Thursday, May 11, 2017
Top 5: Showcasing How #DPSlovesteachers
This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and Team DPS has been sharing the love for our educators -- and sharing celebrations on social media with #DPSlovesteachers. Check out the Top 5 Twitter, Instagram and Facebook shoutouts for our educators below, and congratulations to our giveaway winner  @fellntractorlove  ( June Frances Anderson)  at Oakland Elementary !

1. " My mama and sister came to my school today. And brought Starbucks. It's Teacher Appreciation and it's the first time my sister has ever come to a school where I'm teaching!" -- June Frances Anderson (@fellntractorlove), Oakland Elementary via Instagram

2. "#dpslovesteachers #everydaysuperheros-- Sarah Masten (@mastencrew), at Bear Valley International via Instagram

3. " It's  #TeacherAppreciationWeek ! Shout out to our College Advisors, who work in 12 DPS high schools! We appreciate you!" -- @DenverScholarFdtn via Twitter

4. "Being a teacher is worth it when @LittleManIceCream gives you a free scoop once a year." -- @hannahhrmac via Instagram

5. "@ JFK_Commanders  teachers: Thank you for my HS experience and what you do for students now." -- Aaron Ellis (@A_M_Ellis) via Twitter
Open Enrollment Ends Tomorrow: Select or Waive Benefits Now
Do you want to waive benefits? Then you must take action before Open Enrollment ends tomorrow. If you do not log into Employee Self-Service and waive, you will be automatically enrolled in the Kaiser 3500 Consumer-Driven Health Plan (CDHP) July 1. 


If you are already enrolled in a DPS medical, dental or vision plan and you're satisfied with your coverage, those plans will roll over to next year if you take no action. To access resources and information to help you make decisions to manage your health, your way, visit  thecommons.dpsk12.org/openenrollment.

Top 5 Callout: Your Favorite Photo From the School Year
A picture is worth a thousand words -- so share your story in a snapshot and send us your favorite photo from the school year! Send us  your silly selfies or photos of your classroom and office antics.  Email your picture and a short caption to newsletters@dpsk12.org. We'll choose the Top 5 responses and one person will win a giveaway prize!
Heads Up: Self Appraisals Are Due Tomorrow for LIFT/EPMP-Eligible Employees

If you are eligible for  LIFT/EPMP, tomorrow is the suggested deadline for you to complete your self-appraisal in Infor HR. Have you completed yours?  (Please note: We know your supervisor may have set a different deadline for you.) Your self-appraisal is an opportunity to reflect on and create a clear picture of your performance for your manager. You can also request three to five other raters to provide feedback and perspective on your performance. Not sure if you're eligible for LIFT/EPMP or want more information on the year-end process? Visit The Commons for eligibility information, step-by-step guides to submitting your appraisal, online tutorials, the revised rating scale, a year-end timeline and more!
Enter to Win a $5,000 King Soopers Gift Card and Support Our Kids
Here's your chance to win a $5,000 King Soopers gift card or a $2,500 King Soopers fuel gift card -- and support our kids! Purchase $10 raffle tickets for A Million for What Matters Raffle, with proceeds benefiting the DPS Foundation's A to Z Fund, which provides classroom grants to teachers. Grants provide funding for educational materials, field trips and much more. 

Visit  www.ampthecause.org/million/  to purchase raffle tickets and see a full list of prizes.
DPS Yoga Pants for Sale, Benefiting the DPS Foundation
Find your inner balance while supporting Team DPS! DPS yoga pants are for sale at a discounted price and proceeds benefit the DPS Foundation. Made in Denver, the limited edition yoga pants feature a sleek "Denver Public Schools" on one side and are created from sustainable material and are a perfect accessory for those planning to run for DPS students in the Colfax Marathon. To buy yours or learn more, visit the Colorado Threads website.
Living Our DPS Honoree:
Vanessa Thiele
Teacher, Samuels Elementary
Equity
 
"This is Vanessa Thiele's first year at Samuels Elementary, and she lives the Shared Core Value of Equity every day. She has worked to create systems so that struggling students thrive in her classroom alongside students who have more support systems in their lives. Vanessa has collaborated within and outside of school to ensure that her students are getting what they need. This includes conducting home visits to meet with families who are unable to find transportation to school so that she can discuss their children's strengths and areas for growth. Vanessa utilizes data to examine how students from different populations are progressing and asks for support when she is struggling to help a student make the growth necessary to close the opportunity gap."

-- Kira Withrow, Samuels Elementary
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