The Channel

Leverage the new Zoom Scheduler “booking link” to save time and streamline appointment scheduling.

Zoom Scheduler is a new feature that helps you book meetings faster. It can link directly to your Google Calendar and lets you create specific time slots when you are free. You then share those slots with others, and they can pick a time that works for everyone, automatically adding it to both calendars. More details about this new feature include:

• Automatic text reminders for meetings can be beneficial for attendees, especially for guardians and caregivers outside the agency.
• Streamline your meeting scheduling with school partners by utilizing the Zoom scheduler. This tool allows them to book 30-minute meetings with you during specified time slots.
  • For quick and easy connections, consider including your booking link in an email or signature, eliminating the need for back-and-forth scheduling.

For more information, check out the tutorial and FAQs document.

We have updated the Iowa AEA statewide slide Google templates to help make your professional development presentations even better! We collaborated with the Ed Services Directors to add four key slides that will help guide you in creating engaging presentations:

• Accessibility Statement: To ensure your materials are usable by everyone.
• Inclusive Welcome: To warmly greet all participants.
• Engagement Strategy: To help you plan ways to keep your audience involved.
• Optimistic Closure: To end your session on a positive and forward-looking note.

We also added new icon options in two different colors for you to use. You can find these refreshed templates on our staff website: Communications > Communication guides & agency templates > Iowa AEA templates.

We’re always looking for ways to celebrate the impact of our work – and that starts with the students we serve.

Do you know a student who’s made big strides in their learning or reached a milestone thanks to the support you or your team provided? We’d love to share their story as a way to highlight Central Rivers AEA services and the powerful results they lead to.

If you have a story in mind, complete this quick Google Form to get started. Let’s keep shining a light on the difference we’re making together! For questions, please reach out to Contessa Van Buskirk, Communications Specialist.

The special programs staff from Brookhaven Youth Shelter truly showed their spirit last week! They didn’t just attend their professional learning session; they nailed their Halloween costumes by dressing up as the fun crew from Inside Out. The team spent the day diving into SOAR: Supporting Ongoing Achievement Responsibly and figuring out how to put this process into action in their classrooms.

We absolutely love seeing this kind of dedication – you all consistently go above and beyond for students! A big thank you to Theresa Smith, Consultant for Ed Services, for leading the session and to the teacher from North Iowa Juvenile Detention Services for “stepping up to the plate.” Bonus points to the staff at the Clear Lake office who also dressed up while attending Child Find training!

(Extra Halloween bonus… We couldn’t do anything without our “super” IT team!)

Don’t forget to update your voicemail greeting and set an “away” message for your email during the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks to let callers and emailers know when to expect a response. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on November 27-28 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Voicemail example

“Hello, this is (your name). Our offices are closed beginning Thursday, November 27 and will reopen on Monday, December 1. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will return your call on the first. 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 on Thursday and Friday, November 27-28. All Central Rivers AEA offices are closed in observance of Thanksgiving. I will respond to your email upon my return on Monday, December 1. Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Please note the office closure dates for the Christmas holiday break are December 24, 2025 – January 1, 2026. Offices will reopen on Friday, January 2.

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

A reminder that all staff must complete the mandatory AEA-required trainings. Certified staff are allowed to use one of your 2025-2026 contract days to complete the trainings. Simply indicate on your Google calendar, “AEA Mandatory Training Day.”

If you have any questions, contact Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of HR.

Important reminder to staff who have not taken the required training for this year; This training is required for all staff of CRAEA:

Know the laws, protect our students: Privacy training now required

All staff at Central Rivers AEA are often involved in work that includes confidential student information. This might involve copying records, processing faxes, taking phone calls, completing evaluations for Early ACCESS or special education, reviewing IEPs or consulting with a teacher on a student who requires additional support. There are likely many other opportunities that occur in our daily work. This means that we all have a need to understand the privacy laws that protect this information for students and families.  Starting this year, and annually moving forward, all staff will complete an AEA Learning Online course entitled: Protecting Student Privacy in Schools: FERPA, PPRA, HIPAA and COPPA.

This training should be completed within the first 30 days of the start of the school year to ensure we are all in compliance with these important laws. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your supervisor. Once completed, staff are expected to submit their certificate of completion to the HR department using the HR@centralriversaea.org email address.

Note: If you are new to the agency but already have an Iowa AEA account: 

• Log in to https://training.aealearningonline.org with your most recently used login email and password.
• Change your Employment District to Central Rivers AEA using “centralrivers” as your district verification code.
• Once your CRAEA account is set up, you will need to update your email address in this system to match your CRAEA email address.

For any questions or assistance, please contact Kay Schmalen, Professional Learning Director, at kschmalen@centralriversaea.org or 641-329-4271.

Following a Board meeting on September 11, the Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors took action to partner with Dr. Cindy Yellick, chief administrator of Heartland AEA, and Nathan Wood, chief administrator of Great Prairie AEA, to lead the search for our next chief administrator. Their statewide experience will help ensure a thorough, well-informed process that reflects the needs of our agency and the districts we serve.

As of Friday, October 3, here is a high-level timeline for your awareness:

• October 3: Deadline to submit stakeholder feedback
• October 6: Deadline for applications
• October 13: Semi-finalists selection
• October 27: Semi-finalists interviews
• November 3: Stakeholder interviews
• November 5: Board action on hiring 

How you can help:

• Complete the staff feedback survey by the end of the day on October 3 if you have not already done so.
• Share the job posting with qualified candidates.
• Watch for brief updates as milestones are reached, including any opportunities to participate in interview activities.

Thank you for your continued focus on students, educators, and service during this transition. We look forward to announcing the name of the successful candidate and beginning the next chapter of our agency!

We would like to welcome incoming staff for the 2025-26 school year!

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 2025–26 work year.

Incentive details:

• Eligible staff will receive a $2,000 incentive, anticipated payment will be June 19, 2026, if the following conditions are met:
  • Written notice of resignation or retirement is received in the HR Office before January 6, 2026.
  • The resignation/retirement is accepted by the Board of Directors.
  • The employee completes their 2025–26 employment contract. (Staff who separate before the end of the contract year are not eligible.)
  • The employee has at least three full years of service with Central Rivers AEA.
  • The employee has not previously received this incentive (limited to once per employment).

This incentive recognizes the value of early notice by allowing the Agency to plan ahead for staffing and financial needs while honoring employees’ service.