The Channel

What do you want to learn today? Check out the latest on-demand learning pieces by our Central Rivers AEA experts!

Four SEL Approaches – Rusti Sparks, Special Education Consultant
There are A LOT of SEL resources out there- just do a quick Google Search! This resource is organized for you into four areas to maximize your time.

SEBH & Well-Being Classroom Practices: Teaching Expectations – Jackie Fober, School Social Worker
How can you minimize problem behavior by creating a positive and predictable classroom environment for students? How can you teach all students these expectations?

Phonological Awareness Defined – Janelle Pirkl, Consultant for School Improvement
Part 1 of the Phonological Awareness Series. Did you know that a student’s phonological awareness skills are a key indicator for reading comprehension?

Do you have an idea for a topic you wish to share with others? This on-demand learning provides guidance on how to create and submit on-demand content. Check out all our learning opportunities by visiting Central Rivers AEA On-Demand Learning. You can also see all the current content pieces via this Google Sheet. Don’t see what you were looking for? Provide us with feedback on content you’d like to see in the on-demand system.

Our professional learning team is here to help! As you create your courses and sections, keep in mind we appreciate them being submitted at least three weeks in advance. Here are some tips:

• Course Hours: The course hours do not include lunch times. A full-day class session scheduled to run through a normal eating period must provide, at a minimum, a 30-minute duty-free break. A working lunch cannot replace this break.
• Snacks/Lunch: If you are planning on offering lunch/snacks, etc. please work with Corlene to plan a menu and ensure you have enough food for your participants as well ensure a fee is included that will cover costs.
• Registration: All participants are expected to register for professional learning opportunities. We are required to report to the BOEE the number of and variety of courses offered. We also use data such as participation numbers to help us make informed decisions regarding future offerings.

Use this template to create your course/workshop before putting it into the system. It is easier to communicate with Angie or Kay about updates and changes.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Angie Gansen, Professional Learning Registration System Coordinator at (319)-273-8246 or agansen@centralriversaea.org or Kay Schmalen, Director of Professional Learning at (641)-329-4271 or kschmalen@centralriversaea.org.

We are delighted to announce Central Rivers AEA Business Office’s newest team member, Kevin Klobassa. Kevin joined our team on October 26 as our Benefits Specialist/Business Office Support, due to Betty Hesseling’s recent retirement. He will be based out of the Cedar Falls Office. Please take a moment to read through Kevin’s following bio and welcome him to the agency:

I grew up in the small town of Nashua, Iowa. After obtaining my business degree from Wartburg College, I started my career in the accounting field at a real estate company in the Des Moines area. I most recently worked in AP/Benefits at Waverly-Shell Rock CSD.

I currently live in Waverly, Iowa with my wife, Natalie, and my 19-month old son, Brooks. Other than hanging out with Brooks and playing with our two-year old yellow lab Molly, I love traveling, fishing, golfing and anything sports-related. I’m also a big Iowa Hawkeye fan – Go Hawks!

What are your top three?
In this month of November, it may be an opportune time to start a new habit of gratitude. One simple idea is to track the top three things you are grateful for each day.

• Starting in the morning – list three things you experienced and are grateful for from that short time awake.
• Throughout the day, as you notice something else you are grateful for, see where it falls in your list.
• If it makes your top three, swap it in.
• At the end of the day, review your top three.

This little prompt may help you look for good things in your life all day long. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email during both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday breaks 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 November 24-25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Voicemail example:
“Hello, this is (your name). Our office will be closed beginning Thursday, November 24 and will reopen on Monday, November 28. Please leave your name, telephone number and a brief message and I will return your call on the 28. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Central Rivers AEA.”

Email “away” message example:
Thank you for your email. I will be out of the office beginning Thursday, November 24 and will respond to your email upon my return on Monday, November 28. Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
*Please note the office closure dates for the Christmas holiday break are Monday, December 26 – January 2, 2023. Offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 3.

If you need assistance with either task, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.

With winter almost here, be sure you are signed up to receive Central Rivers AEA weather alerts via text, call or email regarding office closings or professional learning cancellations. *If you are already signed up, you do not have to do anything.

Staff members can contact Shirley Horak, Human Resources Coordinator, for assistance with signing up.

Dental care is an important part of your overall health and wellness routine. A regular dental exam can identify early signs of diseases and chronic health conditions before they become more serious and harder to treat. Here are some reminders on why regular preventive dental care is so important:

Dentists see more than just your teeth
Routine checkups can uncover skin diseases, thyroid problems, cancer, etc. These issues are often revealed during regular exams because dentists and oral hygienists may be able to see symptoms in your mouth you may not even notice.

Stop “small” issues from turning into “major” problems
Over 20 million workdays are missed every year because of dental issues. Preventive care visits are one of the best ways to detect and stop nagging dental issues.

Daily brushing and flossing
Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing two times each day help prevent tooth decay because it removes plaque, prevents decay and gum disease.

To find a provider near you, visit https://www.deltadentalia.com/.

The Department of Education concluded its accreditation visit on Wednesday, October 5. The initial report shared during the exit interview was extremely positive. We appreciate everyone who helped prepare for the visit or who served on interview teams. The Department of Education will recommend our full accreditation for the next five years as part of the State Board meeting on October 15.

