Please join us for an all staff Zoom on Wednesday, November 11. We will discuss some agency updates, legacy and impact stories and more. Details can be found on the Google “CRAEA Master Calendar” or linked below.
Meeting Info:
The next scheduled update will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2027, at 4:00 pm.
A phishing email was circulating earlier this week that appeared to come from Tiffanie Zaugg or Billie Buss, with the subject “New Approved Statement From Central Rivers Area Education Agency.” It claimed to contain a secure message and included a “VIEW DOCUMENT” link. We believe this was a credential-stealing attempt designed to capture usernames and passwords.
The Information Technology department took the following rapid steps and asks for your cooperation in helping to protect your account:
Unfortunately, there’s been a rash of this type of phishing campaign targeting K-12 education. We ask that you continue to be extremely vigilant about clicking on suspicious emails and watch this support video (passcode: S*683.xr) to learn more about what steps you can take next. Thank you for taking prompt action and helping protect our staff and agency systems.
The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors has approved an increase to the agency’s mileage reimbursement rate to provide additional support to employees experiencing increased vehicle operating costs.
Effective October 1, 2026, the mileage reimbursement rate will increase from $.46 to $0.50 per mile, consistent with the rate established by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services for state employees. In addition, a temporary mileage supplement of $0.05 per mile has been approved through June 30, 2027, bringing the total reimbursement rate to $0.55 per mile. The temporary supplement allows the agency to provide additional support based on our current financial position without creating a permanent commitment to future expenditures.
Effective July 1, 2027, the rate will return to $0.50 per mile. We will continue to monitor the price of fuel; however, it is important to understand that the price of fuel is only one factor being considered when establishing a mileage reimbursement rate. The rate also accounts for other costs associated with operating and maintaining a vehicle including maintenance, tires, insurance, depreciation, and other vehicle operating expenses.
| 2026-2027 Mileage Reimbursement Rates | |
| July 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026 | $.46/mile |
| October 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | $.55/mile |
| July 1, 2027 and after | $.50/mile |
More than 330 staff members participated in our recent all-staff survey which included 10 statements about purpose, empowerment, resources, collaboration and workplace culture. The results give us plenty to celebrate. One message came through loud and clear: our people believe in what they do, understand why it matters and are proud to be part of Central Rivers AEA.
This is the data at a glance when aggregated together.
Perhaps the most powerful finding is how strongly employees believe their work matters. Nearly 99% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their work makes a meaningful difference for those we support and serve. Even more impressive, more than two-thirds selected strongly agree.
That sense of purpose is closely connected to the success of our agency. 96% see a clear connection between their work and the success of Central Rivers AEA, while 93% understand the agency’s direction and how their work connects to it.
Those numbers say something important about our culture: whether you are working directly with a student, partnering with an educator, supporting a family or providing the behind-the-scenes services that make our work possible, you see yourself as part of something bigger.
Staff also expressed a strong sense of autonomy and personal agency. Over 90% feel empowered to make appropriate decisions and take action within their role, and the same percentage indicate that when circumstances are challenging, they focus their energy on the actions and factors they can influence.
That’s an encouraging picture of an organization filled with people who don’t simply wait for solutions – they help create them. There are also areas where the results can help guide our continued growth. Roughly 86% said they have the resources, support and information needed to do their jobs effectively, while 83% feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions and raising concerns. These are positive results, while also reminding us that building a great workplace means continually looking for ways to make it easier for every employee to contribute, speak up and succeed.
Our work depends on people with different roles, expertise and perspectives coming together. Nearly 90% of respondents agreed that people across departments, disciplines and roles work together to find solutions, and 92% said Central Rivers AEA fosters a culture where employees feel valued, respected and supported.
And perhaps the best summary of all? Nearly 99% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that Central Rivers AEA is a good place to work. These results are worth celebrating, and they also give us a strong foundation for what comes next. We’ll continue listening, learning and working together to strengthen the areas where we can be even better.
For now, though, take a moment to appreciate what these results say about the organization we’ve built together! One that is resilient and unbreakable.
We are on a mission to collect 100 success stories before Thanksgiving to highlight the amazing work happening across Central Rivers AEA! Have you helped a student reach a breakthrough? Did you support a teacher, school team or family in making real progress? We want to hear about it! Sharing your experience helps us show our communities the true value of the work we do together.
This year, we will randomly award ten (10) $100 gift certificates from all entries/stories of success shared before Thanksgiving 2026. Let’s keep shining a light on the difference we’re making together! For questions, please reach out to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services or Contessa Van Buskirk, Communications Specialist.
