The Channel

Congratulations to the January Central Rivers AEA staff who were nominated for a Difference Maker Award by our LEA partners (school administrators, superintendents, principals, teachers, etc.) For our January nominees, here is what our LEA partners that nominated you had to say:

Kara Shannon, Consultant for School Improvement

“Kara, Janelle, Joe, Jessie and Kim were awesome coaches and presenters at the “Data Day” at the Marshalltown AEA office! They are full of knowledge and support – second to none! Their constant support helps our district out a great deal and we are beyond thankful to have these AEA staff members serving the needs of our East Marshall District!” -East Marshall CSD administrator

Janelle Pirkl, Consultant for School Improvement

“Janelle, Kara, Joe, Jessie and Kim were awesome coaches and presenters at the “Data Day” at the Marshalltown AEA office! They are full of knowledge and support – second to none! Their constant support helps our district out a great deal and we are beyond thankful to have these AEA staff members serving the needs of our East Marshall District!” -East Marshall CSD administrator

Joe Kremer, Consultant for School Improvement

“Joe, Kara, Janelle, Jessie and Kim were awesome coaches and presenters at the “Data Day” at the Marshalltown AEA office! They are full of knowledge and support – second to none! Their constant support helps our district out a great deal and we are beyond thankful to have these AEA staff members serving the needs of our East Marshall District!” -East Marshall CSD administrator

Kim Hurley, Consultant for School Improvement

“Kim, Kara, Janelle, Joe and Jessie were awesome coaches and presenters at the “Data Day” at the Marshalltown AEA office! They are full of knowledge and support – second to none! Their constant support helps our district out a great deal and we are beyond thankful to have these AEA staff members serving the needs of our East Marshall District!” -East Marshall CSD administrator

Jessie Blohm, Consultant for Early Childhood

“Jessie, Kara, Janelle, Joe and Kim were awesome coaches and presenters at the “Data Day” at the Marshalltown AEA office! They are full of knowledge and support – second to none! Their constant support helps our district out a great deal and we are beyond thankful to have these AEA staff members serving the needs of our East Marshall District!” -East Marshall CSD administrator

Sarah Holden, School Social Worker

“Sarah has provided extensive support to new teachers in various ways. She has offered her assistance in observation, lesson planning, IEP support and one-on-one sessions with teachers. Sarah dedicated countless hours to support us during a time when we were short-staffed. We are so thankful for her!” -Grinnell Middle School administrator

Emily Hagebock, School Psychologist

“Emily is very dedicated to the well-being of the students and is always there for all staff that need her. She listens to students and staff without judgment and is always so caring. We are lucky to have her!” -South Hardin High School paraeducator

Plan now to join Chief Administrator, Joel Pedersen, for coffee with the chief on Friday, February 9! This is a great opportunity to hear virtual updates on agency events, current trends in K-12 education and have any questions or concerns you have answered. All of the meetings will be held via Zoom and on Fridays, starting at 8 am. So, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite morning beverage and join us! The next meeting will be held on April 12.

Zoom details:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/87609674396
• Meeting ID: 876 0967 4396
• One tap mobile +16469313860,,87609674396# US

Need support? Contact the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.

Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email for Monday, January 15 so that callers and/or e-mailers will know all Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day.

Voicemail example:

“Hello, this is (your name). All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will get back to you when offices reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, January 16. Thank you.

Email “away” message example:

Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Tuesday, January 16. Thank you.

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

Mark your calendars and please join us for Courageous Conversations! Each month we will have one topic and two opportunities to join in the conversation. Dates and zoom link are below.

• January 10, 11-11:45 am
• February 2, 8-8:45 am
• February 14, 11-11:45 am
• March 1,  8-8:45 am
• March 13, 11-11:45 am
• April 5, 8-8:45 am
• April 10, 11-11:45 am
• May 3, 8-8:45 am
• Zoom link: https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/86278274919

Please reach out to Dr. Dana Miller with questions.

Get more of what you want in life!

Do you have wellness goals for 2024, want to decrease the impact of stress on your life, or want to increase your life satisfaction? If so, consider how your own personal coach can support you in achieving those things! By connecting via Zoom at your convenience with Central Rivers AEA Leadership Coach, Dr. Leslie Moore, you will have the opportunity to reflect on what you want more of in your life and how your thoughts and emotions are impacting your actions. All sessions are confidential and scheduled by you when you send Leslie an invitation through Google Calendar. Questions? Email her at lmoore@centralriversaea.org. Happy New Year!

February 15 Key Mindset: Bringing Purpose

On February 15 at 9 am, the third of four “Key Mindsets” will be shared in person at all three Central Rivers AEA offices in Clear Lake, Marshalltown and Cedar Falls prior to regional meetings. As a preview, the gateway to Bringing Purpose is: I’m finding meaning in all my moments. There is something for me to learn from all people and situations. One practice we will explore to bring purpose is, “Appreciate the process and detach from the outcome.” Check out this article for more. Here is a related article on how to practice acceptance. We look forward to learning with you in February!

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Warm Up Iowa Challenge

Now that January has arrived, let’s keep the giving season alive! Let’s have a little friendly competition to see if we can “Warm Up Iowa.” Details can be found below or view the flyer for more information.

