The Channel

Cari Teske, Teacher Librarian/Consultant for School Improvement, has been named Director of Media Services. Cari will provide direct oversight of all aspects of Media Services including support for school districts as they work to integrate media resources into the teaching and learning process. The Director of Media position was established following a restructuring which included moving Jen Sigrist to the role of Executive Director of Educational Services on July 1, 2021.

Cari has served as a Teacher Librarian/Instructional Technology Consultant since 2015 with the agency. Prior to that she was a high school principal at BCLUW for four years. She has also been a teacher librarian and elementary teacher and holds a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Northern Iowa along with a K-12 School Library Media Master Endorsement.

“I am so pleased to have Cari in this role,” said Jen Sigrist, Executive Director of Media & Innovation. “She has a future ready vision for where Media Services should go and a passion for working directly with teachers and other school leaders to deeply infuse Media into teaching and learning. She’s a natural fit who will bring a customer-service perspective and high level of energy to her work.”

Cari will begin her new position on July 1, 2021.

With professional learning primarily taking place remotely and many staff working from home, it made sense to revisit our procedures for inclement weather including professional learning cancellations and office closures. Below please find some clarification for the 2020-21 school year.

Will we ever actually “close” one of our three Central Rivers AEA main offices due to inclement weather if most of our staff are working remotely anyway?

Yes.  Although it will be trickier this year due to the number of districts that may be converting “snow days” to remote learning days. Site Superintendents will make a decision about a physical close of the office using the same criteria as in previous years: 1.) Local conditions in the community where the office is located; 2.) A majority of the school districts in the region are either closed or shifting to remote learning for the day.  Professional Learning will assess and determine their schedule separately this year since, at this time, the majority of offerings are virtual. Generally, virtual classes will still be held even if the main physical location is closed.

How will an “office closed” day be counted this year?

The same as it has in the past. Full-year employees who typically report to that office will observe an “office closed” day.  They may be required to work and/or choose to work, for all or part of the day, based on role, responsibilities, supervisor, and deadlines. 

Employees who are not year-round will provide services to their assigned districts as required by the district assuming the district is conducting learning (physical or virtual) for the day. If assigned districts are not conducting learning and truly observing a snow day, employees can use up to two remote office days to work from home. All other days should be an online calendar adjustment to make up the day when the district makes up the day.  This will ensure that the employee’s calendar stays in sync with the calendars of the district s/he serves.

Please speak to your direct supervisor if you have any questions or concerns. 

All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed beginning Thursday, December 24 through January 1, in order for staff to enjoy the holidays.

As a reminder, be sure to change your voicemail greeting and set an away message to your email. Offices will reopen on Monday, January 4th. 

Wishing everyone a joyful and healthy holiday season!

Earlier this year we revamped the Employee Health & Wellbeing Program to make it easier and more fun than ever to complete challenges and get great ideas for staying healthy. 

The Wellness Wave Website includes a leaderboard, a monthly spotlight challenge, ideas for family fun, lots of wellbeing resources, and the Wellness Wall, which is full of team highlights. 

And as an added incentive, staff have the opportunity to earn $200 (maximum) in wellness dollars for 2020-21 by completing challenges. Each challenge completed is worth $10. The payout date will be June 18, 2021. Login into the Wellness Wave and start earning your wellness rewards today!

The CDC recently revised their guidance, and as a result, the agency has adjusted ours as well.  The recommended quarantine period for an individual with a close contact exposure has moved from 14 days to 10 days.  In addition, a release from quarantine after a 7-day period can be accomplished if the following criteria are met: (1) a test is performed on Day 5 or later of quarantine and the result is negative, (2) no symptoms of COVID-19 develop (remain asymptomatic), and (3) self-monitoring for symptoms [check temperature and other symptoms twice daily] for an additional 7 days after release from quarantine.

Please contact Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of HR with any questions regarding the updated guidelines.

Taking care of ourselves and those we love may seem increasingly difficult as the pandemic continues and we are experiencing more and more loss. Loss of loved ones, loss of social activities, loss of connection, and for some, loss of independence.

