The Channel

Within our shelter schools our goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn and use skills that will build their employability goals and be future ready when they leave our programs. To provide those opportunities, we have teamed together with our Work Experience Coordinator to begin to build a school based enterprise within the shelter school setting.

Recently we were awarded the McElroy Excellence in Education Enrichment Grant. With that grant we were able to purchase the items we needed to begin our Woofhaven Barkery business at our Woodhaven Youth Shelter Classroom. The students will be making homemade dog treats to sell within the community.

Our students are excited to begin this venture and would love to get some help from within our agency as they prepare their business plan. Part of that plan includes market research to determine what types of treats they should make. We would love your help in completing a survey that our students will use to further their business plans. This is a short 10 question survey that will be used within our shelter classroom to research product interests. We have also included our initial plan proposal for you to see our vision for our students. 

“The goal of this project is to create a school-based enterprise for our students to operate in collaboration with our educational staff. Students will transfer the 21st-century employability skills and grade-level math, reading, and writing skills from in the classroom to the school-based enterprise. Students will write up a plan and calculate costs and a budget for the enterprise.

Once a plan has been developed, students will then research and purchase the needed materials to create dog treats. Students will create marketing campaigns in the local community to promote their products. Students will create samples of the dog treats and distribute them to local community members and dog daycares. Students will work on building relationships with local businesses in order to create a steady stream of customers to sell their products. 

Timeline -Create a written plan and budget by 12/20/21. Purchase materials by 1/30/22. Make samples to hand out to local community members and businesses by 2/20/22. Have an operational school-based enterprise with a steady stream of customers by 5/20/22.” 

Please complete the Woofhaven Barkery Questionnaire by April 10, 2022. Thank you for supporting our students!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on our survey! We learned a lot from the data and responses. Below, you will find a few things we learned across the whole organization. Your feedback will help us get better at what we do.  

2022 Survey Stats
513 employees were invited and 458 responded (89.3%).
We received over 1600 comments as well.

What three words best describe Central Rivers AEA?

1. Supportive
2. Positive
3. Collaborative

Top Scores 

These three areas were identified as the most encouraging:

1. Execution – At Central Rivers AEA, we do things efficiently and effectively.
2. Appreciation – I feel genuinely appreciated at Central Rivers AEA.
3. Values – Central Rivers AEA operates by strong values.

Bottom Scores

These three areas have the most room for improvement:

1. Meetings – Meetings at Central Rivers AEA make good use of my time.
2. Inclusion – I feel included at Central Rivers AEA.
3. Clued-In Leaders – Administrators understand what is really happening at Central Rivers AEA.

Getting your feedback on the survey was the first step and we loved hearing about what you appreciate, and also what concerns you. Our data indicates that the Culture and Climate is very positive, and we are performing well in comparison to our peers. However, we know we do have some opportunities for improvement, that can make us even better.  

We are in the process of reviewing the comments that we received to gather a deeper understanding as we look to create plans for improvement. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, we look forward to taking the necessary steps to improve.

Having trouble hiding floating controls on Zoom?

Sharing your screen in Zoom and can’t get that pesky floating meeting controls panel out of your way? Hiding it takes only a few seconds! Learn how you can hide your meeting controls from the screen so you can present with ease. 

• In your Zoom meeting control panel, select More…
• Select Hide Floating Meeting Controls

Google Workspace Docusign add-on creates convenience

Having DocuSign eSignature in your Google Workspace puts electronic signing where it offers the most convenience. Generate agreements from Gmail, Drive, or Docs, add recipients or a personal message, then tag the document in DocuSign. Collect signatures or sign agreements all through the DocuSign add-on in your Google Workspace.

This month during the regular meeting of the Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors, the board took action to approve our recommended negotiation agreements. This article provides a summary of each settlement along with some additional information about our financial picture as an agency.

Given the fact that we are in a solid financial position and our cash reserves have increased the past few years, we reopened the previously agreed upon settlements to be more aggressive in favor of employees. It is our hope that the change is received positively, and helps underscore our desire to provide raises and insurance benefits while maintaining our staffing levels and a balanced budget. 

Specifically, we were previously settled for this year at 1%, but based on our current budget, strong solvency rate of 12.45%, and State Supplemental Aid (SSA) set higher than anticipated at 2.5%, we were able to increase our settlement agreements. 

This year’s settlement is not impacted by insurance premium increases. Our insurance rates for next year will stay the same, so all settlement dollars will be allocated to salaries. Although this isn’t always the case, it is wonderful when it works out this way! I think everyone can agree that we would rather see money in paychecks rather than going to an insurance company.

Salary Information for 2022-23 (“Total package”) 

Note: The total package includes the year-over-year increase in the cost of salaries and benefits of current staff.  Benefits include employer costs for medicare, social security, IPERS, health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance, unemployment, and workers compensation.

