The Channel

Dr. Julie Davies, Executive Director of Educational Services, announced her plan to retire from the agency on August 31, 2021. Dr. Davies has been with the agency since 2011 when she was hired to be the Site Superintendent of the Clear Lake Office. Through her tenure with the agency as Executive Director, she provided significant leadership in redesigning the Educational Services division and creating structures that support integration between special education and general education services to schools.

In addition, Julie has also been a leader in the state in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, having served on the Iowa Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (IASCD) board for many years.

“The agency will greatly miss Julie’s leadership,” said Sam Miller, Chief Administrator. “She’s smart, innovative, and models courage and vulnerability in so many ways. She’s left an indelible mark on Central Rivers AEA and we wish her the best.”

Jen Sigrist, currently Executive Director of Media and Innovation with the agency, has been selected to succeed Dr. Davies. In her new position, Sigrist will oversee staff members who provide educational services support to over 65,000 students and 5,000 educators throughout 18-counties of north central and northeastern Iowa.

“Positioning Jen in this role will further advance our agency’s priority of ensuring that all schools have the support they need to prepare their students to be ready for the future,” said Sam Miller.  ”Jen’s leadership and experience in the areas of technology integration, personalized learning, and competency-based education are key. She has the skill set needed to pull our services closer together around a common vision.”

An announcement about direct oversight of Media services will be made in the next month. Please join us in welcoming Jen to her new role and thanking Julie for her service!

An all staff meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, November 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The meeting is to share updates from agency leadership and will be recorded for those who are unable to attend. The recording will be available approximately 24 hours later on the staff website under Resources > Working during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Zoom information to join is as follows:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/88540493741
• Meeting ID: 885 4049 3741
• One tap mobile +13126266799,,88540493741# US (Chicago)

Be sure your Zoom is updated to the current version and these instructions will help you check your version along with how to use closed captioning if you would like that option.  For technical assistance, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231

With American Education Week just around the corner (November 16-20), the agency is celebrating YOU and all that you have accomplished this year – especially in light of the challenges of COVID 19. The agency is hosting a “selfie challenge” which invites you to share a photo of yourself at work sporting your face covering or other protective gear. Here’s how to enter:

1. Take a horizontal photo of yourself at work sporting your face covering or other protective gear. (If you are out in a local school district, be sure not to capture anyone in the background due to confidentiality concerns.)
2. Upload your photo to this Google folder by November 11. (Label the photo with your first and last name.)
3. Head over to Wellness Wave and claim your $10 incentive for participating in an “agency event” (under “Social Well-being”).
4. Wait to find out if you are selected as the grand prize winner of $50 to use toward CRAEA apparel from the apparel store!

The grand prize winner will be announced on November 16!

For more information, contact Beth Strike.

The holiday season is almost upon us and in the past Central Rivers AEA has participated in many in-person giving opportunities throughout the communities we serve.  Due to the continuing pandemic, our efforts will need to be done differently this year and many of the local relief organizations find themselves in greater need than ever before. 

Some of the organizations our staff has supported in the past include Food Bank of Iowa, Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, Boys & Girls Club of the Cedar Valley, Habitat for Humanity, and several homeless shelters in our local communities. All accept mailed donations and online contributions. 

Please consider making a gift to one of the above organizations or to your favorite charity to help those in need and make the holidays a little brighter for children and families! While we won’t track our effort as an agency, those in need will greatly appreciate your help!

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the safety and well-being of our staff is a priority and as an agency, we will continue to follow the same guidelines that were put into place in August with the Return to Work plan. 

If practices need to be adjusted, you will be notified and if you find yourself in a situation where you do not feel safe, please let your supervisor or Human Resources know so that support can be provided. More on this topic will be shared at the November 10 all staff meeting.

With winter right around the corner, stay in the know whenever there’s an office closing or professional learning cancellation. Sign up to get Central Rivers AEA weather alerts via text, call, or email. Staff members can contact Shirley Horak, Human Resources Coordinator (shorak@centralriversaea.org) for information on signing up. 

If further clarification is needed, please visit with your direct supervisor. 

Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and set 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.

Voicemail example:

“Hello, this is (your name). Our office will be closed beginning Thursday, November 26  and will reopen on Monday, November 30. Please leave your name, telephone number and a brief message and I will return your call on the 30th. 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 26 and will respond to your email upon my return on Monday, the 30th. Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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

*Please note the office closure dates for the Christmas holiday break are Thursday, December 24 – January 1, 2021. Offices will reopen on Monday, January 4th. 

Similar to Wellmark and VSP, Delta Dental is now offering a hearing exam and hearing aid discounted pricing to those employees/members enrolled in the dental plan. They are partnering with Amplifon for this service.  Providers are located in Cedar Falls, Mason City and Marshalltown.  View the Delta Dental flyer for more information.

For information (and to compare) other hearing exam/aid discounts provided, click on the links below or visit the portal under My Benefits > 20-21 Insurance Information.

