight years of Jr./Sr. High Math teaching for Wapsie Valley CSD, 1.5 years of data mapping for print with Professional Office Services and a couple of degrees in Mathematics from UNI.
I was born in Cedar Rapids and lived there with my two older brothers until we graduated high school and moved away. Since then, I have lived with my wife, Laura, here in Cedar Falls. We have two beautiful children; Margaret who is three, and Larry (Lawrence) who is eight months old.
My hobbies and interests include: talking about my kids (see me for pictures,) chess, video games and Magic the Gathering. Lately, I have been watching Invincible and The Boys, and I am excited to catch up on the last season of Stranger Things.
I strive to bring energy, willingness to understand, problem-solving, laughter and a smile to everything I do. No matter who you are, I hope we can meet, get to know each other and work together on making the world a better place!
If you’re leaving the agency, please make sure to return all tech items issued to you during your employment. This includes:
Where to return items:
Additional notes:
Important: Label each item with your name on a sticky note. If you have any questions, contact the Help Desk or call 319-273-8231.
The Phish Alert Button (PAB) is a powerful tool integrated into your Gmail account that empowers you to report suspicious emails directly to the security experts.
Use the PAB for suspicious emails or potential phishing attacks, but not for spam or marketing emails. There is a separate “report spam” button included in your Gmail.
The Phish Alert Button appears as a small orange fishhook icon on the right-hand side of your Gmail workspace.
If you receive an email that feels “off” – perhaps it asks for a password, has an unusual sense of urgency, or comes from a misspelled domain – open the message but do not click any links or download attachments.
Look at the side panel on the right side of your Gmail screen. Click the orange hook icon. Note: If you don’t see the side panel, click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of Gmail to expand it.
A prompt will appear asking if you are sure you want to report the email as a phishing attempt. Click “Phish Alert” to finalize. You will receive a brief “Thank You” message, and the email will disappear from your inbox.
You should use the PAB if you encounter:
Pro tip: If the email turns out to be a legitimate internal security test, using the PAB will earn you a “congratulations” notification!
Let’s be honest: technology moves fast, and it can be tough to keep up. That’s why Central Rivers AEA and Keystone AEA teamed up to create the Staff Tech Hub – your go-to cheat sheet for all things digital! Think of it as your monthly “tech upgrade.”
Assistive Tech: Check out our latest guide on academic Chrome extensions and assistive technology, featuring tools like text-to-speech and math supports to help all students succeed. We encourage you to explore these resources to find the best fit for your students’ unique learning styles and needs.
Artificial Intelligence: Google has introduced two new desktop applications, Gemini for Mac and the Google App for Windows, which provide instant access to AI assistance directly from your computer screen. These tools allow you to brainstorm ideas, analyze your screen for contextual help and search for files across your device using simple keyboard shortcuts.
Practical tech tips: Tame your inbox by using Gmail’s Mute feature to move noisy email chains out of your main view so you can stay focused on high-priority tasks. Muted threads are instantly archived and will only resurface if you are specifically added to the “To” or “Cc” line; you can find them anytime by searching is:muted.
The goal isn’t just to give you more tools, it’s to make your daily work easier and more impactful. Ready for more? Head over to the Staff Tech Hub to see the full list of tips and tricks for this month! Reach out to Tiffanie Zaugg, Assistive Technology/AI Specialist, with questions.
Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.