Classified (CWA) = 8.20% total package ($267,878) which equates to a 11.51% increase in salaries. This also includes step movement as applicable, redesign of increased wage table, and a $0 increase in employer health, dental, and vision contribution/employee costs.

We needed to improve our starting wages to better compete with a changing labor market, while also honoring our staff who have provided many years of service. We believe that we were able to achieve a good balance. All Classified employees will receive at least a $1 per hour increase for the 2022-23 school year. 

Certified (EA) = 3% total package ($1,024,427), which equates to a 3.37% increase on salaries. Includes step movement as applicable, $765 increase to salary schedule base (new base: $35,930), and $0  increase in employer health, dental, and vision contribution/employee costs.

NUSS = 3% total package ($87,979), which equates to a 3.55% increase on salaries, a $0 increase in employer health, dental, and vision contribution/employee costs.

Administration = 3% total package ($138,380), which equates to a 3.21% increase on salaries and a $0 increase in employer health, dental, and vision contribution/employee costs.

Additional note:

In addition, CRAEA may ask the Board to approve allocating up to $500,000 (from cost savings due to unfilled positions)+ $181,620 to reimburse the self-funded insurance pool for the cost of COVID claims (2/1/20 thru 6/30/21) in an effort to build our self-insurance pool and mitigate the impact of insurance rate increases.

Essentially, we would like to use these one-time funds in an effort to build our self-insurance pool. The healthier our pool, the better we are able to mitigate the impact of insurance rate increases. And as evidenced this year, if we can do that, then more of our settlement dollars go towards increased paychecks. The allocation of the above-identified resources (if approved) will not be costed as part of the settlement.

Below is a table showing the total package increase and cost for each group. 

For 23-24 (i.e., Year #2 of Settlement): 

1% total package for each group (EA, CWA, NUSS, and ADMIN).

Note 1: We may consider an equal disbursement of our negotiated settlement to each CWA member for 2023-2024. 

In summary, we continue to appreciate multi-year agreements that put us in a position to get our contracts out as soon as possible. Recently, we have been in a pattern of increasing our agreed-upon settlement, based on our financial condition. We have tried to be aggressive the first year of the settlement, and keep a lower second year of the settlement. This allows us to be as aggressive as possible in the short-term, but provides a more conservative settlement should we need it for the subsequent year. Our desire is not to be in a position to have to use the lower settlement amount, but we are prepared if something out of our control impacts our financial picture.

We want to thank everyone for all their efforts, flexibility, and positive attitude again this year. It is a challenging time in education, and our staff have met the challenges with positive attitudes and energy that has made a difference for students, families and educators. We hope that our efforts as an organization have provided evidence that we value and support you personally and professionally. 

Please reach out to Karl Kurt, Asst. Chief Administrator/Director of HR or Michael Kalvig, Chief Financial Officer if you have any specific questions, comments, or concerns.

A draft bill was filed recently through the House appropriations committee. HSB 727 would reduce the number of AEAs from nine to four and is almost identical to the original AEA reorganization bill filed earlier this year as HF 2182. The filing of an AEA reorganization bill is not completely unexpected, as we have seen versions of this before. AEA leaders continue to talk with legislators and lobbyists to gain better understanding of the reasons for this. 

Here’s what you can do
Please continue to provide amazing services to the children, families, and educators that we serve. Most of our legislators hold weekly meetings on the weekends so it’s helpful if you can attend to listen and respectfully tell them about the work you do. In addition, please use social media to share and retweet the stories that the agency shares there about your success. Stay at level five and six energy.

We’ll keep you updated on this as the legislative session moves forward. 

In other news, both chambers gaveled in on Monday afternoon this week and moved several bills: 

The House passed HF 2081 that strikes the ability of colleges to administer a pre-professional assessment to teaching candidates and the ability to use a subject assessment from a national testing program. The bill was amended on the floor to increase requirements for student teachers to 80 hours and 50 hours for teaching interns. It passed 94-0 and has been sent to the Senate. The Senate passed SF 2356 that allows a school board to use a volunteer substitute teacher who has specific substitute credentials that allow the person to substitute without having to pay the person. It passed 38-7 and has been sent to the House.

Also on Monday the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Governor’s education bill, SF 2349. This is the omnibus bill that requires districts to post course syllabi, summaries, lists of texts, etc. along with vouchers for some private school attendance and a requirement for high school students to pass the U.S. citizenship test in order to graduate.

Tuesday was a slow day for education related legislation. The Senate Education Committee did meet to approve some appointments and move SF 2291 that would allow para-educators as substitute teachers if the school makes a good faith effort to find a qualified sub. It does require the para to be paid the same as a regular sub.

