The Channel

Zoom – Background Noise Suppression
The Zoom client has settings that allow the utilization of noise suppression, which can help remove distracting sounds that can be picked up by participants’ microphones. Background noise like paper crunching, keyboard typing, fan humming, and dog barking can be filtered out to create a better meeting experience.  By default, Zoom automatically applies background noise reduction, however the settings can be adjusted to be more or less aggressive based on the environment.

1. Within the Zoom meeting, select the caret (^) from the microphone icon and choose Audio Settings.
2. Under the Suppress Background Noise section, choose your preferred level of noise suppression.

Zoom – Additional Virtual Backgrounds Available
Central Rivers AEA has recently added several additional virtual Zoom backgrounds to the available bank of options.  The virtual background feature allows users to display an image or video as your background during a meeting.

1. Within the Zoom meeting, select the caret (^) from the camera icon and select Choose Virtual Background.
2. Within the Background & Filters section, choose your preferred virtual background.

Zoom – Security Updates
Zoom regularly provides updated versions of the desktop client and mobile app to release new features and security enhancements, so we recommend checking for updates on a regular basis.  

If you have any questions or need technical assistance with any of the above information, please contact the Help Desk at 319.273.8231 or helpdesk@centralriversaea.org.

We continue to try and coordinate vaccine opportunities with our various counties with mixed results.  In general, you are considered for the vaccine based on your tier (1A = Medical or 1B = Education), the county you work or reside in, and if that county has the vaccine and has offered us the opportunity.  As you can imagine, there is a lot of variability in when our counties are receiving the vaccine, the amount of vaccine they are receiving, and how they are prioritizing the opportunity.

We want to reiterate that if you choose to get the vaccine and have the opportunity prior to one being coordinated through Central Rivers AEA, please feel free to do so.  Some staff have had success in contacting their local Department of Public Health, and some staff have been successful in calling various pharmacies in an effort to get added to their list or scheduled based on availability.  Sometimes it is easier to get added as an individual than as a group, as they may need to find a single person to ensure that a vial is completely used.

The Iowa Department of Public Health recently launched a website providing some information on the locations/links for organizations that may be offering the vaccinations.  If you desire to try and secure a vaccine ASAP, you may want to try this link:  IDPH Vaccination Information.  Click on “Vaccine Provider Information” to see potential opportunities in your county.  

Please let HR know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

After several office closure days due to inclement weather, we want to provide some clarity on how staff should count their time when the office is closed for weather.

This guidance comes in consideration of our current norms around Remote Work Site (RWS) and flexibility due to the pandemic. 

For hourly (Classified or NUSS) employees on a 260-day (year round) contract who have been given RWS privileges this year, the expectation is that you will clock in/out and work your normal day and hours from home when the office is closed due to weather. This includes answering the Zoom phone, email, and completing all normal work.

For hourly (Classified or NUSS) employees on a 260-day (year round) contract who do not have RWS privileges, an office closed day due to weather will be converted to inclement weather time and you are not expected to work from home. (Please note that some staff, such as custodians, still have work that needs to be completed on this day even though you are not working from home.)  For this group of staff, your supervisor will make the time clock entry for the day using the Inclement Weather job code (300) for the actual time missed with the reason noted.

For Certified, CWA, and NUSS staff members on a less than 260-day contract, you have up to two office closed days that can be converted to RWS before a calendar adjustment is made.

Any employee who is unable or unwilling to work on an office closed day due to weather when the expectation is that you will be working from home will need to request appropriate leave time to cover your absence. 

As we return to post-pandemic operations, this guidance may be subject to change. Please address any questions or concerns to your immediate supervisor. 

With a few storms behind us, we want to remind staff to be extra vigilant about their safety during the winter when walking on sidewalks and in parking lots. 

Please do not come to the office during or immediately following winter weather events so that our maintenance staff have time to clear sidewalks and parking areas. If you have any questions, please visit with your supervisor. 

Central Rivers AEA staff that work in districts and around students must take the Chapter 103b training via AEA PD Learning Online.  Although you will not be directly using restraints on students, you may be an observer to a restraint and seclusion situation, therefore documentation that you have completed the training is necessary as soon as possible.  

After completion of the 45-60 minute training, please send the completed certificate to Human Resources (hr@centralriversaea.org). 

If the link doesn’t pull up the training immediately,  search “restraint” and it will appear.

An all staff meeting and retirement celebration will be held Thursday, May 13, 2021.  The meeting will be virtual with a format similar to last year and more details will be available soon.  

W-2s for calendar year 2020 were mailed to your home on January 29.  If you need another copy, please visit the iVisions portal under My Compensation and download the form. Questions can be directed to Shane Wolf at swolf@centralriversaea.org or 319/273-8203.

