The Channel

Support for your wellbeing

Would you like support in getting more of what you want and less of what you don’t in your personal or professional life? If so, Central Rivers AEA offers 1:1 core energy leadership coaching sessions with certified well-being coach, Dr. Leslie Moore, via Zoom. All sessions are confidential and scheduled by you when you send Leslie a Google Calendar invitation. Just select “private” on the calendar invite. Reach out to Dr. Leslie Moore with questions.

Microcredential stipend is available

This year, Central Rivers AEA is continuing to support staff well-being by offering a $250 incentive for completing one of three INspired Leadership micro-credentials! The options are:

• Awareness of Internal Energy
• 4 Key Mindsets
• Overcoming Internal Energy Blocks (new)*
• *Please note: the new micro-credential does require the first two to be earned as prerequisites.

All of these are available in our On-Demand Library, and submissions will be reviewed by Dr. Leslie Moore. If you have any questions or need help signing up, free free to schedule a quick 15-minute session with Dr. Moore by sending her a calendar invitation!

Extended school year updated process: To improve documentation of our services, a new procedure for AEA support staff providers will be in place this year. All providers should complete the Google Form by April 25 to indicate the students eligible for ESY. This memo outlines the ESY expectations and should be reviewed before completing the form. Please mark your calendar to complete this process to avoid multiple reminders. ESY services are part of your regular contract, so adjust your schedule to ensure coverage. For any questions, contact your regional administrator.

Progress monitoring & ACHIEVE: With the ACHIEVE family portal now live, it’s crucial to keep progress monitoring up to date in the system. Notes should not be stored in a folder but entered directly into ACHIEVE. Timeliness has always been important, and the portal’s added visibility should help ensure deadlines are met. A reminder: the portal isn’t accessible to parents until signed consent for services is obtained, so draft copies of EERs will still need to be sent home through other methods.

Tickets in ACHIEVE: The data team has been working to address ACHIEVE tickets as quickly as possible. We’ve identified some patterns slowing down the system and need your help. Please review the document outlining tasks your data tech can handle directly, without submitting a ticket. Use the ticketing system only for other ACHIEVE-related issues. Team reps, please share this information with special education teachers to help reduce minor ticket submissions.

You may notice a change in your data tech contact when reviewing the document. As we bring on additional data techs, some adjustments are being made. Please be patient and flexible as the team works to build capacity for extra support. We’re excited to have Margy, Patsy, and Stacy on board to help support districts!

Documenting AEA support services & activities: This document will be discussed during the meeting on Friday, March 7. Efforts are underway to create consistent practices statewide for documenting services and activities. Please review the document carefully and consider how your current practices align or need adjustment. Send any questions to your discipline lead, and additional information will be shared as needed to help align your documentation with these expectations.

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Special Education Updates
• Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel)

Professional development approval submissions: The second round of professional development approvals closed on February 28, with over 40 submissions. Feedback from the Iowa Department of Education is expected by the end of March.

District Service Plan 2025-2026 preparations: Service plan conversations with area public and nonpublic schools are complete. Thank you to everyone who helped meet with schools and gather information for next year’s needs!

End of third quarter: The third quarter ends on March 31. All Harvest entries should be up to date, with entries through March completed by April 8. Third-quarter reports will likely be sent to schools by late April.

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Ed Services/Media Updates
• Updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel)

To ensure clear and accurate communication, just a friendly reminder about the agency’s Process for Responding to Media and Information Requests from legislators, the media and the public. Please follow these steps if you receive an inquiry:

Legislative, FOIA or public requests

Forward all requests from legislators, legislative staff, or citizens to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services, immediately. FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests should also be sent to Beth.

Media inquiries

If a reporter contacts you for a statement, interview, or information, do not respond directly. Let them know you will connect them with the right contact. Notify Beth Strike right away.

Why this matters

Following this process ensures:

• Consistent and accurate messaging.
• Compliance with legal guidelines.
• Protection of the agency’s reputation

If you have any questions, please reach out to Beth Strike. You can also refer to Board Policies Series 700 – General Public Relations, which outlines guidelines for external communications and public information. Thanks for your cooperation!

An all-staff meeting and retirement celebration will be held on Thursday, May 22 in Cedar Falls. Lunch will be provided and discipline teams will meet in the afternoon. More details will be shared within the next couple months.

Central Rivers AEA bids a heartfelt farewell to Amber Dietz, Regional Administrator, who will be leaving her position on June 30, 2025. Amber is planning to step away from her role to explore new professional opportunities, potentially returning to her roots in teaching or coaching.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the trust, opportunities, and many memories. I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of this amazing team and to have had the privilege of serving alongside each of you.”

As Central Rivers AEA moves forward with plans to fill Amber’s position, we extend our deepest appreciation for her years of service and dedication.

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors approved the agency office calendar for 2025-26. 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 > District Calendars > 2025-26 CRAEA Office Calendar.

The Central Rivers AEA Board of Directors recently updated Board Policy 401.12: Holidays. The policy now allows for a variable number of office closure days during the winter break, instead of a fixed number. Additionally, starting in 2026, Juneteenth (June 19) will be officially recognized as a holiday by the agency.