Wednesday, however, both chambers spent a great deal of time in session considering bills. HF 2416 dealing with transgender athletes was passed by the Senate and sent to the Governor. The Governor signed the bill on Thursday. I would anticipate that the state will see some fiscal impacts from this legislation over the next several years, due to non-compliance with Title IX, the loss of revenue from hosting NCAA or other events and the potential litigation costs.

The House passed SF 2128 that changes the reference from “limited English proficiency” to “English learner” along with some changes to community college planning committees. The bill is now headed to the Governor.

SF 2266, was passed and is headed to the Governor.  It raises the amount a retired IPERS member can earn to $50,000 and raises the cap for the value of a contract that a school board member can have with a school to $20,000. It will become effective on enactment. Also headed to the Governor is SF 2279 that allows governments to accept electronic bids for public improvements. It requires the time of receipt to be recorded electronically.

HF 2398 that strikes the requirement for teachers with a master’s or PhD to renew their licenses passed the House unanimously and is off for consideration in the Senate. Also sent to the Senate from the House is HF 2493 that would allow schools to use para-educators as substitute teachers, except for driver’s education, if the school makes a good-faith effort to find a qualified sub. It requires the para-educator to be paid the same as a regular sub.

There wasn’t any action on Thursday that impacts education. There was very little action Thursday overall, with both chambers adjourning early until Monday afternoon next week.

Additionally:

• The Governor signed HF 2316. The bill increases Supplemental State Aid at 2.5%. 
• Last week, Governor Reynolds held a press event at Saint Theresa Catholic School in Des Moines to advocate for HSB 672 and what many are referring to as school choice. The bill would allow students to transfer to private schools and take approximately 70% of the state funding per pupil to pay for tuition. The remaining portion of the state aid would then go into a fund to be distributed to rural public schools. Please note, AEAs do not receive funding in the area of special education for students that attend a private school, so this bill potentially could result in significant loss of revenue to AEAs. 
• The House also approved HF 2080 on a unanimous vote. It increases the supplemental weighting for schools that share operational superintendent management functions. The bill was amended to include language on sharing special education directors. 

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors recently approved a plan for summer hours that will bring greater flexibility to those on contract in the summer months. In June and July, staff will work one of the following schedules in concert with their supervisor and department.

1. Four, 10-hour work days with Fridays off.
2. Four, 9-hour work days with a half day of work on Friday.
3. Five 8-hour work days.

Please note that the office will officially be closed on Fridays during this period so staff working on Fridays will do so virtually with the exception of those whose roles and responsibilities do not enable them to work from home.

The office calendars for both 2021-22 and 2022-23 have been updated to reflect the change and can also be found on the staff website under Resources. 

Please see your supervisor for more information on the schedule your department will be observing this summer.

As you know, Central Rivers AEA has been partnering with ESSDACK to provide various opportunities around INspired Leadership over the past few years. We consistently hear about how powerful the work is, and a desire to have additional development and growth opportunities around this work. We have had front row seats to experience the positive impact on our team members both professionally and personally. Since we believe strongly in the framework, we have made the conscious decision to continue evolving within our organization and share the opportunity with our LEA partners in the near future.

As we take steps to ease away from working with ESSDACK, we will begin to have an in-house staff member who is responsible for providing training opportunities, LMS content, and individual, group and mentoring coaching conversations. This 1.0 FTE position will be trained and earn certification through IPEC to be in a position to help staff become more aware, build resilience and lead consciously.

If interested in being considered for this position, please submit a letter of interest and resume to HR@centralriversaea.org by March 14, 2022. This position is open to internal staff only at this time.

Job Description (NUSS position, 204 days; salary and location to be determined.)

For certified staff only: The proposed policy #403.7 was taken to the Board on March 2, 2022, for the 1st reading. Action is set for the April Board meeting, scheduled for April 6, 2022. 

Noted changes:

• Employees with individual contracts requesting release from a contract after it has been issued and before it expires will be required to reimburse the Agency up to $1,000 for actual costs incurred to locate and hire a suitable replacement. The costs shall be payable to the Agency by the employee as a condition for Board approval of the release.
• In the event an employee terminates employment without proper release, the Chief Administrator shall notify the Board of Educational Examiners.

Rationale:

This is a policy that other LEAs and AEAs employ. Last year we had a number of late resignations, which has had a negative impact on our ability to provide services and support to our LEA partners, creating a ripple effect in our disciplines and the workload of other team members. The change in policy is an effort to mitigate the negative impact of late resignations.

