If you missed the last Coffee with The Chief, the link to the recording and passcode to view can be found below. The next Zoom meetings will be held in 2024 on February 9 and April 12.
We are excited for the opportunity to participate in giving back to our communities again this holiday season! This year, we are partnering with the Toys for Tots campaign with drop off locations at each of our three main Central Rivers AEA offices. From now until December 11, please help donate new toys to give children a better Christmas season.
Last year, Toys for Tots impacted over 31,000 children in the Cedar Falls, Clear Lake, and Des Moines (includes Marshalltown) areas. Toys for Tots is not just for young children – they give gifts to all children up to age 18, living in the home. The older kids need personal care items, clothing and other accessories. The following is a more detailed list of items needed other than toys.
All donations are appreciated and there are never too many gifts because Toys for Tots distributes remaining gifts all year long, giving to hospitals and other organizations with a need! Drop off your new and unwrapped toy or gift item at one of our office locations by December 11. Questions can be directed to Laura Rinnels, Administrative Assistant at 641-329-4244.
Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email during the Christmas holiday break so that callers and/or e-mailers will know when they can expect to hear from you. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on December 25 – January 1 for the Christmas holiday break. All CRAEA offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 2.
“Hello, this is (your name). Our office will be closed beginning Monday, December 25 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2. Please leave your name, telephone number and a brief message and I will return your call on the 2nd. Thank you and happy holidays from all of us at Central Rivers AEA.”
Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices are closed December 25-January 1 for the holiday break, so I will be out of the office beginning Monday, December 25 and will respond to your email upon my return on Tuesday, January 2. Thank you, have a wonderful holiday season and happy new year!
If you need assistance with either task, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.
Central Rivers AEA is a Make It OK organization. Custom shirts are available to order from our Central Rivers AEA Empowered students!
Make It OK is a community campaign to reduce stigma by increasing understanding and creating caring conversations about mental illness. Some important key messages behind this campaign include:
Visit MakeItOk.org to learn more about the campaign and “What to Say.”
The first step in helping to stop the silence is to take the pledge to Make It OK. By signing this pledge, you’re taking a stand against the mental illness stigma. Pass it on. Print it out. Tape it up. It can serve as a reminder to start more conversations and stop the stigma. Together, we can Make It OK. Take the pledge and Make It OK.
Dive into the Make It OK interactive experiences at your own pace to learn more about how you can help Make It OK.
It is that time of year to remind staff of the procedures for office closures due to inclement weather. The FAQ document provides a lot of information and specific examples for your reference.
The FAQ document was produced to assist in clarifying the agency’s procedures for inclement weather questions. Please reference as needed, and contact your supervisor if you have any questions.
There is a new link available on the staff website to order lost/broken silver name tags or updated photo ID badges. Directions can be found below.
Reach out to Robin Billerbeck, Human Resources Specialist, with questions.
Let’s kick off the 2024 New Year by celebrating you as a parent/guardian/caretaker. Important details can be found below.
Please reach out to Loni Jorgenson, Family Educator Partnership Coordinator, for questions or check out the flyer for more information.
You are invited to celebrate the winter season at one of our hot cocoa bars! We will have a cocoa bar set up at the three main locations, beginning December 13. (River Hills to celebrate at a later date, TBD). Stop by, say hi, put your feet up and sip a hot cup of cocoa! If you are unable to make it to an office location during that time frame, contact Robin Billerbeck before December 15.
Join in on the fun and submit a photo of yourself, your pet, your family, your elf or anything that screams, “ugly sweater!”
Starting on December 20, we will be re-introducing our wellness bingo initiative! Inspired by the principles of “Educator Wellness” from Tina Boogren and Timothy Kanold, this program is designed to enhance the well-being of our staff across four key dimensions: Physical, Mental, Emotional and Social Wellness.
Over the next six months, our wellness bingo offers a unique and engaging way for you to prioritize your health and happiness. Each square on your bingo card will represent an activity or challenge that aligns with one of the wellness dimensions. We will focus on one specific dimension for the first four months and some integration of all the dimensions for the last two months. Whether it’s a physical exercise, a mental puzzle, an activity to boost your emotional health or a task to enhance social connections, each completed activity brings you closer to filling out your bingo card!
As a token of appreciation for your commitment to wellness, if you complete 20 out of the 25 activities, you’ll earn the incentive. The incentive is a $25 gift certificate (coupon code) from a large number of possible vendors.
Remember, this is more than just a game – it’s an opportunity to embrace a holistic approach to your well-being, find balance and enjoy the journey towards a healthier, happier you! Get ready to mark those squares, explore some wellness activities, and most importantly, have fun while doing it! Complete details will be sent out to all staff on December 20.
Registration for the full-day Disrupting Bias learning session, offered by Gina Weekley and MaKenzie Hakeman, is now open and will be offered at each Central Rivers AEA office location. Register online through the AEA Professional Learning system.
Course Description: Join us for a full-day learning session* that will provide a framework to disrupt bias behaviors. Bias limits our ability to make the best decisions for our teachers, our students, and our families. The awareness of our biases is foundational to becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Unconscious bias is something everyone has and that doesn’t make us bad; it makes us human. Through this session, you will be able to recognize bias, disrupt bias, learn how to choose courage, and increase your connections! *This training is for Central Rivers AEA Staff only!
