The Channel

For those coming back on contract from summer break, as well as our year-round staff, welcome back! The August 13 all-staff meeting is quickly approaching and there are several important details you need to know.

Social time and registration will begin at 8:30 am with the meeting set to begin at 9 am. Please review the agenda for the day, which includes details on the featured speaker and the afternoon Regional and Department team meeting locations. 

Other pertinent information is detailed below:

Carpooling

As in past years, we ask that you please carpool with other employees to defray mileage expense and help to ease parking concerns. If you are in the Clear Lake or Marshalltown Office, please reach out to either Dr. Carol Sensor, Clear Lake Site Superintendent or Kim Swartz, Marshalltown Site Superintendent to sign-up for ride sharing if you have not already received information. See your supervisor if you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from carpooling as reimbursement for travel will be limited.

Dress for the day

Dress for the day is casual (shorts, flip flops, polos, etc. are all acceptable). If you would like, bring a pair of walking shoes to enjoy the trail.

Lunch/time clock

Lunch will be “on your own” this year with plenty of time provided for you to get to/from downtown locations.  Carpooling is highly encouraged. We have also secured Chick-fil-A’s mobile food truck which will be on site and available for quick and easy walk-up service. Credit, debit cards and cash are all accepted. Hourly staff do not have to punch in/out for lunch. (Please adjust your schedule for the day or week to stay within scheduled weekly hours. Clear Lake or Marshalltown staff members can be given extra time beyond their normal work day hours for travel time.) Questions should be directed to your supervisor.

Afternoon Regional/Department meetings

Regional and department meetings will be held from 1:15-3 pm in various locations throughout the building. Please refer to the agenda for details and locations. Please bring your computer or device. 

Get ready for a great day!

We are excited to announce that we have contracted with a company called Navigate for our agency health and wellness program for this year. A committee of staff vetted various vendors and selected Navigate as the best third-party provider to help us achieve our health/wellness goals. Representative staff then worked with Navigate to develop the web and mobile-based platform of activities.

Navigate plays off the popularity of challenges (we had a great response to “wellness bingo” last year) but through a more tailored and efficient format. It also gives staff greater control over customizing the types of challenges that help them meet their own personal goals. 

More information about Navigate and related initiatives will be shared during our All-Staff meeting next week. Get ready to “navigate” your way to greater wellness!

A new expense reimbursement form is available on the portal under My Toolbox > Expense Reimbursement > Reimbursement Req Spreadsheet.  You may have to click on “Enable Editing” at the top of the spreadsheet when opening. You will submit both Educator Quality (EQ) and regular travel expenses on this form and enter them as one expense reimbursement request. Expense reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly.  View the new  “How-To” Video for more detailed instructions.

Central Rivers AEA will be deploying a Single Sign On (SSO) system called ClassLink this Fall.  ClassLink gives you instant access to all your Web applications from anywhere on the Internet using any type of browser or device.  It also allows you to manage all your Web applications (e.g. Gmail, Zoom, Quantum Workplace) using one login. You can also access agency resources such as file servers and applications not normally accessible outside of the agency network.

AEA Learning Online resources such as the professional learning site and Scout will also be integrated with ClassLink as the year progresses.  This new SSO system basically acts as a “one-stop shop” for all your Web resources. As we get closer to rolling out the system you will have access to training videos and other resources to help you use it effectively.

The agency Culture and Climate Committee is excited to kick off the 2019-20 year! In order to ensure that we have the greatest positive impact, we want to gather fresh ideas and feedback from you! Please fill out this brief survey. Completion will automatically enter you in a drawing for a Carlos O’Kelly’s gift basket.

The following changes went into effect on July 1:  The Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse trainings are now separated and updated information from the BoEE clarified that educators will need to take BOTH the Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse trainings beginning July 1, 2019.

Each of those trainings will move to a three-year expiration. Currently, it is five years; however, current valid certificates are not affected. If a person took a training before July 1, his/her certificate is still valid for five years from completion. At that point when he/she renews, this next certificate would be valid for three years.

Please contact Shirley Horak in Human Resources if you have questions.

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 understands that their personal cell phone number will be listed in the Central Rivers AEA cell phone directory, which is published on the internal staff website. 

• The reimbursable amount is based on the number of contracted months up to $120 annually.
• All requests are subject to the approval of the AEA Regional Administrator and Executive Director.
• 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 2019-20 reimbursement, submit the request form before September 1, 2019. Payment will be made on September 20, 2019.

Any changes to a staff member’s number must be promptly reported for adjustment to Laura Rinnels at 641-355-4244.

