Category: Uncategorized

Just a friendly reminder that calculating mileage remains the same as in previous years. As you might recall, a committee comprised of staff and administration developed a proposal last spring to address concerns with our current mileage policy. While the proposal had merit in addressing some of the issues, continued conversations led to a decision to discontinue plans for implementation. Thus, the current mileage policy has remained in effect with no change.

One of the new features of MackinVIA makes the creation of individual accounts or backpacks even easier using Google accounts. Most of our school districts, including Central Rivers AEA, use a Google domain for our e-mail and productivity tools. Media Services is working with our school districts to encourage the creation of backpacks for students and staff to increase the instructional power of the MackinVIA resource. So, since we are encouraging our schools to use the Google integration feature to create backpacks, Media Services decided to create backpacks for all of Central Rivers AEA staff using the new Google integration!

All staff now have an individual account created within the MackinVIA eBook portal. To access your account, you go to MackinVIA.com, enter Central Rivers AEA Staff VIA, Cedar Falls, IA (the location will pop up after typing in a few characters) in the top box labeled “site” and the screen will prompt you to login with your AEA Google login.  Having a backpack within MackinVIA will allow you to use the underlining, highlighting and note-taking features within the eBooks and also will allow for downloading to your Google Drive, making assignments within Google Classroom and downloading eBooks for reading/listening offline on any device you might use.

All of the schools that you support have access to MackinVIA, so please consider using these eBook resources in your work with students and LEA staff. MackinVIA contains a wealth of resources for teaching and learning! Please contact Cheryl Roberson or Cari Teske if you have any questions about using MackinVIA in your work with students and teachers.

As many of you know, I spend a fair amount of time traveling around our service area meeting with those in our local school districts that are the recipients of your service. On a near daily basis, I’m meeting with superintendents, principals and teachers who share with me the challenges they are facing and how Central Rivers AEA staff members play a role in overcoming those challenges. To say that there is appreciation in the field for what you do is, honestly, a gross understatement. Put simply, you are doing an amazing job and I thank you! I have never been more proud of our agency and the important work we are doing in schools.

Later this month, I’ll be circulating around to our three main offices (along with some of our executive leadership) to provide updates on a variety of topics including budget, health insurance, and important initiatives such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). I hope you’ll be able to make time in your schedule to join us for the conversation and share your views on what’s happening in the field. We have a Zoom option available for those that are not able to attend in person. Please consider these meetings both an opportunity to hear updates and also a time to share your success stories, concerns, frustrations, or ideas for improvements in our agency. We are here to listen and collaborate.

Cedar Falls: October 22 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/603133042

Marshalltown: Tuesday, October 23 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/649401473

Clear Lake Office: Monday, October 29 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/589933852

See you soon!

Dr. Tony Reid, former elementary principal with the Cedar Falls Community School District, has been elected to the Central Rivers Area Education Agency (AEA) board of directors. Dr. Reid will fill the Director District 7 seat left open by Richard Vande Kieft who resigned from the board effective July 11. District 7 represents the school districts of Cedar Falls, Denver, and Janesville.

Dr. Reid graduated from Grinnell College and later served in the Army from 1967-1970. He received an M.A. in History at the University of North Carolina, an Ed.D in Curriculum from the University of South Carolina, and was an elementary principal for ten years in Rock Hill, SC, before serving 15 years as principal in Cedar Falls. Dr. Reid and his wife, Margaret, have four children and several grandchildren.

“We feel very grateful that someone with Dr. Reid’s background and experiences has been elected to our board,” said Sam Miller, Central Rivers AEA Chief Administrator. “He has a true passion for serving students and has spent his career as a leader. He will be a great asset to our organization.”

Reid was sworn in on September 28.

Staff members are invited to participate in a Central Rivers AEA Halloween Costume Contest on Wednesday October 31st.  Dress up in a work-appropriate costume to participate! Staff are also encouraged to bring a snack to contribute to a Halloween-themed snack bar that will be available all day at each office location. (In Cedar Falls snacks will be set up in Central Perk and in Marshalltown and Clear Lake snacks will be available in the staff break room. River Hills staff members will find goodies in the lunchroom .)

If you would like to participate in the costume contest just snap a picture of yourself in costume and email it to Phil Hendricks before 9 am the morning of Halloween and you’ll be added to the ballot.  Staff members from any location can participate as this is an agency-wide contest.  Once the ballot is assembled it will be emailed out to all-staff for voting.

Prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place so bring on the competition!

Winter weather is right around the corner. Stay current with agency office closings and professional learning cancellations by ensuring that you are signed up for the official agency notification system, School Messenger. Not sure if you signed up last year? New to the agency this year? Contact Shirley Horak in Human Resources for more information.

