The Channel

As supervisors begin to share out the beginning of the year evaluation documents, we wanted you to be aware of changes we have made to the system. You’ll notice a new look and revised documentation for CWA/NUSS and Certified Support Staff.  The updated system is located in the iVisions Portal>My Toolbox –  Evaluation Systems 2020-21.

Our purpose in making these changes was to more efficiently and consistently utilize documents and streamline the process.  Evaluation is intended to be interactive and collaborative between the evaluator and the employee.  The evaluation instrument is a tool to facilitate conversation and focus on your growth and development and the impact you can have on our culture and climate and our organizational goals.  We hope that you find the tool and process more impactful.

Again this year, the agency is partnering with HyVee Pharmacy to offer flu shot clinics for employees and their families. Those with health insurance through Central Rivers AEA will not have a copay. (Other insurances may be accepted. Please contact HyVee Pharmacy ahead of time to discuss this option if this pertains to you.) There will be a charge due that day if you do not have insurance. 

As an added incentive for getting a flu shot, it will count as a badge earned in our new Wellness Program and you can receive $10 just for getting one.  Sign up today for your shot.

Please bring a completed consent form for yourself and each member of your family receiving the shot and your insurance card to the clinic of your choice. You must sign up for a flu shot in advance using this form.

October 14, 2020, from 7:45-10:00 AM

• Cedar Falls Office – 1521 Technology Parkway
• Clear Lake Office – 9184 265th Street, Suite B 
• Marshalltown Office – 909 South 12th Street

October 15, 2020, from 8:30-10:00 AM

River Hills School – 2700 Grand Blvd, Cedar Falls

While HyVee does not have any specific Covid-19 requirements, Central Rivers AEA protocols must be followed, which includes wearing a mask or face covering at all times and maintaining social distancing while waiting your turn. 

Please contact Betty Hesseling, Benefits Specialist with any questions bhesseling@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8202). 

Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of HR

Thank you for taking the time to complete our recent staff survey and provide feedback and suggestions regarding returning to work. Your input allows us to address areas of need/concern and will make us better prepared for when we physically return to work. Here is a recap of your feedback:

The data from the survey shows that a large majority of our staff members are feeling “Comfortable” or “Very Comfortable” with our Return to Work plan and their discipline specific plans (if applicable).

River Hills staff is looking forward to receiving more information on the Return to Work plan that will be put in place specifically for their building.  This protocol is continuing to be developed and will be shared in the near future.

A suggestion was made to make sure that Superintendents and LEA Building Administrators are aware of the guidance we are giving our direct-service providers for safety and service.  We are asking our Regional Administrators to make contact, as a result of this request, so there is clear understanding about our safety and service expectations.

We tried to respond to a number of specific staff who had comments/questions/concerns as part of the survey.  Moving forward, please don’t hesitate to make contact and ask if you need anything.

A couple common themes were that our staff is appreciative of the agency’s efforts to mitigate risks and try to balance personal and professional obligations, and that staff members were pledging flexibility as we enter into the 2020-21 school year.  

A common question was around what the schools will require with their safety protocols.  We will try and get that information into one document to share.  Just know that since we require staff to follow the most rigorous protocol (AEA or LEA), you can plan on beginning the year with masks being required as outlined in our Return to Work parameters.  

There were a number of “what if” questions.  It is tough to answer these, but we will try and work with each specific situation.  However, with that said we are working on a cheat sheet to share with staff that outlines some general steps to commonly asked questions, so you know where to start.  We look forward to sharing this document before students return to school.

There were some discipline specific questions that were difficult to answer.  These were often forwarded to the discipline liaison, so they could be addressed to the whole discipline in the afternoon of August 18th, when disciplines will be meeting as virtual groups.

On behalf of the full administrative team and board, we greatly appreciate the positive attitude that everyone is attacking this challenge with.  We can’t control everything, but we can control our attitude, and can-do spirit.