The 2021-22 all staff meeting will take place in person on Wednesday, August 18 in the Cedar Falls office.  The theme will be “reconnecting” and will include lots of time for networking and reconnecting with our team members agency-wide along with dedicated time for regions, disciplines and departments.

The agency has a large supply of face coverings for young students available in all three office locations. If you need some for the kids you serve, please contact your region’s administrative assistant or the HR department.

Here’s a quick tip to safely show a YouTube video without the worry of advertisements. 

Type a dash between the t and u in the word “tube” in the URL and the video will enter full screen and eliminate ads. 

For example, instead of sharing this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerUb9zU1L0 – share this link: https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=zerUb9zU1L0

The vaccine for Covid-19 is becoming more widely available and supply will increase in the weeks and months to come. Central Rivers AEA is working closely with local public health officials and we are optimistic that staff will be included as essential workers and able to receive the vaccine in the near future. 

We are beginning to hear from county health departments that are ready to begin vaccinating some of our staff based on their role. (For instance, OT, PTs, SLPs, and Audiology staff may be considered medical staff and vaccinated earlier.) It’s important to note that county health departments make the decisions about who receives the vaccine and when. However, to ensure that we are in the best position possible to respond quickly when vaccines are available, we are asking all of our staff to respond to this survey by January 12.

The vaccine will not be required but is highly encouraged. The CDC is a great resource for information regarding the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

The vaccine component will be paid by the federal government; however, the administration of the vaccines will be charged to insurance.  There will be no employee cost share to insured staff as Central Rivers AEA’s insurance plan will pay 100% of the administration expenses. The agency will reimburse mileage for employees that need to travel to a location that is outside of their school assignments to receive the vaccine.

COVID-19 tests and related services will continue to process with no employee cost share. Central Rivers AEA’s insurance plan will pay 100% of the expenses. Please note that this is only for testing completed through doctors’ offices/medical facilities and does not include services like Test Iowa, which does not bill insurance.

This Act previously provided additional paid leave for various COVID related reasons.  As we shift from FFCRA provided leave, employees who are unable to work due to COVID related symptoms/self-care will need to use their own paid leaves, using specific reason “COVID 2021”.

Please contact HR (319-273-8247) if you have any questions and/or have exhausted all of your paid leaves. It is our hope to continue to support our staff members as we deal with COVID-19, while continuing to provide our necessary supports and services.  We will continue to try and identify possible win-win solutions as we face various/unique situations.

Sarah Nelson, Director of Information Technology/Consultant for School Improvement for Region 10, has been named Director of Information Technology and Special Programs, beginning July 1, 2021.

In her new role, Sarah will continue to lead the Information Technology team while also providing instructional leadership for the agency shelter programs and Career and Technical Education in collaboration with Rod Ball. In addition, Sarah will supervise staff carrying out services under Title III, English Learners.   

Sarah has served the agency as a consultant for technology and school improvement for the past four years. Prior to joining the agency, she served the Waverly-Shell Rock CSD for four years as a K-12 tech integrationist and instructional coach. She has also taught literacy, Spanish, and ELL at Waterloo CSD.

Sarah holds a Masters degree in Secondary Education along with endorsements in K-12 English as a Second Language, 5-12 Spanish, Middle School, and Reading. She completed the Advanced Studies Certificate Principalship Program at the University of Northern Iowa in 2016.

“Sarah brings a host of skills to this role,” said Sam Miller. “Her leadership in the areas of technology, teaching, and learning will advance our programming in the areas she will oversee and further integrate our services between general and special education. She’s a great fit.”

Please join us in congratulating Sarah on her new role!

As part of a unified effort with all nine of Iowa’s AEAs, the Central Rivers AEA Creative Services department is proud to roll out a new ordering system. The new system offers several benefits to our customers which include: 1.) the ability to retain a personal order history; 2.) an expanded array of products and sizes; 3.) faster re-orders; and 4.) the ability to view the production status of each order including a notification once complete. The system also estimates the cost of your order based on the information provided. (Please note that this is only an estimate.)

When you are ready to place your next order, please begin using the new system and let us know about your experience! If this isn’t typically a heavy order time for you, we’d be happy to walk you through the system with previous orders in mind so that you have a sense of how it works. Simply contact Deb Hanson, to schedule a time to Zoom and learn more.

To assist you, we have created this set of directions and quick video tutorial to get you started. (If you have ideas for making these clearer for future users, feel free to use the comment feature and offer suggestions!) We will be rolling out the new system to local school districts beginning January 18.

Thank you for your continued partnership with Creative Services. We are excited to create for you in 2021!