We are also navigating the realities of the current political climate and social injustice. 

There is a significant impact on emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Amongst both children and adults, we are seeing higher rates of mental health concerns. The loss is real. The stressors are real. The impact is real. Mental health concerns are real. As parents and/or caregivers our focus may be occupied by just trying to get through the day. So what can we do to support our loved ones? How will we know if they are struggling?

 Start by asking yourself if your loved one seems like themselves. This can be difficult, especially when the majority of our interactions may not be face to face and our circumstances are far from ‘normal’. So what can we look or listen for? This could include behavioral and/or emotional changes, a sudden change in tone of voice, a change in the level of engagement in daily activities, emotional outbursts, and withdrawal from people or activities that they previously enjoyed. Are there changes in physical appearance? The changes that may raise concern are significant changes in dress, personal hygiene, and drastic changes in weight.

Next, do you notice differences when interacting? Increased distractibility, difficulty staying focused, or hyper-awareness (constantly look around, jump or physically react to loud sounds, more so than typical). Are they struggling to carry on a conversation or respond?

Listen to what they say. Do you hear statements such as “I am overwhelmed” “I do not know what to do” “I can’t do this anymore” “Things would be better if I wasn’t here” “I am worthless” “What’s the point?” “Things are never going to be normal again”.

If we are noticing the above and are concerned, what can we do? First, and most importantly, talk with them. Ask what they are thinking and feeling and then listen. Listen without judgment, without offering solutions, without being defensive, just listen. Validate that you hear them. You may not agree with what they say, but validate that you hear what they are saying, feeling, and experiencing. Do not minimize their experiences and perspective, or try to problem-solve their concerns, simply listen and hear them. Let them know that you are there for them. That they do not have to cope alone.

Prioritize spending time with them engaging in activities you both enjoy. Talk with one another. If you struggle to find topics of conversation do an internet search for discussion starter questions then set aside time for your family to respond to daily questions. This will help us learn more about each other and open lines of communication. Learn together, cook a meal or dish you’ve never prepared before, learn a new yoga pose, or write a story where each person in the family contributes. This will help you create new memories, and new behaviors to replace the things we are grieving that are not possible this year.

Plan activities that align with what they are missing. Go for a walk and schedule virtual hangouts with friends. Several may be grieving the things we typically do at the holidays that can’t be done safely this year. Consider other ways to connect during the holidays and honor traditions. For example, schedule a family and/or friends virtual meeting, and eat the holiday meal together, host a virtual ugly sweater party, and/or gift exchange. To help the family get into the holiday spirit have your child pretend to be an elf whose role is to do nice things for other people in the family. Considering going ‘old school’ and making homemade cards and letters to send to those we are thinking of and missing.

Connect loved ones with support. If there is an immediate need connect with mental health professionals through Your Life Iowa and they will help connect you to support. Connect with community supports. Please Pass the Love, a not for profit organization, is offering free Teen Workshops to support teen mental health. Iowa National Alliance for Mental Illness offers support groups for those living with mental illness and caregivers. 
Also, check out the student and family self-care toolboxes on the AEA Well-Being Website.

As we continue to cope, remember that our struggles are real and valid, and so is hope. We will get through this together. You are not alone.

Dr. Dana Miller is a School Psychologist with Central Rivers Area Education Agency (AEA), based in Cedar Falls. She can be reached at dmiller@centralriversaea.org. 

Zoom’s virtual background feature allows you to display an image as your background during a meeting and can make any Zoom meeting as professional or entertaining as you want. 

Letting others into your private space while working from home can be uncomfortable and with kids and pets, it can also be distracting for other meeting attendees. A Zoom virtual background allows users to easily hide what’s behind them. 

You will find a collection of Central Rivers branded backgrounds to use on the staff website under Communications > Guides & Templates > Zoom backgrounds. To easily help guide you through the process of setting up your own virtual background, view this document for instructions. 

If you need assistance, please reach out to the tech support team at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org. 

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!