Central Rivers AEA staff, you may have seen recent headlines about isolated measles cases in Iowa. The overall risk related to measles remains low, but we wanted to share a summary of current public health guidance on the topic to help summarize what measles exposure protocols may involve.
It’s important for our staff to know that we do not anticipate a widespread impact on our organization due to measles. We are proactively sharing this information to ensure AEA staff, especially those working in schools and with medically fragile children, have access to information about measles. We will continue to share new information in the event that it’s warranted.
We would like to welcome incoming staff for the 2026-27 school year. We are so excited you’re joining our Central Rivers AEA team!
To support a timely staff replacement process and assist with budget planning, Central Rivers AEA is offering an early notification incentive for Certified, NUSS, CWA, and Administrative staff who provide advance notice of their intent to resign or retire at the end of the 2026–27 work year.
Incentive details:
This incentive recognizes the value of early notice by allowing the Agency to plan ahead for staffing and financial needs while honoring employees’ service.
As you know, the Iowa State Board of Education approved the AEA Strategic Plan in June. This month, the State Board also approved performance measures to evaluate outcomes driven by the strategic plan.
In the Department of Education’s presentation, the State Board approved several outcome measures for each goal area. These performance outcomes will be measured and reported through a new online tool developed by the Iowa Department of Education. Similar to how school district and building data is compiled and tracked through the Iowa School Performance Profiles, the new AEA Performance Profile will use the State Board-approved performance measures to evaluate and categorize outcomes from each AEA.
Performance data for this tool will be gathered through existing AEA and Iowa Department of Education processes. Unless specifically directed, AEA staff will not be expected to develop additional metrics beyond those already in use. This year will serve as a baseline year for data collection as this new tool is created.
We will share more information with staff in the coming weeks and provide updates as the AEA Performance Profile continues to be developed.
At Central Rivers AEA, the work staff does every day is both deeply rewarding and incredibly demanding, which is why the agency’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI) has never been about the technology for its own sake. It is about building staff capacity and clearing the path for the high-impact work they value most. Here is where the agency is on the journey and where it is headed next.
The first step was not a tool. It was a conversation. Through an agency-wide AI needs assessment with every discipline team and department, Central Rivers AEA heard what staff needed, what worried them and where AI could actually lighten their load. That input shaped the agency’s Eight Guiding Principles for AI Use, the foundation for all subsequent steps:
Underneath all eight is one philosophy: AI is a rough drafting partner, not a replacement for the human touch. Only people can hold the moral accountability for the work, and staff remains fully responsible for the accuracy, tone and fairness of anything AI helps create. The principles, along with companion guidance on disclosing AI use, are available on the Staff AI Intranet.
Next, Central Rivers AEA provided professional learning for these staff groups: Speech-Language Pathologists, Team Representatives and Ed Services/Learning Support Specialists.
Each group followed the same path, built around three pillars: Data Safety and Privacy, Prompt Engineering and Workflow, and Professional Application. The first two pillars were the same for all teams, and the third was individualized to discipline-specific needs. Rather than a tool tour, participants worked through realistic scenarios drawn from their own roles, practiced with fully fictional student data and left with ideas they could use the next day.
The agency also learned from doing. A focus group of staff piloted AI support for report writing, comparing Gemini Notebook with the CRAEA Special Education Writing Assistant, and their findings now open the discipline sessions with real internal data instead of hypotheticals. That kind of feedback, from participants and pilots alike, is what has allowed the learning to be refined into something the agency trusts.
The work with the initial teams produced a tested, refined professional learning experience. Moving forward, the focus is extending that learning to every department. This is a commitment, not a pilot. Whether staff work in Audiology, Creative Services, Early Childhood, the Business Office, IT, Media, Office Support, River Hills or any other team across the agency, there is a place for them in this learning. Sessions will continue to honor the three pillars.
In future editions, look for:
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far. The questions asked in the needs assessment, the ideas tested in pilots and the honest feedback shared in every session are exactly what make this work stronger. Everyone at Central Rivers AEA will have the opportunity to learn about AI, and as the agency grows, it remains committed to staying grounded in what is best for staff. Questions? Contact Dr. Tiffanie Zaugg, Assistive Technology/AI Specialist, at tzaugg@centralriversaea.org.
At Central Rivers AEA, we value honest and transparent use of technology to ensure every decision serves students well. This is at the heart of Guiding Principle 5 in our AI Guiding Principles. In practice, when we use AI to generate significant content, we share that openly—because transparency builds trust with the schools, educators, and families we partner with every day.
If you have wondered, “Do I need to let someone know I used AI for this?” you are not alone. The new AI Disclosure FAQ for Staff offers a shared framework, and this post highlights the key guidance so we can apply it thoughtfully to our daily practice.