Our Google headers folder has been updated with new Central Rivers AEA branded templates. Please remember that all documents and presentation materials created for school districts or team meetings should follow our branding guidelines for a consistent look.

When writing for the CRAEA website, including blog posts, use the online writing guide, which includes helpful accessibility tips. If you have any questions about accessibility, please check out the Accessibility Module. If you want a custom Google Slide theme or header, you can place an order through Creative Services.

If you have questions regarding branding guidelines and requirements, please reach out to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services or Contessa Van Buskirk, Communications Specialist, for assistance.

Join us for “Transformational Tuesdays” in February

Learn how to manage thoughts and reduce stress with Transformational Tuesdays on February 18 and/or February 25 from 4:00-4:30 pm via Zoom. This session will provide practical strategies to ease worry, build confidence and stay grounded in challenging moments. Register online to receive a calendar invite and Zoom link.

Microcredential stipend is available

This year, Central Rivers AEA is continuing to support staff well-being by offering a $250 incentive for completing one of three INspired Leadership micro-credentials! The options are:

• Awareness of Internal Energy
• 4 Key Mindsets
• Overcoming Internal Energy Blocks (new)*
• *Please note: the new micro-credential does require the first two to be earned as prerequisites.

All of these are available in our On-Demand Library, and submissions will be reviewed by Dr. Leslie Moore. If you have any questions or need help signing up, free free to schedule a quick 15-minute session with Leslie by sending her a calendar invitation!

Support for your wellbeing

Would you like support in getting more of what you want and less of what you don’t in your personal or professional life? If so, Central Rivers AEA offers 1:1 core energy leadership coaching sessions with certified well-being coach, Dr. Leslie Moore, via Zoom. All sessions are confidential and scheduled by you when you send Leslie a Google Calendar invitation. Just select “private” on the calendar invite. Reach out to Leslie with questions.

The ACHIEVE Family Portal will go live during the week of February 24. Check out this short five-minute overview video and read more below about the rollout of the new platform.

The ACHIEVE Family Portal empowers parents with:

• Anytime, anywhere access to resources supporting their child’s development and learning.
• Real-time progress updates on learning outcomes and goals, highlighting accomplishments.
• Meeting notices and a calendar of upcoming due dates and appointments.
• Convenient access to download and print current and past learner records.

This has a significant impact on both school-based service providers (such as Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Audiologists, and Work Experience Coordinators) and Early Access providers. For school-based providers, it’s essential to enter progress monitoring data accurately and on time. This includes following IEP progress monitoring procedures, using phase lines and comments to document instructional changes, and submitting IEPs promptly after meetings. Early Access providers must also ensure timely and accurate log notes and outcome progress entries. In addition, IFSPs should be submitted on time, and transition plans must be completed as required.

School districts are responsible for communicating with parents and managing the portal rollout for school-age students, including those with IEPs for related services only (such as speech therapy). IEP service providers can check with building administrators to understand the district’s communication plan and clarify their role in the process. For Early Access families, we are still developing our communication and rollout plan for parents.

Additional details and next steps for both the school-age and Early Access rollouts will be shared in a recorded video next week, with follow-up discussions during discipline meetings on March 7. In the meantime, you can explore the resources below and use the sandbox to preview what families will see in the ACHIEVE Family Portal.

• ACHIEVE Family Portal webpage
• FAQs for AEA/LEA Staff
• Directions to access the ACHIEVE Family Portal Sandbox

We are beginning to plan staffing for 2025-26, and we’d like to know if anyone is interested in a shared position with a district. Right now, we’re seeking feedback on two roles: Shared Special Ed Directors and Shared Curriculum Coordinator. The linked documents give an overview of the positions and any endorsement requirements.

If you’re interested, even if you don’t meet the requirements yet, please fill out this form. We will use this information to respond to district requests later this spring.

A message from Annette Hyde: I can’t believe it’s already February! I want to take a moment to thank you once again for your dedication to the children of Central Rivers AEA. I continue to hear incredible stories about the impact our team is making in the lives of students and teachers – your work truly matters!

I also want to acknowledge those of you who are carrying a heavier load due to staffing shortages. Please know that we see and appreciate your extra efforts, and we are actively working to bring in high-quality candidates to support you in the 2025-26 school year. If you know someone who would be a great fit for our team, I encourage you to share what you love about working here and the many benefits of being part of the AEA. Together, we can rebuild and strengthen our team! Thank you for all you do!

LEA updates: February’s LEA updates that will be shared through Leadership Connections on February 17 are now available.

Updates from Amy Starr: Amy’s updates for February are now available for viewing.

Follow-up from Annette – Team Rep. discipline meeting: I promised to cover a few more topics, and I appreciate your feedback—it’s given me a clearer picture of how re-evaluations are handled across our agency. My goal for our time together on March 7 is to provide clear, consistent guidance on this process. I had hoped to cover some other topics in The Channel, but I’ve found it difficult to put them into words without the chance for discussion. I’ll make it worth the wait in March! Looking ahead to next year, our leadership team recognizes the need for more learning opportunities within our discipline – more details to come!

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Special Education Updates
• Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel)