The Channel

To protect yourself and others, the CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible.  It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that will protect against influenza.  However, getting vaccinated later can still be beneficial even into January or later.

The agency will not be offering an on-site flu shot clinic this year. However, you can receive a flu shot at your physician’s office as well as walk-in flu shot clinics at urgent cares and many local retailers.  

Act now to receive a great deal from Wellmark Blue365.  Sign up before September 30 at a participating location and have the $29 enrollment fee waived and pay just a $29 monthly fee (3-month commitment required) for access to a network of 10,000 gyms.

Whether your goals are physical, such as losing weight and maximizing energy, or emotional like dealing with stress and improving your mood, a gym membership can help you meet your goals, on your budget and do it all on your own time.

As a reminder, cell phone reimbursement applications for the 2018-19 school year need to be submitted by the end of day on Friday, September 7th. The request form can be found on the Staff Website > Communications > Cell Phone Reimbursement. Cell phone reimbursement requests are approved when the use of cell phones are appropriate and necessary in an employee’s role to provide effective and efficient operations for the agency. Payment will be made to employees on September 28.

As a service to staff, representatives from the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) will be stationed at the Cedar Falls office on Monday, Oct. 15 through Thursday, Oct. 18 for individual IPERS counseling sessions.

Monday, October 15 has been reserved for Central Rivers AEA employees only. If Monday does not work for you, you may schedule an appointment on another day but be aware, those appointments will fill up fast as they will be available to the public. Monday appointments start at 3 pm and run through 5:30 pm. Tuesday – Thursday appointments will be during the day.

If you are interested in making an appointment for Monday, Oct. 15, you may call the IPERS number anytime (1-800-622-3849) to schedule an appointment and be sure to identify yourself as an agency employee.

Please refer to the IPERS website for additional information. You can always schedule an appointment in Des Moines by calling 1-800-622-3849.

For those coming back on contract from summer break, as well as our year-round staff, welcome back! The August 14 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 to begin at 9 am. Please review the agenda for the day, which includes details on the featured speaker and the afternoon Regional 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 you prevent you from carpooling as reimbursement for travel will be limited.

Dress for the day

Dress for the day is professional 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 is being provided by Farmers State Bank and will include Jimmy John’s sandwiches. They will have an assortment of subs and will also offer “unwiches” (no bread) for those with a gluten restriction. Hourly staff do not have to punch in/out for lunch. (Please adjust your schedule for the day or week so as to stay within their 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 meetings

Regional meetings will be held from 1-3 pm in various locations throughout the conference center. Please refer to the agenda for details. If you are not required to attend the regional meetings, you may leave and report back to your designated office location to end your workday.

It’s going to be a great day!

A number of staff have indicated an interest in contributing to an effort to assist the many children, families and educators affected by the tornado in Marshalltown. In visiting with the Marshalltown Community School District, they are asking that those interested consider donating to Mid-Iowa Community Action where a special fund has been established. Thank you!

Please remember that you must submit applications 6-8 weeks prior to an expiration date (or prior to when a new license is needed) for license renewal. Background checks can take up to four to six weeks, in addition to the time the Board of Educational Examiners office needs to process the request. Educators cannot remain on the job, even if their materials have been submitted, if their license expires.

Do you have a project or event that you would like promoted via the agency communication channels? The communications team can provide support!  Please complete this short survey at least two weeks prior to your event. To request photos and/or video of student events, you must have signed release forms from parents/guardians prior to the event. Forms are available on the staff website. Questions should be directed to Beth Strike.

Cell phone reimbursement applications for the 2018-19 school year will be accepted beginning August 6th through September 7th. The request form can be found on the Staff Website > Communications > Cell Phone Reimbursement. Cell phone reimbursement requests are approved when the use of cell phones are appropriate and necessary in an employee’s role to provide effective and efficient operations for the agency. Payment will be made to employees on September 20.

Supporting schools in the areas of social-emotional learning, behavior, mental health and autism continues to be a high priority for our agency in 2018-2019.  The following are just some of the opportunities and changes you will see for the upcoming school year.

The Lead, Inspire, Innovate Series is presented by experts in education.  We are excited to have Dr. Shannon Suldo, author of Promoting Student Happiness: Positive Psychology Interventions in Schools, and Dr. Nick Yoder, consultant at American Institutes for Research, joining us this year.  Check out our growing list of workshops and courses around the topic of MTSS for Positive Well-Being.

Agency targeted and intensive supports in the areas of challenging behavior, mental health and autism are undergoing restructuring. This restructuring aims to honor the needs in each region, capitalize upon the strengths, knowledge and skills of more staff across a region, and support equitable time for each region to provide targeted and intensive supports.  Separate challenging behavior, mental health, and autism teams will no longer exist.  Instead, each region will identify appropriate staff and mechanisms to meet the needs of schools and students.  The agency MTSS for Positive Well-Being Team will ensure coherence across the agency and provide professional development for regional team members.  The knowledge and experience of our challenging behavior, mental health, and autism team members will be vital to implementing this structure.

If you have questions regarding the MTSS for Positive Well-Being work please feel free to contact:

     Dana Miller 

     Karen Aldrich 

     Jody Alberston