Course information to register:
Reach out to MaKenzie Hakeman with questions.
Wondering what is happening with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging work? We are excited to share some updates and invitations to participate in some great opportunities!
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are moving forward! Thank you to everyone who expressed interest. Based on the feedback we will have two groups starting in January (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and LGBTQ+). If you expressed interest in a group that is not indicated because only one or no people expressed interest. This is an ongoing process and we will periodically send out the interest form. If there are two or more people expressing interest in participating in an ERG, we add it.
If you have not had the opportunity to fill out the ERG interest form, please feel free to complete it now. Dr. Miller will reach out to all group members who responded in the near future to set up an informational meeting and start walking our ERG talk. Please contact Dr. Dana Miller with any questions.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the Courageous Conversations interest forms. Based on your responses, we will start having Courageous Conversations in January! We heard your voices last year and have changed the structure a bit based on your feedback. Each month we will share a discussion topic and you will have two opportunities to participate. We know schedules are chaotic and sometimes a barrier, so we want to be flexible. We will meet the first Friday* of each month from 8:00-8:45 am, and the second Wednesday of the month from 11:00-11:45 am. *The month of January will be an exception. Only one meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 11:00-11:45 am. Invitations will be added to the Agency calendar. Please contact Dr. Dana Miller with any questions.
We are excited to share that based on your responses, Sublet Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify and Stop Micoraggressions (Jana and Baran, 2023) was selected for our Winter DEI+B Book Study. The Book Study will start in February. If you are interested in participating, but did not complete the form, please contact Dr. Dana Miller by December 18.
During November 28’s staff learning (prior to regional meetings), practices were shared which might help us to surrender, or to stop resisting something in our lives. Take 30 seconds to reflect right now – what might you be resisting? Noticing is the first step! If that is something you want to change, which practice might help? As promised, here is the session’s slide deck to review for extra support.
If you are a Central Rivers AEA staff member, one of the well-being and leadership benefits is access to “Core Energy Coaching” with Certified Professional Coach, Dr. Leslie Moore. Sessions are one hour via Zoom, confidential, scheduled by you through Google Calendar invitations and are based on your individual Energy Leadership Index results. For more information or questions, email Leslie at lmoore@centralriversaea.org.
Congratulations to the November Central Rivers AEA staff and the entire River Hills School who were nominated for a Difference Maker Award by our LEA partners (school administrators, superintendents, principals, teachers, etc.). For our November nominees, here is what our LEA partners that nominated you had to say:
“Nicole helped me tremendously as a first year special education teacher! She helped me plan and schedule my first IEP meetings. She reminds me about important things in such a kind and respectful way. She always supports me when I’m feeling stressed out. Nicole is beyond caring and I appreciate her so much!” -Independence CSD teacher
“Amanda has gone above and beyond supporting our district for years. She works tirelessly as an advocate for students. She has worked well in guiding new and experienced special education teachers in finding the right accommodations and curriculum. At a time when schools are short on resources to meet the many different needs of children, Amanda is that light that helps us do the best we can to serve students and support staff. She ensures that all students are getting the support they need!” -South Hardin teachers & Hubbard Radcliffe teacher
“Hannah’s communication, leadership and professionalism have all made a tremendously positive impact on our district. She has “hit the ground running” as our shared (with AEA) special education director. She has established some positive changes and did it with excellent leadership. Our district is better because Hannah is a part of it. We are greatly appreciative of all her work! Our motto is, “Be A Difference Maker,” and she is doing it!” -Union CSD teacher
“Greg is always available to assist with needs at our four buildings. He is extremely knowledgeable and works hard to assist our staff, students and parents. Because of his knowledge, Greg is a trusted resource that we all use to assist, as we navigate through the many services that CRAEA provides our students and staff.” -Sumner-Fredericksburg CSD school administrator
“Amy does such an amazing job not only with students but with educating staff. She empowers the staff to provide interventions. She educates the paraeducators and provides professional learning to staff. She is such an asset to our schools. Amy is compassionate, kind, caring and we are so lucky to have her!” -Mason City CSD school administrator
“Jari was our favorite! She would work tirelessly in making sure Olivia always got what she needed. Because of Jari and all of the Central Rivers AEA physical, occupational and speech therapists, Olivia has gone leaps and bounds farther than we ever thought she would – she is growing and flourishing!” -Jenna Scott, mother of former River Hills student
“River Hills School has some of the best teachers and staff that provide such great learning and experiences for those kids… for our kids! The school is full of wonderful people – thank you all and keep up the amazing work!” -Parents of past and current students/community members
Farewell to Chief Financial Officer, Michael Kalvig, who will be leaving Central Rivers AEA on December 31, 2023 to return to Waverly-Shell Rock CSD, to serve as their School Business Manager.
“It is with mixed emotions to inform you of my decision to resign from my position as Chief Financial Officer at Central Rivers AEA,” said Kalvig. “I am so grateful to have worked beside so many talented people and have thoroughly enjoyed working for this great organization. I also understand how extremely important the work of the AEA system is and I am committed to supporting the work that you all do as I make the transition to a school district.”
Michael thanks the board, Joel and the entire administrative team for being supportive of his decision. He is very optimistic about the future of Central Rivers AEA and is excited to see the continued success and innovation in years to come! Thank you for your years of service, Michael! Central Rivers AEA wishes you the best on your future endeavors.
