The Channel

Plan now to join Chief Administrator, Sam Miller, on Friday, February 24 and Friday, April 28, at 9 am for virtual updates on agency events and current trends in K-12 education. This is a great opportunity to get any questions or concerns you have answered. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite morning beverage and join us!

Join via Zoom:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/87609674396
• Meeting ID: 876 0967 4396
• One tap mobile +16469313860,,87609674396# US

Need support? Contact the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.

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.

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

W-2s for the calendar year 2022 were handed out to office staff or mailed to your home during the week of January 23. If you need another copy, please visit the Web Link portal under Employee Information > Payroll and Compensation and download the form. Questions should be directed via email to Shane Wolf or by calling 319-273-8203.

The 2023 All-Staff Kickoff meeting will be held on Friday, August 18. Please add this date to your calendar. The meeting will be held in the Cedar Falls Conference Center and attendance is mandatory for all Central Rivers AEA employees.

A reminder to all staff that the virtual background feature is available and allows you to display an image or video as your background during a Zoom meeting.

Not everyone has a home office and sometimes letting coworkers see into your private space can be uncomfortable, which is why Zoom offers virtual backgrounds that let users hide what’s behind them. For recommended setup and examples, please review the Virtual Backgrounds in Zoom document or reach out to the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.

The Everyday Inclusion App delivers diversity, equity and inclusion solutions that support inclusive values, create daily behavior change and embed inclusion in culture in a digital and scalable format on your cell phone. The app is available for all Central Rivers AEA staff to download and use. View the DEI+Belonging Resources page on the staff website for download details and to view account creation instructions.

February’s Badge Challenge is, “Black History Month Inclusion Champion 2023.” Did you know… Black History Month originally started out as a week-long celebration in 1926? In 1976, President Ford officially recognized February as Black History month. Check out the history and background behind Black History Month for more information. Everyday Inclusion also provides all CRAEA staff with the Top Diversity and Inclusion Words/Phrases of 2023 for an additional resource.

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging page is available on the staff website and provides various resources for all staff to create awareness, educate and reinforce policies that support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Please reach out to Gina Weekley, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, with any questions.

Join us on February 6 for our next Courageous Conversations! Courageous Conversations are a space, either virtual or in person, for staff to gather for 30 minutes to have guided conversations, ask questions and learn about DEI topics.

Want to submit questions or comments anonymously to discuss during the bi-monthly meetings? Do you have general thoughts or questions about DEI+belonging that you would like to submit anonymously? Fill out the “Courageous Conversations” Google survey. Meeting information can be found below:

*All meetings are from 11-11:30 am.

• February 6, February 20, March 6 and March 20
• Join the Zoom Meeting: https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/6050295031
• Zoom ID: 605 029 5031
• Padlet: https://padlet.com/cvanbuskirk4/9kmkgeeklejy5sdx

More information can be found on the “Courageous Conversations” page on our staff website. Please reach out to Gina Weekley, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, with any questions.

A new Central Rivers AEA clothing/merchandise storefront is coming soon! Keep an eye out for upcoming details such as the new storefront link on the staff website (coming soon) and the timeline to place orders.

Plan now to join Chief Administrator, Sam Miller, on Friday, February 24 and Friday, April 28, at 9 am for virtual updates on agency events and current trends in K-12 education. This is a great opportunity to get any questions or concerns you have answered. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite morning beverage and join us!

Join via Zoom:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/87609674396
• Meeting ID: 876 0967 4396
• One tap mobile +16469313860,,87609674396# US

Need support? Contact the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.