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Planning for Potential March 8 Action, Absences
Dear Educators,
We know a number of DPS team members, including teachers, have expressed interest in participating in a protest being organized for March 8, which is International Women's Day. The protest is being called the International Women's Strike or A Day Without a Woman, and organizers cite it as a one-day demonstration of economic solidarity. Among the suggested actions are taking a day off work.
We recognize the invaluable contributions that our female employees make to DPS students and the Denver community, and we have no doubt that Denver Public Schools could not function without the thousands of female employees who work tirelessly every day to help achieve our vision, Every Child Succeeds.
With women representing 73% of the district's teachers and 86% of the district's school-support staff, the disruption to student learning and student safety if even a small percentage of our employees took the day off would be enormous.
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Negotiations Update: What is DPS Doing to Control the Costs of Benefits?
Listening to Team DPS
:
In DPS, we use the Benefits Board, consisting of representatives from all bargaining units and the district, to determine how to manage these costs while providing the best options for our employees. To date, the Benefits Board has taken a number of steps to decrease insurance costs, such as:
- Changing insurance carriers to get lower rates.
- Boosting our wellness programs.
- Moving to Consumer-Driven High Deductible or CDHP plans.
But it's not enough. While most employees who elect major medical coverage for themselves pay nothing, employees who cover dependent children still pay too much. Even after the district added an additional subsidy to employees who cover dependent children, the cost of coverage is still too high.
So the Benefits Board is taking steps to encourage higher participation in our health plans by changing our flexible benefit credit model. DPS is the
only local district that allows employees who waive major medical coverage to cash out their full benefit credit allowance, significantly decreasing the number of plan participants. In general, the more participants in the health benefit plan, the greater leverage to decrease the cost of the plans.
Most bargaining units voted to permit new employees hired after June 1 to access flexible benefits credits only if they participate in a DPS health care plan. This will result in members of these bargaining units paying
$100 per month less to cover dependent children starting in July 2017.
Unfortunately, the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), as well as the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Facility Managers Association, did not elect to make this change for 2017-18.
Good News! More Benefit Plan Options
At the request of some employees, including the DCTA, the Benefits Board has voted to approve offering two deductible HMO plans, one from Kaiser and one from Denver Health Medical Plan, starting July 1. Please make sure to use the plan selector tool included in the on-line Open Enrollment program to determine if an HMO plan is right for you.
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How Do You Support the Whole Child and Whole Adult?
Hear from DPS students and educators, participate in breakout sessions and learn about local wellness resources available for children and adults at the upcoming DPS ED Talk:
Support for the Whole Child & Whole Adult.
The ED talk will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 9 at Manual High School,1700 E. 28th Ave.
RSVP for the event online.
DPS ED Talks are designed to bring educators and community members together to discuss issues affecting DPS schools, and to help create an open environment to learn from each other in pursuit of the DPS vision, Every Child Succeeds. Learn more at celt.dpsk12.org.
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Home Visit Week - Schedule your Visits Today!
Join thousands of teachers and families across DPS who are partnering to help our students realize their hopes and dreams.
Schedule a home visit during Spring Home Visit Week, March 4 through March 12, and be a part of an experience that can change a student's life!
There will be special incentives for schools and staff based on their participation.
- Prizes for staff at participating schools with the most home visits conducted during the week.
- All-staff meal for schools who complete more than 100 home visits during the week.
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Have You Attended Our Creating Connections Program?
Creating Connections is a one-day, off-site opportunity to build professional and personal skills while building relationships with DPS team members. Engage with Superintendent Tom Boasberg, Deputy Superintendent Susana Cordova and others during sessions that include the History of DPS, Team Dynamics and Why Shared Core Values matter. All DPS team members are encouraged to attend a Creating Connections session. Registration is now open for the
March 13 session. There is also a May 17 session available.
Teachers: Guest teacher pay is available if needed. Contact
Melissa Muniz for details.
Past Attendees: If you loved Creating Connections and are interested in volunteering as a Red Shirt, please contact Melissa Muniz.
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Teacher Leadership & Collaboration
Register Now for March TLC Professional Learning
Current and prospective teacher leaders are invited to 10 differentiated sessions March 14 - 15. Join Instructional Leadership Team Partner Mandy Lover's session to assess team input and monitor your leadership goals, or select a session to deepen your expertise in data culture, content leadership or novice teacher support.
Sessions descriptions and details are available on the Teacher Leadership & Collaboration Training & Development page.
Register today for this opportunity on
Schoolnet using PD search code tlmarch.
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Nominate an Exceptional Para for a Full-Ride Scholarship
The
March 10 application deadline is fast approaching -- nominate your rock star paraprofessionals today! DPS is committed to providing opportunities for paraprofessionals to grow their careers and become classroom teachers. We are offering scholarships for paraprofessionals to finish their college degrees while continuing to work with our kids in the classroom. DPS has partnered with
Guild Education and Western Governors University, the nonprofit, fully-accredited college ranked No. 1 by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), to offer this program. You can nominate a paraprofessional you work with for a scholarship by visiting
www.guildeducation.com/nominate.
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Final Reminder: Register for ProComp Design Workshop
DPS and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) are providing an in-person opportunity to engage in compensation design discussions. These workshops, which will be held this month, will provide teachers and specialized service providers an exciting opportunity to work collaboratively in small groups and think through key compensation design decisions, priorities and trade-offs.
Participants will receive a $50 King Soopers gift card as a thank you. Additional information can be found on the registration site.
Registration should take no more than one to two minutes. If you have any questions about these workshops, please contact
TalentManagement@dpsk12.org
or
DCTA
.
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Professional Learning & Resources
Early Childhood Education Non-Student Contact Dates for School Year 2017-18
Non-student contact dates are scheduled to ensure ECE teachers and paraprofessionals meet
all compliance, quality and instruction-related professional development requirements. The dates for 2017-18:
- Tuesday, Sept. 5
- Monday, Nov. 6
- Friday, March 16
Additional information about compliance and instruction-related professional development can be found
here
for the next school year.
Schools with calendars that differ from the main district calendar should make their
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