Author: cvanbuskirk

With summer upon us, this is my last opportunity to bid farewell to this incredible organization that has been my professional home for the past eight years. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your chief administrator and witness the remarkable growth and achievements we have accomplished together.

When I first joined this team, our vision was clear: to provide the highest quality services and support to the communities we serve. And I can confidently say that we have done that and so much more. Together, we have transformed our agency into a lighthouse of excellence and innovation among the nine AEAs in Iowa.

Here’s what we’ve accomplished together over the past eight years:

• Rebranded our agency to firmly establish us as one organization vs. three separate regions. The move to “Central Rivers Area Education Agency” has given us a fresh and modern identity, enhanced our visibility, and captured the essence of who we are—dynamic and forward-thinking.
• Created the role of Regional Administrator. Not only has this strategic move empowered our agency to better serve the diverse needs of our school districts, but we have also signaled that while Special Education is our signature service, we are integrated and serve the whole child.  
• In our pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness, we consolidated physical locations, streamlining our operations and saving money. Satellite offices were closed and our Cedar Falls operations were consolidated into one building that showcases our commitment to professional learning for educators and pride in the work we do.
• On the heels of physical office closures and recognizing the evolving landscape of work, we embraced the concept of remote work site. We leveraged technology where it made sense, created more balance in our work lives, and found ways to provide more service to students and our LEA partners. 
• Recognizing the relevance to our future, we are focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We’ve “planted a flag” that signals internally and to those we serve that this work is here to stay. If we are to serve all children and educators, we owe it to them and ourselves to understand our biases and seek opportunities to unite.
• Perhaps one of our greatest achievements is the implementation of INspired Leadership well-being programming. We understand that the success of our organization depends on the well-being and happiness of our staff. By prioritizing their mental and emotional health, we have created an environment where everyone feels supported and empowered to make a difference. Whether you are embracing coaching, taking the Energy Leadership Index (ELI) to learn more about which energy level you are most frequently operating from, or making changes to improve your physical and mental health, I encourage you to take advantage of all the agency has to offer. It’s a gift to you that I hope you’ll open.

I am confident that our agency will continue to thrive. I wish Joel the best in his new role and I’m excited to watch from afar.

As I bid farewell, I am filled with gratitude for the support I have received from you. I am leaving with a sense of fulfillment, knowing that I have been a part of something truly remarkable. The impact we have had on the lives of students, the relationships we have built, and the shared experiences we have had are the true legacies of our time together.

So, let us celebrate the bonds we have forged, the milestones we have achieved, and the bright futures that lie ahead. Thank you for being a part of my life, for believing in me, and for making my time here unforgettable.

-Sam

Last week, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier interviewed Sam Miller, Chief Administrator, about the potential impact of additional funding cuts to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. The story helped amplify our message to legislators that continuing to cut funding is not acceptable and has great potential to impact services. Shortly after, Governor Reynolds signed the bill that moved the proposed cuts forward for next year’s funding.

To ensure that Central Rivers AEA staff members continue to feel informed as the issue progresses, we wanted to also share the following key messages with you.

• We can’t continue to sustain funding cuts. In addition, receiving notice of a cut in late May when February is our budget deadline and contracts must go out to staff for the coming year in April doesn’t make good business sense.
• We will rely largely on reserves to resolve the budget shortfall this year; however, this is not a sustainable solution.
• It is necessary to maintain healthy reserves so that we are able to make payroll in August and early September (since AEAs are funded on a 10-month formula); thus, depending on the time of year that the reserve amount is reviewed, it may look artificially high. At Central Rivers AEA, our reserves are primarily due to the concerted efforts we have made to create efficiencies through the closure of several satellite office sites, consolidating operations in our Cedar Falls site, and negotiating fair settlements with staff. Being critical of healthy reserve balances is like punishing us for being fiscally conservative, something the majority of legislators value.
• The true impact of the cuts will likely be felt next year when the board and new chief administrator will have to make decisions about making up the shortfall should cuts continue.
• The services that Iowa’s AEAs provide are often behind the scenes but provide foundational support to students and schools. When those supports aren’t there, Iowans will begin to feel it – not only now, but down the road when those students become adults and we see the impact of what they didn’t receive during their K-12 educational career.
• Historically, we have provided direct services without cost to accredited non-public school districts. This includes support for students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) which includes services such as speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. While no funding comes to AEAs for these services, AEAs provide the services because it’s the right thing for students. One solution is to change the funding formula to include accredited nonpublic students for special education services similar to how it works for public schools – we see this as an equity issue that will only be more difficult to overcome given school choice legislation.
  • Gained traction legislatively by legislators in both parties.
  • Was not included in this year’s budget.
  • So rather than funding services delivered to students with IEP’s the special education funding is cut. We are going in the wrong direction.

By code, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training requires both an annual update and annual completion for staff who hold a BOEE license and have regular contact with students in K-12. The 2023 version was released on June 2. Follow the link for the updated version staff need to complete during the 23-24 school year. For additional information on mandatory trainings, please visit the Central Rivers AEA mandatory trainings list.

The May celebration can be viewed online. Congrats to our retirees!

Summer office hours went into effect on Monday, June 5 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 7. Enjoy your summer!

The 2023 All-Staff Kickoff meeting will be held on Friday, August 18. Please add this date to your calendar. The meeting will be held in the Cedar Falls Conference Center and attendance is mandatory for all Central Rivers AEA employees.

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 service 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