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All staff Zoom update to be held on November 11
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.
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Phishing email alert & security action required for all staff
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…
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Mileage rate increase effective October 1
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…
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Survey results show a strong culture of purpose, impact & pride
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…
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Help us reach 100 impact stories by Thanksgiving
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…
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Important updates about measles cases in Iowa
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…
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Welcome aboard: meet the newest Central Rivers AEA team members
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!
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Thinking about retiring or resigning? Take advantage of the early retirement/resignation notification incentive
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…
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Introducing the AEA Performance Profile
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…
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Moving artificial intelligence (AI) forward: where we are & where we are headed
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…
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When Do I Need to Disclose I Used AI?
Guiding Principle 5 in Action: Transparency & Integrity 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…
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Google Gems are becoming “Skills” within Ask Gemini & Gemini
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…