• VSP – TruHearing, Hearing Aid Discount brochure
• Wellmark – Blue365 Discount brochure
• Delta Dental – Hearing Exam/Aid Discounts brochure

For further information, contact Betty Hesseling, Benefits Specialist (bhesseling@centralriversaea.org)

With support of the insurance committee, Central Rivers AEA will implement an infertility benefit with a lifetime maximum of $15,000, effective on January 1, 2021.  Once more information is received from Wellmark, it will be added to the portal under My Benefits > 20-21 Insurance Information.  Please contact Betty Hesseling, Benefits Specialist, (bhesseling@centralriversaea.org) if you have any questions.

The Iowa Department of Education, in collaboration with the AEAs, is seeking input around Deaf & Hard of Hearing education in the state. The intended audience is for those with an interest in the education of our students with hearing loss, including but not limited to students, parents, educators, deaf community, and other agency partners.

The survey focuses on all ages, all modes of communication and all types of educational settings. This information will be reviewed by a larger group of stakeholders to shape recommendations for increasing success for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Please complete the survey before November 11.

Questions can be directed to Tori Carsrud, Iowa Department of Education, Education Program Consultant for Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Shandra Sarasio Meyer, CRAEA Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of HR

Thanks to the nearly 230 of you who completed the recent staff survey! We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback, as it helps us identify your needs and how we can support them. 

At the beginning of the year we hoped that positivity and flexibility would be a common theme. We can see it on display all over the place, and just want to express our gratitude for rising to the challenges in front of you. We have heard from districts, and they report that things are obviously different this year, but CRAEA staff continues to meet their needs and provide excellent and timely services. Keep up the great work!

A note on mental health since this topic comes up a lot in conversations related to the pandemic. Oftentimes anxiety comes from looking backward or trying to look into the future, and worrying because we just don’t know what is going to happen. Try and stay in the here and now and control the things that you can. The year is going very well at this point, and you are doing an amazing job given the circumstances. If we can help in any way, please let us know. We are in this together!

Finally, a few expressed an interest in having a document that they could use if pressed when asking students or staff to wear a mask. Feel free to download this letter to assist in explaining the agency’s stance.

Here is a summary of the results and key themes from the survey:

Gratitude/Positives  

Common themes:

• Being able to interact and serve again
• People are awesome
• A lot of support from everyone
• Improved tech skills
• Have gotten closer with my co-workers
• Great experiences going to virtual services
• A lot of grace
• Flexibility

Safety/Comfort: 

78% of staff “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” that they feel safe performing their job duties at this time.

Common themes:

• Glad that I can now ask others to wear a mask
• Nothing more the organization could do
• Additional supplies —
  • Note: Please contact your discipline lead for additional discipline specific PPE supplies. We have additional supplies, and can order more if needed.
• Agency doing a great job
• Continue to provide flexibility – virtual options
• Keep up the communication
• Continue to follow the CDC guidelines
• A recognition that some areas are outside of ability to control (as an individual or as an organization)

Productivity

89% of staff “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” that they feel productive with their job duties at this time.

Common themes:

• Need some additional assistance with the I page
• There have been a lot of changes due to the pandemic…getting back to “normal” would really help me feel more productive 
• Continue to recognize the stress and workload
• Create a longer day?
• Thanks for cancelling the October regional date…a lot of paperwork and count date looming
• Continue to offer flexibility with RWS…less drive time

Biggest concern

• Sp Ed Count —
  • Note: Amy Knupp recently provided some additional guidance on Count Date. Hopefully, the updated guidance she shared helps reduce the stress/anxiety.
• Continued health/safety in a pandemic for myself and others
• Catching up from spring
• That we will have to go back to being completely virtual
• Paperwork completion
• Getting back to normal
• Missing seeing people face-to-face
• That we stay vigilant in our safety procedures 
• Please keep following CDC guidelines
• Determining the best way to provide virtual services
• Not enough hours in the day

How can we address your biggest concerns?

• Continue to support and provide flexibility
• Nothing the agency can do–just reality at this point 
• Continue the weekly meetings with Amy Knupp
• Continue to communicate and get feedback 
• Continue to provide supplies for safety

Additional comments or concerns

• Remote helps me be more productive
• Keep following the CDC
• Appreciate the care and concern
• I appreciate my colleagues
• The guidance and support from RAs has been awesome!!
• Appreciate the organization checking in

Details regarding this year’s Educator Quality program are now available! Watch this short video to learn more about how to access these funds.

Some users who have recently attempted to reset their CRAEA password in Classlink have reported receiving an error message; the pop-up window states “Undefined.” Even though this message appears, please note that your password has been successfully changed. You may begin using your new password.

After changing your password, you will receive a verification email notifying you that your password was reset.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need help with your CRAEA password, please contact the Tech Help Desk at Helpdesk@centralriversaea.org, 319-273-8231. 

As part of the agency’s overall COVID-19 risk mitigation efforts, maintenance staff are using electrostatic sprayers in conference rooms, work areas and offices. Please clear your desk each night of papers and close laptop lids. In addition, our maintenance staff need staff members to clear the building by 5 pm each night so that the disinfecting can be completed by the end of the evening. Questions? Contact Karl Kurt.