Just a friendly reminder that representatives from the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) will be stationed at the Cedar Falls office, 1521 Technology Pkwy, Central Perk area, on Monday, August 26 through Thursday, August 29 for individual IPERS counseling sessions.

All time slots for appointments have been filled; however, you can always schedule an appointment in Des Moines by calling 1-800-622-3849 or visit the IPERS website for additional information.

Central Rivers AEA office locations return to regular office hours of 8:00-4:30 on Monday, August 12.

The 2019-20 Culture & Climate Committee is planning a tailgate party/potluck for lunch during the regional meetings on September 10. Please plan on joining everyone for this fun event which will be themed around the upcoming Iowa vs. Iowa State game on September 14. Watch for more details to come closer to the meeting date.

Bravo Sports has negotiated discounted tickets for AEA employees and other educators for two college games this year. Whether you are a Cyclone or Hawkeye fan, you’ll want to take advantage of these great prices. Below are links to more details: 

University of Iowa order page:

https://bravosportsmarketing.com/product/aea-iowa-tickets/

 Iowa State order page:

https://bravosportsmarketing.com/product/aea-isu-tickets/

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors met on Wednesday, July 24. This was the July and August meetings combined. Board agendas and minutes can be found online. The next scheduled meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 4 in the Cedar Falls Conference Center.

Mark your calendars now for the all-staff meeting being held on Tuesday, August 13 at the Cedar Falls Conference Center. Registration and social time will begin at 8:30 am with the meeting to begin at 9:00 am. The keynote presenter in the morning will be Tamara Konrade from INspired Leadership.

Regional and departmental meetings will take place in the afternoon and lunch will be on your own. A food truck from Chick-fil-A will be on site for your convenience or you can enjoy one of the many nearby restaurants.

More information and a detailed agenda will be sent closer to the date. Be sure to check your email.

There are new legislative changes coming to the Mandatory Reporter training. We will be adopting curriculum from the Department of Human Services for training starting this summer.

• The Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse trainings will be separated and updated information from the BoEE clarified that educators will need to take BOTH the Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse trainings.

• Each of those trainings will move to a three-year expiration. Currently, it is five years; however, current valid certificates are not affected. If a person took a training yesterday, his/her certificate is still valid for five years from completion. At that point when he/she renews, this next certificate would be valid for three years.

The changes went into effect on July 1. Please reach out to Shirley Horak in Human Resources if you have questions.

As we look to the future for the 2019-20 school year, our EQ process will change. A couple of years ago, we had a large surplus in EQ, and we worked with the EQ committee to create a plan that would enable us to support professional development and “spend down” the balance. This was the time when we added the ability to submit individual hours. Since we have achieved our goal of spending down the balance, this will no longer be an option.

Hopefully, you understand that although the 16 hours is no longer available, that nothing is being taken away. When we crafted this plan, we knew it would have a limited life and eventually come to an end.  Hopefully, the hours these past couple of years provided a little boost in some pay, and an opportunity to grow professionally.

Executive Directors Dr. Julie Davies and Amy Knupp worked with Regional Administrators and Discipline Leads to identify needs and to allocate EQ dollars that support our agency directives and initiatives. They presented their plan to the EQ Committee, and it was approved. Please review the identified budget allocations to learn more. Feel free to contact your supervisor if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Summer hours will begin on Monday, June 10 and run through Friday, August 9. Official office hours will be 7:30 am – 4 pm during that period. If you are going off contract for the summer, please ensure that your voicemail greeting and “out of office” email message indicate who is handling inquiries in your absence along with when you plan to return. Enjoy your summer!

We were recently informed that the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) is no longer providing districts with access to a reporting system that allows Human Resources (HR) to search for expiring licenses. Therefore, we will have to rely on staff to provide HR with a copy of/or notification of an updated BOEE license. In turn, we will be still be able to send out notifications that your license is coming up for renewal.

In order to see what is on file in the HR office, please check your status in the Portal under My Personal Information>Personal Information. Since many staff have not provided HR with a copy of their license, we are in the process of updating these licenses from the BoEE website. However, if the dates are not up-to-date, it could mean your license is current but HR was not given a copy of your renewed license. We will continue to update the portal with the BoEE website as time permits but it is an employee responsibility to keep his/her license up-to-date. Reminders are sent out as a courtesy. If you have any questions, please contact the HR office.

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors met on Wednesday, June 5. Board agendas and minutes can be found online. The next scheduled meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 24 in the Cedar Falls Conference Center.