The Channel

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors recently approved a plan for summer hours that will bring greater flexibility to those on contract in the summer months. In June and July, staff will work one of the following schedules in concert with their supervisor and department.

1. Four, 10-hour work days with Fridays off.
2. Four, 9-hour work days with a half day of work on Friday.
3. Five 8-hour work days.

Please note that the office will officially be closed on Fridays during this period so staff working on Fridays will do so virtually with the exception of those whose roles and responsibilities do not enable them to work from home.

The office calendars for both 2021-22 and 2022-23 have been updated to reflect the change and can also be found on the staff website under Resources. 

Please see your supervisor for more information on the schedule your department will be observing this summer.

As you know, Central Rivers AEA has been partnering with ESSDACK to provide various opportunities around INspired Leadership over the past few years. We consistently hear about how powerful the work is, and a desire to have additional development and growth opportunities around this work. We have had front row seats to experience the positive impact on our team members both professionally and personally. Since we believe strongly in the framework, we have made the conscious decision to continue evolving within our organization and share the opportunity with our LEA partners in the near future.

As we take steps to ease away from working with ESSDACK, we will begin to have an in-house staff member who is responsible for providing training opportunities, LMS content, and individual, group and mentoring coaching conversations. This 1.0 FTE position will be trained and earn certification through IPEC to be in a position to help staff become more aware, build resilience and lead consciously.

If interested in being considered for this position, please submit a letter of interest and resume to HR@centralriversaea.org by March 14, 2022. This position is open to internal staff only at this time.

Job Description (NUSS position, 204 days; salary and location to be determined.)

For certified staff only: The proposed policy #403.7 was taken to the Board on March 2, 2022, for the 1st reading. Action is set for the April Board meeting, scheduled for April 6, 2022. 

Noted changes:

• Employees with individual contracts requesting release from a contract after it has been issued and before it expires will be required to reimburse the Agency up to $1,000 for actual costs incurred to locate and hire a suitable replacement. The costs shall be payable to the Agency by the employee as a condition for Board approval of the release.
• In the event an employee terminates employment without proper release, the Chief Administrator shall notify the Board of Educational Examiners.

Rationale:

This is a policy that other LEAs and AEAs employ. Last year we had a number of late resignations, which has had a negative impact on our ability to provide services and support to our LEA partners, creating a ripple effect in our disciplines and the workload of other team members. The change in policy is an effort to mitigate the negative impact of late resignations.

During the last Coffee with the Chief Zoom meeting, several staff members expressed an interest in ways to show our appreciation for educators serving in our local school districts. We know that this is a tough time to be in education and we want our partners to know that we are here for them and recognize their hard work. To that end, our Creative Services partners have come up with a couple ways for you to participate:

1. Leave a “show the love” card, along with a special treat such as a pack of gum, bottle of water, or small piece of candy, on the desk or workspace of a local educator. Feel free to add a little note to the backside of the card or leave it completely blank for a “someone is thinking of you” feel. Each card has our logo on the back so it will be clear it came from someone in the agency. Please note that special treats are completely optional and not provided by the agency – that would be on your own (but still awesome!).
2. Use one of the specially designed cards to write a handwritten personal note to an educator you want to reach out to. Find some encouraging words to let him/her know that you notice their good work. Please note that more generic agency thank you cards are also available if preferred. Simply place an order through Creative Services. 

The above cards are available at the reception desk of each of our three offices. Just swing by and grab a stash. 

Save the date now to join Chief Administrator Sam Miller on Friday, April 1, at 8:00 am for a virtual update on agency events and current trends in K-12 education. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite morning beverage and get any questions you might have answered or use the time to express your thoughts and concerns.

Zoom information to join:

• https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/83459443089
• Meeting ID: 834 5944 3089
• One tap mobile +13126266799,,83459443089#

It’s no secret that our staff go above and beyond to serve children, families and educators each year. This year, staff have gone to even greater lengths to serve given the continued challenges of the pandemic.

To acknowledge your awesomeness, the Central Rivers AEA board and administration, has added one extra leave day available for your use by June 30. Staff are asked to arrange use with their supervisor and formally request the leave through the Infinite Visions leave system under the category of “Thank You” leave.  Leave can be taken in two-hour increments or as a full day.

We appreciate everything you do and want you to take time to do something for yourself. Use this leave to do anything that “fills your bucket” and helps you stay in balance.  

As Aladdin says, there are a couple of provisions…

• This applies to all Central Rivers AEA staff.
• River Hills, Detention Center and Youth Shelter staff: Supervisors will communicate with you how this will work in your respective programs.
• The “thank you” leave must be used by June 30, 2022. It can not be carried over or cashed out. Said another way? Use it or lose it.

For balance/inquiries contact: Robin Billerbeck 

Central Rivers AEA continues to follow CDC’s guidelines for K-12 schools (updated 1/13/2022) and we ask that any Central Rivers AEA employee who experiences COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 to notify their direct supervisor and Human Resources as soon as possible.  

Please share any/all of the following details:

• Exposure date:
• Symptom onset date:
• Positive test date: 
• Vaccination status: 
• Close contacts:

For convenience, feel free to use the Reporting my COVID-19 related situation Google form. Employees may be asked additional questions in order to identify a course of action and determine a return to work date.    

Quarantine and Isolation 

• If you were exposed to  COVID-19:  
  • Quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and are not up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations
  • No quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and are up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations
  • No quarantine if you were exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90-days

• If you are sick or test positive:
  • Isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status.  
  • Use the When to Stay Home guide to calculate your quarantine/isolation periods

On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, the Central Rivers AEA’s Board of Directors rescinded Board Policy 401.34 (Employee Vaccination/Testing for COVID-19) and its accompanying regulations. This is a result of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) withdrawal of their Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating COVID-19 vaccination or masking/testing. 

Central Rivers AEA’s new Learning Management System (LMS) has officially launched! More details about the LMS, including how to create an account and earn micro-credentials, can be found in this Google slide deck presentation. Questions? Take a look at the Q & A from the last Regional meeting.

A shortcut to the LMS has been added to ClassLink for your convenience. Be sure to check back often as content is continually being added. We value your feedback – if you have an idea for content, talk with your supervisor. Any questions should be directed to Amy Moine.

Central Rivers AEA is participating in the Des Moines Register Top Workplaces survey as part of our commitment to continually focusing on organizational culture and climate. To that end, we’d like to hear about your experience working at Central Rivers AEA, by asking you to respond to this employee engagement survey. 

Early in February, you will receive an email that includes an access link. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and provide us with your feedback. 

Energage, an independent research company, is conducting the survey. To protect your confidentiality, they will not disclose your responses to us. Department, team or group scores are revealed only when there is a minimum of five survey responses. Leaders at Central Rivers AEA may see the comments you offer on the survey’s final page, so please do not write anything that could reveal your identity if that is of concern for you.

A few additional things to note: 

• If you do not receive the survey email within the next two weeks, please check your spam or junk email for a message from “Energage Survey.” To open the survey invitation, you may have to confirm the email is not spam. 
• If you delete the survey email accidentally, you will receive a reminder message within a few days that includes another access link. 
• Please do not forward the survey email to a colleague. Each email has a unique code to prevent multiple responses from a single person. 

Please reach out to Energage at 1-800-749-0187 or reply to your survey email if you have questions. Thanks for taking the time to complete the survey. We look forward to your feedback! 

The virtual all-staff meeting to honor our retirees has been rescheduled to Friday, May 27 due to a conflict on May 20. Please note this change on your calendars and join us as we celebrate those retiring! The celebration will begin at 9:00 am and more details will be available in an upcoming newsletter.