The Channel

The board of directors have approved an increase to the agency’s mileage rate in order to be more in line with the other AEAs. The new rate of $0.46 per mile took effect on July 1, 2025. 

Submitting Mileage Claims

• Per board policy, mileage claims should be submitted on a regular, monthly basis. .  
• Submitting multiple months of reimbursement at one time is unacceptable, as it creates significant processing delays and adds undue strain on multiple departments within the agency.

Daily Commute Mileage

• Staff’s non-reimbursable daily commute mileage is listed in the staff directory and can change each year. Please verify you are entering the correct amount before submitting any reimbursement requests.

Updated Spreadsheet Required

• All mileage must be submitted using the updated mileage submission spreadsheet.
• Be sure to download and use the most current version each time to ensure accuracy and compliance.

If you have questions about submitting a mileage reimbursement sheet, please review this slidedeck or reach out to your region’s designated administrative assistant.

• Northwest/Northeast Sector: Laura Rinnels
• East Sector: Lori Thomas
• South Sector: Stella Pint

To ensure clear boundaries between professional and personal communication and to uphold data security practices, all Central Rivers AEA staff who have been assigned a Zoom Phone number – including those in special education, educational services, administrative support, media, IT and other roles – must use their CRAEA Zoom Phone account* for all work-related calls and text messages. This requirement applies to communication with families, school staff, external partners, and fellow CRAEA colleagues.

*Please note: New Zoom Phone numbers will be assigned in the next several days.

Please note: The use of Google Voice for work communications is no longer supported by Central Rivers AEA. All staff with a Zoom Phone assignment must transition to using Zoom Phone exclusively.

Using your CRAEA Zoom Phone number:

• Keeps your personal number private.
• Ensures communication records remain accessible to CRAEA in compliance with legal requirements (e.g., subpoenas).

To support you in effectively using Zoom Phone, please refer to the CRAEA Zoom Phone Tutorial and FAQ, which includes:

• Step-by-step instructions for using the Zoom Phone desktop and mobile apps.
• How to access and use the staff directory.
• Sending and receiving text messages (SMS).
• Transferring calls, setting up voicemail and switching to Zoom meetings.
• Advanced features like call recording, call handling and AI Companion tools.
• Troubleshooting tips and frequently asked questions.

You can access this resource at any time and are encouraged to reach out to the Tech Help Desk at 319-273-8231 or helpdesk@centralriversaea.org if you need assistance setting up or using your Zoom Phone account.

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

• Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Special Education Updates

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

• Updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Ed Services/Media Updates

By law, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are required to deliver approved professional development (PD). We’re committed to supporting district needs within these guidelines. Here is the list of Approved PD. If you have specific questions regarding the approved PD, please see your RA. If there are still questions after discussing with your RA, please reach out to Tesha Moser-Zimmerman.

The 2025 All-Staff Kickoff meeting will be held on Monday, August 18. Please add this date to your calendar. The meeting will take place at the Cedar Falls office, and all Central Rivers AEA employees are required to attend. More details will be available in August’s edition of The Channel.

Summer office hours went into effect on Monday, June 2 and offices will be open 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. A reminder to all Central Rivers AEA staff that all CRAEA offices will be closed on Fridays in June and July. Regular office hours of 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, will resume on Monday, August 4.

As decisions are made over the summer, we’ll share updates as needed. Please be sure to check your email at least once a week to stay informed and respond to any requests in a timely manner. Also, don’t forget to update your voicemail and email with an out-of-office message or note about limited availability if you’ll be away. Enjoy your summer!

As an agency, we want to communicate with our staff as efficiently and effectively as possible. As we wind down the school year and begin planning for next year, we would appreciate your feedback* on this brief survey – *responding should take less than 10 minutes! Results will be used to refine our communication practices going forward. Please reach out to Beth Strike, Director of Communications & Creative Services if you have questions.

The May retirement celebration/All-Staff meeting recording can be viewed online. Congrats to our retirees!

• Zoom recording
• Padlet responses: What is something you are celebrating from this year?

The Human Resources team is continuing its work to support consistency across the AEA system. As part of this effort, the following job descriptions have been developed and are now being used system-wide:

• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapist
• School Social Worker
• Speech-Language Pathologist
• Special Education Consultant
• School Psychologist

HR will continue this work in the coming year by creating additional system-wide job descriptions.

We would like to welcome 13 incoming staff members for the 2025-26 school year!

Mark your calendars for the 2025-26 school year sector and discipline meetings! All meetings will be held in-person at each Central Rivers AEA office:

• Monday, August 18: All-Staff meeting (Cedar Falls)
• Friday, November 7: Sector and Discipline meetings (Cedar Falls, Marshalltown & Clear Lake offices)
• Friday, February 27: Sector and Discipline meetings (Cedar Falls, Marshalltown & Clear Lake offices)
• Wednesday, April 29: Sector and Discipline meetings (Cedar Falls, Marshalltown & Clear Lake offices)

An additional agency-wide meeting will be scheduled at a later date to honor retirees and celebrate the end of the school year. Additional discipline-specific meeting dates will be communicated by your team lead(s). Questions? Please contact your Regional Administrator.