This year’s welcome back “swag” bags contain some useful items that you won’t want to miss. Please plan to stop by one of the three main offices anytime between now and the start of the school year to pick up your bag. Each supply kit contains hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, alcohol wipes, reusable and disposable face masks and a clear face shield.  Items are located in each location as follows:

• Clear Lake: Receptionist’s area
• Marshalltown: Workroom behind the receptionist’s desk
• Cedar Falls: Iowa River room

Discipline specific PPE is also being organized for you to pick up. Please watch for a communication from your discipline leadership about plans for distribution. So that you do not need to make multiple trips to the office, you may want to wait for this communication and then plan accordingly.

For more information or to replenish supplies, please contact Shirley Horak in Human Resources.

Until further notice, all in-state and out-of-state travel continues to be suspended. This includes conferences, state meetings, networks, etc. Please plan to participate in those offerings virtually and discuss any concerns with your supervisor.

COVID Recovery Iowa can help Iowans with a number of issues including providing free, confidential virtual counseling and helping to connect families to food resources. There are virtual ZOOM Support Groups for teens, pre-teens and parents. The program also offers a number of virtual online activities including yoga, cooking classes, parent resources and more, to help Iowans through this stressful time.

You can find out more at covidrecoveryiowa.org, or simply call 844/775-9276 to be connected to resources. The virtual counseling sessions and support groups are free and confidential, and available to every Iowan.

The employee cell phone reimbursement is for the necessary use of a personal cell phone in order to perform the responsibilities of the employee’s position, per Central Rivers AEA Board Policies 401.27R1 and 401.27R2. Staff approved for reimbursement will have their personal cell phone number listed in the Central Rivers AEA cell phone directory, which is published only on the internal staff website. 

All requests are subject to the approval of the AEA Regional Administrator and Executive Director. The reimbursable amount is based on the number of contracted months up to $120 annually.  New employees hired after the start of the year have 30 days from the date of hire to submit a request for reimbursement at a prorated amount

To apply for the 2020-2021 reimbursement, submit the request form before August 31, 2020. Payment will be made on September 20, 2020.  Any changes to a staff member’s phone number must be promptly reported to Laura Rinnels at 641-329-4244.

The staff lounges in our three office locations are open for staff to enjoy while on breaks. This includes Central Perk in the Cedar Falls office. Staff will need to observe social distancing with just one person per table and masks need to be worn unless you are on your lunch break.  

Be sure to sanitize the table you sit at and do not leave used dishes in the room. If you use agency tableware, all items must be washed, dried and put away before you leave the room. Sanitizer will be available in each room or from the receptionist. 

Individual counseling sessions teach members about their retirement account, including possible retirement dates, benefit payout options and service purchase options. These sessions are for those within five years of retirement and will be held over the phone on August 24, 25, 26, & 27. Additional details can be found on this flyer. 

Pre-registration is required and appointment times fill up quickly. To schedule a  30-minute counseling session, contact IPERS at 800-622-3849. IPERS will then call you at your scheduled time to discuss your information. 

A master calendar has been created in Google for all administrative and large staff meetings taking place in the new school year. All staff can access this calendar to view the dates and you will want to consider setting up notifications in order to be aware of changes and updates to meetings each month. 

If you have questions regarding any of the meeting dates, please contact Lori Thomas (lthomas@centralriversaea.org) and if you need assistance accessing the calendar or setting up notifications, please contact tech support (helpdesk@centralriversaea.org)

Please be sure to check the outgoing voicemail greeting on your Zoom phone to ensure that you don’t still have the old message from when the offices were closed.

Your new message should say something like:

“Hello. You’ve reached (name), (title) with Central Rivers Area Education Agency. I’m away from my desk or on the phone right now but your call is very important to me. Please leave a message and I will call you back as soon as possible. Thank you very much for calling. Have a great day!

In an effort to increase our knowledge around ways to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, reminder that all staff must successfully complete the COVID-19 Safety Guidelines through AEA Learning Online Module R2L: Health and Safety for Teachers and Staff.  

1. • The training module is to be completed before returning to an agency facility on a staggered or regular work schedule. (If you have already returned to work on a full or part-time basis, please complete this training ASAP.)
   • To document completion, employees are to forward the training certificate to their region/program administrative assistant or supervisor.  

In addition, while we have the chance, we want to remind all staff who hold a BoEE license, that they need to complete the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and SPP (Suicide Prevention and Postvention) on an annual basis.  Certificates should be forwarded to the HR office.