Please note that the agency will also be posting messages on the front page of our website if you prefer to receive announcements that way.  

For questions related to how work time is accounted for during inclement weather, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions developed by Human Resources and the Business Office.

The deadline for next bingo challenge is October 10, 2018. Enter your information on or before to receive your gift card!

Creative Services staff members have started their own challenge as part of the Own it! theme. In late September, the group started a 21-day “complaint free” challenge patterned after the work of Will Bowen.  The challenge reinforces a mindset of gratitude and interrupts established patterns of negative thinking.  Great job, team!

Anyone know who this kind staff member is who placed this sign on the pop machine in the Clear Lake Office? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Let us know how you are Own(ing) it! Send a picture of your team or an individual shot to Beth Strike so we can share it with others.

Cedar Falls site led by Katie Kimber

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9/25/18 to 11/6/18

4:45 – 5:45 pm — Bring your own mat if you will be on site.

Note:  No Class on 10/18/18 due to a previously scheduled event.

The Cedar Falls Sessions will be available via Zoom.  Click here for the recurring Cedar Falls Zoom link.

Marshalltown site led by Stacie Huffman

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9/25/18 to 11/6/18

6:30-7:30 am — Bring your own mat if you will be on site.

The Marshalltown Sessions will be available via Zoom.  Click here for the recurring Marshalltown Zoom link.

 

For the past few years, Bravo Sports has worked with Iowa college football teams offer discounted tickets to games. Iowa State & UNI aren’t included this year. However, the flyer link below details the available opportunities.

https://bravosportsmarketing.com/product/aea-iowa/

Here’s another look at the new staff members who joined our agency this year. Get to know each through this slide deck with individual slides for each new staff member!

Advocating for your choice of political candidate is part of what makes our country great. But knowing where the line is when it comes to your role as a public employee is important. School district and AEA employees may use their professional titles or identify themselves as a school district or AEA employee in publicly advocating for a political candidate which also includes the use of their individual social media account (not the district or AEA account). However, a school or AEA employee crosses the line if s/he makes statements on social media during contract time. In addition, individual school or AEA employees should not use their school or AEA email accounts for political advocacy (even off contract time). Need further clarity?

Contact Karl Kurt, Director of Human Resources/Assistant Chief Administrator.

The purpose of the Central Rivers AEA website is to provide a dynamic forum of communication designed to educate and inform the communities and school districts about AEA programs, services, events, and other general information relating to the AEA or its school districts. In addition, the site serves as a central repository of resources in support of the services provided in real-time by the employees of the agency.

Most Central Rivers AEA programs & services are represented by official web pages developed using the official agency WordPress content management system. However, the agency recognizes some staff prefer to use other popular systems such Google Sites, Wix, Weebly, etc. to share documents and collaborate on projects. A guide has been developed to provide guidance on this topic and help staff to decide when platforms can be used. If you author web pages in your professional role, please review it!

Finally, an online module is being created by our technology integrationists to help learn more about WordPress and website accessibility. More information coming in November! This will be helpful for those who currently author pages for the website or plan to in the near future.

Questions? Contact Kay Schmalen or Beth Strike.

Have you been tagged on a recognition thread recently and received a notification email that was unfamiliar? Chances are you’ve been recognized for something positive in the Quantum Workplace system being rolled out through Human Resources. While most Certified staff members have been piloting the system for several weeks at the direction of their Regional Administrator, it’s time to bring everyone on board.

What is Quantum Workplace? Essentially, it’s an employee engagement software used to recognize employees, help them keep track of their goals and progress, gather organizational feedback, and facilitate conversation between supervisor and employee. Over time, everyone will receive an introduction to all the components in the system, but for now, we’ll start with the recognition function. For those who hadn’t been exposed to the system previously, watch for a “welcome” email with login directions. Once you are in the system, enjoy reading the recognitions that others have written and start getting in on the fun!

Questions? Contact Karl Kurt.

The Central Rivers AEA staff cell phone directory is updated for 2018-19 and available on the staff website. Staff that receive reimbursement for their personal cell phone are listed in the directory. A QR code is also available for those with a QR reader app on their iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

If you have an update, please contact Laura Rinnels.  

A few reminders from the Human Resources (HR) office:

September 15 is the deadline for notifying HR of intentions to change lanes on the salary schedule (This applies to Certified staff only). Also, all professional licenses must be kept current. If you renew your license, just send an email to the HR office that it has been renewed. Our staff will look up your license on the BOEE website and update our records accordingly. 

The first month of the Own It! challenge has ended with over 300 submissions. Great work! The Human Resources office recently sent the new link to submit your September Bingo. Individually we have done a great job, now let’s make sure to help another staff member achieve a Bingo.  Replace “I” with “we” and you turn illness into wellness. Let’s goooooo!!