Personalized coaching support available

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 Dr. Moore a Google Calendar invitation. Just select “private” on the calendar invite. Reach out to Dr. Leslie Moore with questions. *Sessions are available now through June 24!

Get INspiring emails delivered to your inbox

If you would like to receive weekly emails that support your personal and professional leadership, join ESSDACK’s INspired weekly mailing list. You can also sign up to receive their INspired Leadership blog.

Early ACCESS & Special Education Harvest entries: 

• Time for June, July and August may be entered at the end of each month (this means if you provide ESY, EA services or child find activities during the summer, you will enter them in Harvest at the end of each month). 
• You do not need to enter weeks with zero hours during the summer months.
• We encourage all staff to stay current with Harvest entries as needed throughout the summer to support accurate documentation and reduce a backlog. Weekly time entry expectations will resume when the new school year begins.

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)

Educational Services Harvest Entries: As the year concludes, we’ll be finalizing Harvest submissions, approvals and quarterly reports. Please ensure all weekly entries through June are submitted, even for weeks with no time to record. Key deadlines are as follows:

Quarter Four:

• Ends on June 30.
• All staff expected to have submissions completed prior to being off contract for the summer or no later than July 2, 2025.
• Regional Administrators have approvals completed by July 11 (12:00 pm).
• July 14-15: Office staff review for errors.
• July 16-18: Business office/office staff create reports.
• Quarterly reports/summaries will go out on July 18 or July 21.

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)

On Thursday, May 22, Central Rivers AEA staff will come together for our annual All-Staff Meeting and Retirement Celebration at the Cedar Falls office. This end-of-year gathering is a time to reflect, recognize colleagues and reconnect across teams. The day begins with coffee and social time, followed by a morning of celebration and updates:

• 9:30 am – Social time
• 10:00 am – Welcome by Dr. Debra Rich, Central Rivers AEA Board President and keynote from Stan Rheingans, Chief Administrator  (Zoom link for remote participants)
• 10:30 am – Retirement celebration: Karl Kurt, Assistant Chief Administrator/Director of HR and the HR team will lead a recognition of this year’s retirees and their many contributions.
• 11:00 am – Lunch (provided)

In the afternoon, teams* will shift into focused meetings:

• 12:00 pm – Special Education & Ed Services team meetings
• 12:45 pm – Break
• 1:00 – 3:00 pm – Discipline team meetings: staff will meet by discipline in assigned rooms or via Zoom.
• Afternoon team meetings schedule

*Please note: Traveling to Cedar Falls is optional for support staff – Administrative assistants, receptionists, van drivers, IT, Business Office, HR and Creative Services – who are not required to attend afternoon meetings.

We look forward to seeing many of you in person or online as we celebrate the year and look ahead together!

Want to share a memory, kind words or a thank-you with our 2025 retirees? We’ve set up a Padlet for each retiree where you can leave a message. Just click the link below for the person you’d like to recognize. There’s no deadline, so take your time – your message will mean a lot and help make their retirement even more meaningful. Thank you for helping us celebrate their years of service and the difference they’ve made! If you have any questions or need further assistance accessing the Padlets, reach out to Ashley Samek or call 319-273-8280.

• Carol Byrne, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Lynn DeBerg, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Jackie Fober, School Social Worker
• Michelle Haberman, School Social Worker
• Ann Hogan, Educational Assistant – Brookhaven
• Diane Knode, Educational Assistant – NIJDC
• Theresa McRae, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Dr. Leslie Moore, Leadership Coach
• Monte Phillips, School Social Worker
• Linda Schumaker, School Social Worker
• Rusti Sparks, Special Education Consultant
• Cam Treloar, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Kristine Williamson, Occupational Therapist

Congratulations to our River Hills staff who are also retiring!

(River Hills retirees have a separate celebration, so no Padlet is available, but we celebrate them just the same!)

• Linda Girsch, Educational Assistant
• Kathy Williams, Administrative Secretary
• Gary Whitmore, Educational Assistant

We’re excited to welcome two outstanding leaders to our team at Central Rivers AEA: Hannah Hanson, Regional Administrator for the South Sector, and Ryan Christoffer, Regional Administrator for the Northwest Sector.

Hannah brings more than a decade of experience in special education and leadership. Most recently, she served as the shared Special Education Director for Union and Charles City Community School Districts. She is passionate about building systems that support all learners, especially in the areas of social-emotional and behavioral development.

“Central Rivers AEA has always felt like home to me,” Hannah shared. “I’m excited for this opportunity to expand my role and look forward to supporting our dedicated staff and districts as we continue to make a positive impact on education in our community.” Hannah also contributes to the agency’s crisis response team and is a trained mediator, adding valuable depth to our leadership team.

Ryan joins us from Waterloo Schools, where he most recently served as Principal of Lincoln Elementary. With a strong background in school leadership, Ryan has also held roles as curriculum coordinator, assistant principal and classroom teacher. His strengths in instructional leadership, collaboration and systems thinking will be a great asset to our agency and the districts we serve.

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to both Hannah and Ryan! We are confident they will bring valuable insights and leadership to their new roles for 2025-26.