The agency goal: from January 2 through the 31, let’s collect a minimum of 100 of each of the following items* to be distributed to our schools/shelters in need:

• Gloves/mittens
• Scarves
• Stocking caps
• Blankets

*All donated (brand new or gently used) items will be distributed to our local community schools/shelters (equally at the Clear Lake/Marshalltown/Cedar Falls offices). To celebrate our victory on January 31, we will host a soup potluck at each office location!

• Sign-up sheet for CF office
• Sign-up sheet for Clear Lake office
• Sign-up for Marshalltown office
• Sign-up sheet for River Hills School

Sweater weather winners

Thank you to all the staff that participated in the ugly sweater competition last month. Congratulations to our following winners!

• First place: Laurie Huftalin
• Second place: Angie Gansen, Corlene Collum and Rebekah Robbs
• Third place, three-way tie: Carolyn Wanatee, Amanda Hennigar, Patsy Luker

The Central Rivers AEA board of directors have approved the agency office calendar for 2024-25. The calendar lists all holidays and office closed days for the school year. A downloadable copy of the calendar can be found on the staff website under Resources.

We’ve talked at a high level about some potential change to the AEA system that could be discussed this legislative session, and today I want to share with you a few more insights we’ve gained into the Governor’s potential plans for the AEAs. 

This week during a legislative forum in Le Grand, Republican legislators in attendance shared that AEAs will be among key educational issues addressed in the upcoming session. Additional detail was shared, specifically by Senator Ken Rozenboom (R-Oskaloosa), who made statements about the “administrative bloat” and “mission creep” of the AEA system. (The Marshalltown Times-Republican recapped the forum in this article which provides further detail.)

We have continued to share information with you as it became available, and this is the first time we’ve had substantiated information about the upcoming legislative session for us to address. While this information likely stirs up defensive emotions for us internally about our work and the difference we know we are making for students, families and educators in Iowa, we now have a clearer picture of the concerns about the AEA system, which makes it easier to be more targeted with our advocacy efforts. The public sharing of the Governor’s concerns is an expected part of the pre-legislative session preparations, and we’re eager to work collaboratively to respond to them.

Should you wish to advocate with your local legislator on behalf of Iowa AEAs, please coordinate with Beth Strike or me and ensure that you are following these guidelines.

Effective Legislative Engagement Strategies for AEA Staff

As professionals on the front lines of education, AEA staff are uniquely positioned to provide valuable insights to lawmakers and influence policies that affect the quality of education in the state. The following tips are important to review to ensure that staff lobbying efforts follow the law and have the greatest impact.

Rules for Engagement

• AEA staff must  not use AEA-provided devices or email addresses when engaging with legislators, and should only communicate with legislators outside of traditional work hours. Similarly, staff who engage on social media with legislators must  do so outside of traditional work hours.
  
• When engaging with a legislator, staff members can identify their role within the AEA system, but also should state that they are reaching out from their individual perspective. For example, a staff member might write, “I’m writing to you as a constituent in your district who has concerns about xx topic. In my work as a physical therapist with the AEA….” This helps introduce your concerns and provides your perspective while demonstrating that you’re not speaking on behalf of the AEA system.
  
• Be personal when talking about your topic. Your AEA will provide you with data and key messages, but your perspective as someone who works for the system is highly important in compelling legislators to understand the impact of their decisions.
  
• Be respectful. Remember that legislators are associates with whom educators need to partner, and their intention is to make improvements for our state. Our job is to help inform them of the potential impacts of their decisions, and to provide a valued perspective as they gather information.

Key Talking Points

The AEA system will compile key data points and resources that staff might find helpful in drafting their messages to legislators, but it’s important to customize each email or phone call to your own issue from your perspective. Being clear about your issue will allow you to focus your efforts and create a compelling argument by:

1. Describing the direct services you provide.
2. Emphasizing the importance of AEAs to rural districts.
3. Describe how reducing your services through funding cuts could impact services to kids. 

Avoid using educational jargon and don’t assume that the legislator has a working knowledge of your area of service. Be succinct, respectful and clear.  

Contacting Legislators – Who to Contact and How

Staff are encouraged to engage with local legislators regularly through emails, phone calls, or in-person meetings. Personal stories and experiences are powerful and much more impactful than generic statements, and staff who work in our system are instrumental in sharing an intimate look at the potential impact of legislative decisions.

The Iowa Legislative website also provides a contact directory or you can use these Senators by School District and Representatives by School District spreadsheets sourced from the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB). Identify the legislator living in your area and, again, make contact using your personal email address only during non-working hours. 

Please know that we continue to work with legislators and the Governor’s office, and this latest development just helps ensure we can be more specific in our outreach and efforts to establish an open line of communication. Continue focusing on doing great work with students, families and districts, and know that we’ll keep you apprised of information as it becomes available.

This week, the Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors approved an agreement with Mississippi Bend AEA to share the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Jennifer Coombes will support both agencies beginning January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024. This will allow the agency more time to explore our options in replacing Michael Kalvig, our current CFO who resigned, effective December 30. Michael’s expertise and dedication to the agency will be greatly missed! Please join us in wishing Michael and his family the very best as he continues working to support school districts. 

We also want to give a warm welcome to Jennifer as she joins the Central Rivers AEA team! We are looking forward to our new partnership with Mississippi Bend AEA and working with Jennifer!