Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Remind Your Teams: Open Enrollment Starts Next Week
 
Benefits Open Enrollment is April 24-May 12. Managers, please remind your teams that this is the one time each year that employees can enroll in, change or waive DPS benefits for the upcoming plan year. 
 
Encourage team members to review the 2017-18 DPS Benefits Enrollment Guide,  compare the available plans and make needed adjustments to ensure they have the appropriate coverage for them and their families.
 
You can also schedule an Open Enrollment presentation for your team with a Benefits Specialist. For more information, please contact Derek Bell. 
 
Also, review these changes and resources with your team: 
  • No automatic waivers: Employees who work 30 hours or more per week (.75 FTE and above) who choose to waive DPS benefits must take action. They must log into Employee Self-Service April 24-May 12 and elect "Waive Coverage." If they do not log into Employee Self-Service and waive, they will be automatically enrolled into the lowest-cost, employee-only medical plan (post tax). 
  • Tools and resources: Team members can visit thecommons.dpsk12.org/openenrollment to view the 2017-18 DPS Benefits Enrollment Guide, sign up for a one-on-one consultation with a benefits specialist or use the new, improved Plan Selector Tool. 
  • Enroll from home: Team members can access Infor HR (including Employee Self-Service) from home to complete Open Enrollment. If employees don't have access to a home computer, please provide your team members time to enroll at work or encourage them to attend an enrollment lab where they can work with a benefits specialist to complete Open Enrollment. For a complete list of enrollment labs, Open Enrollment events and details on the Benefits and Wellness Fair, visit thecommons.dpsk12.org/openenrollment. 

If you or your team members have questions, please contact HR Connect at 720-423-3900 or [email protected]. 
LIFT/EPMP Year-End is Coming Soon
 
The LIFT/EPMP year-end process kicks off May 1.  Managers, are you ready? Take these actions now to prime yourselves to lead productive year-end processes for your team:
  • Review the revised rating scale.
  • Review the year-end schedule for key dates and deadlines, and set earlier deadlines for your team if needed.
  • Check your calendar. Are you scheduled to attend a norming session? If not, follow up with your leader or HR partner to schedule norming sessions as soon as possible.
  • Schedule year-end conversations. If your employees are leaving for the summer, schedule their year-end conversations before their last day of work so they receive feedback before going on break. Otherwise, conversations are scheduled to occur June 26-Aug. 11.
  • Encourage your employees to start thinking about other raters (people from other teams who provide feedback on your employees' performances). As part of the year-end process, employees can request other raters to provide feedback to give you a better view of their performance. Other raters can be requested as early as May 1. 
Prepare for Productive Norming Sessions
 
Norming is an important part of LIFT/EPMP and the Core Competencies Evaluation (CCE) year-end process because it helps DPS ensure its rating scale is being applied accurately and fairly across the organization. To ensure Equity, a "Meets Expectations" rating should meet the same requirements from department to department. During norming, teams discuss how they arrive at their ratings to standardize interpretations of the ratings scale and to be sure performance indicators are consistent.  
 
For norming sessions to be effective, arrive prepared with information and data to support the ratings for your employees.  The easiest way to gather this information is to review your employees' self-appraisals, any completed other-rater appraisals and to draft your own appraisals. The review and drafting process helps you think through the specific examples of how your employees have demonstrated the LIFT behaviors for their level, their goal achievements and their impact.  
 
Self-appraisals are due May 12, but you can set earlier or later deadlines depending on when your norming session is scheduled .  For resources on the appraisal process, visit  The Commons . Questions? Contact your HR partner.
Prepare for End-of-Year Conversations with SSPs
 
To prepare for end-of-year conversations and the evaluation process for Specialized Service Providers (SSPs), please visit the  SSP Growth and Performance page on The Commons , where you'll find a  timeline with process steps , brief videos  for navigating Infor HR (formerly GHR) and user guides  with instructions for how to complete the appraisal process. Conversations should take place by May 19. Appraisals should be finalized by June 2.  End-of-year conversations should include the following:
  • Shared feedback on an SSP's performance using behaviors at the indicator level and evidence collected throughout the year.
  • Shared ratings assigned at the expectation level based on evidence collected.
  • A review of SLO outcomes.
  • A shared overall rating for the year.
  • Time to identify strengths and growth areas for the SSP's development, and actionable steps for future professional development. Ratings are provided at an expectation and overall level. However, feedback should be discussed at an indicator level, as this is the most actionable for the SSP.
Sign Up Your Hiring Team for the Central Office Hiring Fair
 
Talent Acquisition is hosting its first Central Office Hiring Fair from 4-6 p.m. Monday, April 24, at the Emily Griffith Campus, 1860 Lincoln St., 14th floor.  The fair provides teams and their hiring committees an opportunity to meet and interview applicants in person and access the central office's broad, diverse applicant pool. 
 
If you have a current open requisition or will be looking to hire in the next year, join Talent Acquisition for this event. RSVP to [email protected], and we will send you a formal invitation.  What's next?
  • Hiring leaders: After you RSVP and receive your formal invitation, forward the invitation to additional hiring committee team members.
  • Once you have RSVPd, you will receive access to a Google file, where you'll find event information, updates and Talent Acquisition contact information.
  • Show up on April 24. Tables, chairs, interview forms and food will be set up for you and your teams. 

If you have any questions, contact Jennifer Rummel at [email protected]. 
Encourage Central Office DAEOP Staff to Complete Summer Professional Development Opportunities 
 
Would your secretary benefit from software training on tools that include Microsoft Excel or Google Drive?  Lynda.com  is an on-demand, self-paced training platform that provides instant access to over 4,000 video-based courses in business, technology and creative skills taught by industry experts.  DPS has partnered with Lynda.com  to pilot professional development opportunities for our district secretaries and office professionals.
 
There are a limited number of licenses available for Cohort 3 (June and July).  Popular topics from Cohort 1 include  Google Docs Essential Training,  Efficient Time Management,  Customer Service Foundations and  Excel 2013 Tips & Tricks. 
 
If you are a central office manager and have Denver Association of Educational Office Professionals (DAEOP) employees who work during the summer, don't miss your chance to provide this professional development opportunity to your team members. Ask interested DAEOP employees to express interest in Cohort 3 by filling out this brief Google Form.  Leader approval will be required to participate, as employees will need authorized work time to complete their courses.
Flex Your Character at Mindfulness Event
 
Encourage your team members to join other DPS educators for DPS' first-ever Mindfulness Event to learn more about our work to support the Whole Child through social-emotional learning and character-strength development. The event will highlight mindful approaches to leveraging our strengths as educators to achieve our vision, Every Child Succeeds. Attendees will hear from team members and leave with strategies for practicing mindfulness in education and connecting to their strengths. 
 
The event is from 8-11 a.m. Wednesday, May 3, at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel, 3801 Quebec St. RSVP online.
Ensure New Employees Fill Out the Required I-9 Form
 
 
The federal government requires completion of the I-9 form within three days of an employee's start date, or DPS is subject to fines. Employees receive communications from Human Resources during hiring that notifies them of the process and documentation requirements. Employees must present the original documents to HR within three days of their start date. Managers, you will be notified if your employee has not yet completed the I-9 at the end of the second day. Your role is to ensure that your employee works with HR to complete the process within this timeframe. Failure to do so will result in the employee not being allowed to continue to work. The goal is to limit delays that impact students. If your employee hasn't completed the I-9, please be sure it happens immediately. For more information, click here.  
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