Most everyday AI use across our agency does not require disclosure. Disclosure becomes essential when AI alters what our partners or families would reasonably assume about who authored the content, its authenticity, or how conclusions supporting students were reached.
We view this through the lens of partnership and trust, rather than tool usage. If an educator or family reading our work would feel misled upon learning how it was created, that is our cue to offer clear transparency.
disclose when we use AI to:
We remain the author and expert guide. AI helps us refine our workflow, while the professional judgment, empathy, and final review stay firmly with us.
To uphold integrity across our work, we prioritize clear disclosure in two primary situations.
1. Altered reality. If AI generates realistic media—such as an image depicting an event that appears real, or an audio clip simulating a real person’s voice—we inform our audience directly. Simple, clear language works best:
“This image depicts an event that appears real but was actually generated by AI.”
“This video uses an AI-generated version of a real person’s voice.”
2. External compliance. Certain contexts carry specific expectations. Academic research, legal proceedings, grant requirements, or copyright submissions may require explicit disclosure statements. In these instances, we follow the specific guidelines provided by the governing entity or contract.
When leveraging AI for data analysis or recommendations, active human review is essential to our student-centered mission. If AI assists in synthesizing complex data, we ensure that a CRAEA staff member has reviewed and verified the insights before sharing. If unverified AI analysis must be shared in preliminary stages, clear transparency regarding our methodology ensures everyone stays informed. The FAQ provides this model statement:
“Please note: The data analysis and recommendations presented were initially generated by an AI system and are provided alongside our team’s ongoing review.”
By maintaining rigorous human oversight, we ensure our recommendations remain evidence-informed and grounded in what is best for students.
Regardless of the tools we use, we remain fully accountable for the quality, accuracy, and care reflected in our work. AI is an effective assistant, but it cannot replace our compassionate expertise, contextual understanding, and commitment to students. Verifying and standing behind what we share is how we build lasting trust.
Before sharing materials created with AI support, we can take a moment to ask ourselves three simple questions:
If the answer to the first two is no and the third is yes, we are ready to move forward with confidence.
Transparency is never a sign of diminished quality; it is a reflection of integrity. By modeling thoughtful, ethical technology use, we support our partner districts in fostering positive learning environments. When in doubt, erring on the side of openness keeps our focus centered on student success.
The complete AI Disclosure FAQ for Staff is available alongside our AI Guiding Principles. How can we support you as you navigate these tools in your role? Let’s work through any questions together.
Reach out with questions: Dr. Tiffanie Zaugg Assistive Technology/AI Specialist at tzaugg@centralriversaea.org.
Have you seen the headline: Google is retiring Gemini Gems starting November 17, 2026?
What’s changing?
Gems, the custom Gemini assistants you set up with saved instructions and files, are being replaced by a new feature called skills. Skills work much like Gems: they’re reusable instructions that tailor how Gemini handles a recurring task. The biggest difference is how you use them. Instead of opening a Gem from the sidebar, you type / follow the skill’s name in Gemini chat or Ask Gemini. Wanting to know more about Skills? Here is a link with directions.
Do I need to do anything?
Not yet. When the time comes, Google will automatically convert your Gems, along with supported files, into skills. In the meantime, a few small steps will protect your work:
Keep in mind
Questions about Gems, skills or anything AI? Reach out to Dr. Tiffanie Zaugg, Assistive Technology/AI Specialist, at tzaugg@centralriversaea.org.
All staff are invited to take advantage of 1:1 core energy leadership coaching sessions with Certified Professional Coach, Dr. Leslie Moore, via Zoom. Sessions are designed to enhance your well-being, life satisfaction and assist you in meeting your personal and professional goals. Just book one day in advance – slots are for 60 minutes and can occur anytime between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Book your coaching time now at this link. If you have questions, contact Leslie at lmoore@centralriversaea.org.
The agency is partnering with the Hy-Vee Pharmacy to offer flu and COVID-19 booster vaccination clinics for employees and their families. The vaccination schedule is as follows:
Friday, October 16
Thursday, October 22
Please complete the 2026 registration form if you wish to participate. During the morning of the clinic, remember to bring:
Flu/COVID-19 shots may be covered at no cost to employees and their family members with proof of insurance. Please contact Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist (319-273-8202) with any questions.
Having cold or flu-like symptoms? Don’t Forget about Doctor on Demand! Members covered under the Wellmark medical plan have free Doctor on Demand visits. Learn more about the features on the flyer. Reach out to Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist (319-273-8202) with any questions.