 Directions to take the training(s) are outlined on this document. To view other CRAEA mandatory training, refer to this table.

Contact professionallearning@centralriversaea.org if you have any questions or problems with the training.

August brings a physical return to work for agency employees along with more frequent virtual meetings. Following months of working at home and much more casual attire, what’s the new dress code for coming back? Beginning August 3, staff members should return to traditional professional attire, whether virtual or in person. This blog post from 2019 outlines the agency’s approach to dress and can be used as a helpful reference. So, whether you are working in the agency, in a district, or providing services remotely, plan to present a professional image each day! Questions? Please visit with your supervisor.

Central Rivers AEA stands in solidarity with the Black community and with peaceful protests against the racial injustice that has plagued our nation for too long. Each of us must commit to doing all we can to counter racial injustice wherever we see it and take a stand. For lasting change to occur, we must keep the conversation going. Not just today, but in the days and months to come. Central Rivers AEA supports all ethnic groups and promotes the value of diversity in both our schools and communities.

We made it to June! This meme seems to sum up perfectly how I’ve been feeling lately. It’s been an intense past few months and I think we are all anxious to make our best attempt at enjoying the nicer weather and more relaxed pace of summer, despite the fact that Covid-19 has not gone away and likely won’t for many more months.

Over the past several weeks, our agency administrative team, in support of the board, has been working on a “Return to Work” plan which began June 1. I use the word “return” a bit lightly because I know that the work didn’t stop for the majority of us while we have been working remotely. Our plan details are as follows:

Phase 1: Approximately June 1

Safety protocols were specifically designed for each of the following departments who have now physically returned to work (or will in the coming days). Our Phase I staff members can’t physically do their work from a remote setting which necessitated their return along with the fact that they have essential responsibilities to perform. We appreciate their commitment to keeping vital services such as equipment repair, custodial maintenance, printing, and the processing of media materials operational.

• Information Technology
• Maintenance
• Media 
• Print/Production 

Phase 2: Approximately August 1

In Phase 2, we will move from essential/critical workers to lower exposure risk staff (office-based) who are eligible to return to a physical office location. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) defines these workers as having minimal occupational contact with the public and other co-workers. Office-based staff are considered lower exposure risk given that they have limited public contact and social distancing is easy to accommodate. Others may continue to work from home as deemed appropriate and necessary by their supervisor. Those employee groups who are identified as eligible to return to the office during Phase 2 include:

• Administration
• Administrative Assistants
• Business Office
• Human Resources Department
• Creative Services 
• Receptionists

Each department is developing unique safety protocols in collaboration with Human Resources to mitigate risk and create an environment that is as safe as possible in light of what we know today about the spread of the virus. These protocols will be shared with “Phase 2” staff members prior to returning in August. Special considerations will be given to those employees deemed to be in a high risk category. If you feel that this applies to you, please contact the Human Resources department.

For those staff members who work primarily out in schools, reaching a conclusion on specific protocols will be heavily dependent on the Return To Learn plans that are developed by each district and due July 1. Rest assured that the agency will have a strong voice in the conversation to ensure that Central Rivers AEA employees are put in the safest position possible while delivering service. Much more to come on this topic as details begin to emerge! Also note that because Covid-19 is an evolving pandemic, our decisions may change as we continue to stay in conversation with public health officials and analyze the data in our area. This is still a very fluid situation.

Questions about returning to work? More specific details and direction will likely be coming from your supervisor. In the meantime, feel free to share any questions, concerns or ideas with Karl Kurt, who is heading up our Return to Work effort.

The Wellness reimbursement incentives for the second half of the year will be included on the regular June 20th payroll checks.  While we would have liked to provide this in a separate check, we found that many employees have additional withholdings for state and federal taxes.  This required us to make manual adjustments to each individual’s withholdings in order to process payroll checks, so we decided it would be best to avoid these manual adjustments. Thank you for your understanding.      

Next year, the agency will discontinue using Navigate and be redesigning our Wellness platform to be more user friendly.  More information to come!

Final reporting for the wellness challenges for the second half of 19-20 totaled $23,410 to be paid out in June.  Central Rivers AEA paid employees a total of $70,975 in wellness challenges for the entire year.  Well done!