The biggest thank you goes to our entire staff, whose efforts on a day-to-day basis have earned us this glowing review. The accreditation visit and feedback received from the Department of Education is yet another data point that emphasizes the excellent services our staff provides to our LEA partners. You should take great pride in the fact that our partners (superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, teachers and parents) sang your praises, and are grateful for your guidance, support and skills. We know we have an amazing and dedicated team, and the results of the report confirmed just that!

Central Rivers AEA strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcomed and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Continuing work done by the Equity Committee, in partnership with the Leadership Academy, and through the guidance of Gina Weekley, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we will implement DEI training and provide resources to create awareness, educate and reinforce policies that support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

We collected staff feedback through a series of focus groups, as well as gathered the perspectives and input of all stakeholders through anonymous surveys. As a result of what was released from the Equity Audit, the “APA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Inclusive Language Guide” is an optional tool available to staff to enhance learning and awareness of DEI terms and concepts.

Did you know… terms such as “tribe” and “spirit animal” should be avoided in conversations? According to the “APA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Inclusive Language Guide”:

• Outside of being used to describe cultural groups, the word “tribe” was historically used in a dehumanizing way to equate Indigenous people with being “savage” or “primitive”; modern misuse could be interpreted as a microaggression in conversations.
  •  Suggested alternatives: friends, group, pals or team
• In some cultural and spiritual traditions, spirit animals refer to an animal spirit that helps guide and/or protects a person through a journey; equating this with an animal you like strips the term of its significance.
  • Suggested alternatives: favorite animal or animal I would most like to be

For more information and resources, please visit the DEI+Belonging page on the Central Rivers AEA staff website.

Central Rivers AEA is a Top Iowa Workplace! To showcase our exciting honor, staff now have access to a new email signature template. When creating your version of the template:

• View the new email signature template document.
• Select file > Make a copy, label and save to your drive to edit.
• To download your headshot photo, go to the CRAEA staff directory page and search your name.
• Drag the photo to your desktop and replace the image in your copy of the template.

A reminder that all staff should be using an email signature. If you have any issues getting your image, contact HR for assistance. If you need help updating your email signature, please reach out to the Central Rivers AEA help desk for assistance.

The agency is once again partnering with the Hy-Vee Pharmacy to offer flu shot/Covid-19 booster clinics for employees and their families. The vaccination schedule is as follows:

Monday, October 24, 2022 from 7:30-8:30 am

• Cedar Falls Office – 1521 Technology Parkway (Central Perk)
• Clear Lake Office – 9184 265th Street, Suite B (Room D)
• Marshalltown Office – 909 South 12th Street (Room F)

October 25, 2022, from 8-10 am

• River Hills School – 2700 Grand Blvd, Cedar Falls (large conference room)

Please complete the 2022 Flu Shot/Covid booster registration form by Friday, October 7 if you wish to participate. Please remember to bring:

• A copy of your driver’s license.
• A copy of your insurance card (front/back).
• A completed flu shot consent form and/or Covid-19 consent form.

Flu shots and the Covid-19 boosters are covered at no cost to employees and their family members with proof of insurance. The cost is $42.99 without insurance. The Covid-19 vaccination is free for everyone.

Please contact Michael Kalvig at mkalvig@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8206, with any questions.

All agency documents and presentation materials that staff create to present to their school districts or in team meetings are expected to follow official Central Rivers AEA branding guidelines to maintain a consistent look. When writing for the website (including blogs), please use the online writing guide, which includes important accessibility information. If you have accessibility questions, please review the Accessibility Module.

The Communication Guides and Agency Templates page on the staff website offers many Central Rivers AEA branded resources. Some reminders to staff:

• If you want a custom Google Slide theme, you can place an order through Creative Services.
• Do not create your own themes from scratch or by editing/customizing copies of the themes found in the Google Slide gallery.
• *The Branding, Copyright, Accessibility & LMS Guidelines presentation is the “one-stop-shop” resource for all guidelines.

If you have questions regarding branding guidelines and requirements, please reach out to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services or Contessa Van Buskirk, Communications Specialist, for assistance.

The agency will be hosting two contests with prizes. Like last year, the winners will be awarded a certificate, bragging rights and vouchers to purchase books for the school of their choice! Contest details are as follows:

Halloween costume contest #1 categories:

• Group: (2+ co-workers): first-place $50 / second-place $25 
• Solo: first-place $40 / second-place $20
• Snap a picture and upload it to Halloween Costume Contest #1 (All Staff) or email it to Robin Billerbeck before 9 am on Monday, October 31.
• Voting will begin at 10 am and end at 1 pm with winners announced via email.

Halloween family photo or pumpkin contest #2 categories: 

• Family (photo of you with your kids/pets): first-place $30 / second-place $15
• Pumpkin creations (photo of your unique pumpkin): first-place $10 / second-place $5 
• Snap a picture and upload it to Halloween Costume Contest #2 (Family/Pumpkins) or email it to Robin Billerbeck before 9 am on Tuesday, November 1.
• Voting will begin at 10 am and end at 1 pm with winners announced via email.

Now’s the time to imagine what/how you’ll dress up for this year’s Halloween contest. Inspiration from previous years can be found on the “Spooktacular Hall of Fame” page.