The Channel

Central Rivers AEA recently updated the Emergency Procedures Manual which includes a series of procedures to follow in various emergency situations and cases of illness or injury. The manual also lists specific emergency information for each office location including contact information for the first responders and locations of first aid supplies and equipment. 

Spiral bound copies will be available at each office and Rivers Hills School. The manual can be downloaded/viewed on the staff website under Resources > Emergency Procedures & Crisis Response Team Manual. 

Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions or concerns. 

Zoom – Background Noise Suppression
The Zoom client has settings that allow the utilization of noise suppression, which can help remove distracting sounds that can be picked up by participants’ microphones. Background noise like paper crunching, keyboard typing, fan humming, and dog barking can be filtered out to create a better meeting experience.  By default, Zoom automatically applies background noise reduction, however the settings can be adjusted to be more or less aggressive based on the environment.

1. Within the Zoom meeting, select the caret (^) from the microphone icon and choose Audio Settings.
2. Under the Suppress Background Noise section, choose your preferred level of noise suppression.

Zoom – Additional Virtual Backgrounds Available
Central Rivers AEA has recently added several additional virtual Zoom backgrounds to the available bank of options.  The virtual background feature allows users to display an image or video as your background during a meeting.

1. Within the Zoom meeting, select the caret (^) from the camera icon and select Choose Virtual Background.
2. Within the Background & Filters section, choose your preferred virtual background.

Zoom – Security Updates
Zoom regularly provides updated versions of the desktop client and mobile app to release new features and security enhancements, so we recommend checking for updates on a regular basis.  

If you have any questions or need technical assistance with any of the above information, please contact the Help Desk at 319.273.8231 or helpdesk@centralriversaea.org.

We continue to try and coordinate vaccine opportunities with our various counties with mixed results.  In general, you are considered for the vaccine based on your tier (1A = Medical or 1B = Education), the county you work or reside in, and if that county has the vaccine and has offered us the opportunity.  As you can imagine, there is a lot of variability in when our counties are receiving the vaccine, the amount of vaccine they are receiving, and how they are prioritizing the opportunity.

We want to reiterate that if you choose to get the vaccine and have the opportunity prior to one being coordinated through Central Rivers AEA, please feel free to do so.  Some staff have had success in contacting their local Department of Public Health, and some staff have been successful in calling various pharmacies in an effort to get added to their list or scheduled based on availability.  Sometimes it is easier to get added as an individual than as a group, as they may need to find a single person to ensure that a vial is completely used.

The Iowa Department of Public Health recently launched a website providing some information on the locations/links for organizations that may be offering the vaccinations.  If you desire to try and secure a vaccine ASAP, you may want to try this link:  IDPH Vaccination Information.  Click on “Vaccine Provider Information” to see potential opportunities in your county.  

Please let HR know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

After several office closure days due to inclement weather, we want to provide some clarity on how staff should count their time when the office is closed for weather.

This guidance comes in consideration of our current norms around Remote Work Site (RWS) and flexibility due to the pandemic. 

For hourly (Classified or NUSS) employees on a 260-day (year round) contract who have been given RWS privileges this year, the expectation is that you will clock in/out and work your normal day and hours from home when the office is closed due to weather. This includes answering the Zoom phone, email, and completing all normal work.

For hourly (Classified or NUSS) employees on a 260-day (year round) contract who do not have RWS privileges, an office closed day due to weather will be converted to inclement weather time and you are not expected to work from home. (Please note that some staff, such as custodians, still have work that needs to be completed on this day even though you are not working from home.)  For this group of staff, your supervisor will make the time clock entry for the day using the Inclement Weather job code (300) for the actual time missed with the reason noted.

For Certified, CWA, and NUSS staff members on a less than 260-day contract, you have up to two office closed days that can be converted to RWS before a calendar adjustment is made.

Any employee who is unable or unwilling to work on an office closed day due to weather when the expectation is that you will be working from home will need to request appropriate leave time to cover your absence. 

As we return to post-pandemic operations, this guidance may be subject to change. Please address any questions or concerns to your immediate supervisor. 

With a few storms behind us, we want to remind staff to be extra vigilant about their safety during the winter when walking on sidewalks and in parking lots. 

Please do not come to the office during or immediately following winter weather events so that our maintenance staff have time to clear sidewalks and parking areas. If you have any questions, please visit with your supervisor. 

Central Rivers AEA staff that work in districts and around students must take the Chapter 103b training via AEA PD Learning Online.  Although you will not be directly using restraints on students, you may be an observer to a restraint and seclusion situation, therefore documentation that you have completed the training is necessary as soon as possible.  

After completion of the 45-60 minute training, please send the completed certificate to Human Resources (hr@centralriversaea.org). 

If the link doesn’t pull up the training immediately,  search “restraint” and it will appear.

An all staff meeting and retirement celebration will be held Thursday, May 13, 2021.  The meeting will be virtual with a format similar to last year and more details will be available soon.  

W-2s for calendar year 2020 were mailed to your home on January 29.  If you need another copy, please visit the iVisions portal under My Compensation and download the form. Questions can be directed to Shane Wolf at swolf@centralriversaea.org or 319/273-8203.