During the last Coffee with the Chief Zoom meeting, several staff members expressed an interest in ways to show our appreciation for educators serving in our local school districts. We know that this is a tough time to be in education and we want our partners to know that we are here for them and recognize their hard work. To that end, our Creative Services partners have come up with a couple ways for you to participate:

1. Leave a “show the love” card, along with a special treat such as a pack of gum, bottle of water, or small piece of candy, on the desk or workspace of a local educator. Feel free to add a little note to the backside of the card or leave it completely blank for a “someone is thinking of you” feel. Each card has our logo on the back so it will be clear it came from someone in the agency. Please note that special treats are completely optional and not provided by the agency – that would be on your own (but still awesome!).
2. Use one of the specially designed cards to write a handwritten personal note to an educator you want to reach out to. Find some encouraging words to let him/her know that you notice their good work. Please note that more generic agency thank you cards are also available if preferred. Simply place an order through Creative Services. 

The above cards are available at the reception desk of each of our three offices. Just swing by and grab a stash. 

Save the date now to join Chief Administrator Sam Miller on Friday, April 1, at 8:00 am for a virtual update on agency events and current trends in K-12 education. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite morning beverage and get any questions you might have answered or use the time to express your thoughts and concerns.

Zoom information to join:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/83459443089
• Meeting ID: 834 5944 3089
• One tap mobile +13126266799,,83459443089#

It’s no secret that our staff go above and beyond to serve children, families and educators each year. This year, staff have gone to even greater lengths to serve given the continued challenges of the pandemic.

To acknowledge your awesomeness, the Central Rivers AEA board and administration, has added one extra leave day available for your use by June 30. Staff are asked to arrange use with their supervisor and formally request the leave through the Infinite Visions leave system under the category of “Thank You” leave.  Leave can be taken in two-hour increments or as a full day.

We appreciate everything you do and want you to take time to do something for yourself. Use this leave to do anything that “fills your bucket” and helps you stay in balance.  

As Aladdin says, there are a couple of provisions…

• This applies to all Central Rivers AEA staff.
• River Hills, Detention Center and Youth Shelter staff: Supervisors will communicate with you how this will work in your respective programs.
• The “thank you” leave must be used by June 30, 2022. It can not be carried over or cashed out. Said another way? Use it or lose it.

For balance/inquiries contact: Robin Billerbeck 

Central Rivers AEA continues to follow CDC’s guidelines for K-12 schools (updated 1/13/2022) and we ask that any Central Rivers AEA employee who experiences COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 to notify their direct supervisor and Human Resources as soon as possible.  

Please share any/all of the following details:

• Exposure date:
• Symptom onset date:
• Positive test date: 
• Vaccination status: 
• Close contacts:

For convenience, feel free to use the Reporting my COVID-19 related situation Google form. Employees may be asked additional questions in order to identify a course of action and determine a return to work date.    

Quarantine and Isolation 

• If you were exposed to  COVID-19:  
  • Quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and are not up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations
  • No quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and are up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations
  • No quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90-days

• If you are sick or test positive:
  • Isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status.  
  • Use the When to Stay Home guide to calculate your quarantine/isolation periods

On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, the Central Rivers AEA’s Board of Directors rescinded Board Policy 401.34 (Employee Vaccination/Testing for COVID-19) and its accompanying regulations. This is a result of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) withdrawal of their Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating COVID-19 vaccination or masking/testing. 

Central Rivers AEA’s new Learning Management System (LMS) has officially launched! More details about the LMS, including how to create an account and earn micro-credentials, can be found in this Google slide deck presentation. Questions? Take a look at the Q & A from the last Regional meeting.

A shortcut to the LMS has been added to ClassLink for your convenience. Be sure to check back often as content is continually being added. We value your feedback – if you have an idea for content, talk with your supervisor. Any questions should be directed to Amy Moine.

Central Rivers AEA is participating in the Des Moines Register Top Workplaces survey as part of our commitment to continually focusing on organizational culture and climate. To that end, we’d like to hear about your experience working at Central Rivers AEA, by asking you to respond to this employee engagement survey. 

Early in February, you will receive an email that includes an access link. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and provide us with your feedback. 

Energage, an independent research company, is conducting the survey. To protect your confidentiality, they will not disclose your responses to us. Department, team or group scores are revealed only when there is a minimum of five survey responses. Leaders at Central Rivers AEA may see the comments you offer on the survey’s final page, so please do not write anything that could reveal your identity if that is of concern for you.

A few additional things to note: 

• If you do not receive the survey email within the next two weeks, please check your spam or junk email for a message from “Energage Survey.” To open the survey invitation, you may have to confirm the email is not spam. 
• If you delete the survey email accidentally, you will receive a reminder message within a few days that includes another access link. 
• Please do not forward the survey email to a colleague. Each email has a unique code to prevent multiple responses from a single person. 

Please reach out to Energage at 1-800-749-0187 or reply to your survey email if you have questions. Thanks for taking the time to complete the survey. We look forward to your feedback!