March 3, 2022
Celebrating Women's History and School Social Work This Month
Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, which celebrates the contributions women have made to the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields according to the official website

Visit The Commons to access resources for teaching about cultural moments. We are also seeking shoutouts -- tell us about a woman in DPS who has made a positive impact on your life. Consider teachers, supervisors, bus drivers, office support -- any woman in DPS you’d like to celebrate, and we’ll share your shoutouts toward the end of the month. Share your shoutout.
School Social Work Month
March is Social Work Month and March 6-12 is School Social Work Week. School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad field of the social work profession. School social workers are trained mental health providers who can assist with mental health, behavioral health, academic and classroom supports, consultation with teachers, parents and administrators. They provide individual and group counseling/therapy in schools.

Join us in celebrating the critical work our School Social Workers do for our DPS students. Watch this video celebrating the work of our DPS school social workers. And, head to the Top 5 Callout to shout out your school social workers!
Top 5 Poll Results: Shared Core Values
By living our Shared Core Values -- Students First, Integrity, Equity, Collaboration, Accountability and Fun -- we are all working together to reach our vision that Every Child Succeeds. We asked which value resonates most with you and -- not surprisingly -- a majority of the 427 responses pointed back to our kids! Check out the poll results below.
Top 5 Callout: School Social Worker Shoutouts
As we gear up to celebrate School Social Work Week (March 6-12), we want to lift up our social workers and the work they do each day to support our schools! Share your shoutout for the social workers at your school through this form and we’ll feature them in next week’s edition.
CollaboRATE Leadership Feedback Portion Launches March 7
Part of being a learning organization includes giving and receiving regular feedback to help us grow. With that in mind, we are preparing to launch the leadership feedback portion of the CollaboRATE survey. In this portion, team members can share feedback about their direct supervisor and other leaders in the organization. Every team member will receive an email from DPS Collaborate on March 7 with a unique link to complete the confidential survey by March 22

We know this has been yet another challenging year. We ask that everyone keep in mind these challenges, and encourage extra grace and empathy when completing the survey. This is an opportunity for team members to identify celebrations and lessons learned from this past year.   

To learn more about the CollaboRATE survey and read through the FAQs, visit thecommons.dpsk12.org/collaborate.
Check Out Offers from the DPS Employee Discount Program
We’re here to help support you beyond the workplace with access to the DPS Employee Discount Program. The discount program offers exclusive and convenient savings on products, services, and experiences. In honor of Employee Appreciation Day on March 4, there will be exciting things coming to the discount program including special limited-time offers, a big sweepstakes giveaway, and more. Don’t miss out! Register today by visiting dpsk12.savings.beneplace.com.
Know your Benefits: Your Health Insurance Matters
No one plans to get sick or hurt, but most people need medical care at some point. After experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure you have the right coverage is more important than ever before. 

Health insurance helps cover medical costs when you need it. DPS offers medical plans to fit your needs -- from high-deductible plans to traditional copay plans. No matter what you choose, your health plan will cover preventative care 100% -- like annual well-checks and some vaccines. It will also protect you from high medical costs in unexpected situations and emergencies. 

This year, the Open Enrollment window is April 18-May 6! And as a reminder, every benefits-eligible employee must enroll or waive benefits, regardless of what they elected last year.
Team DPS Now has Access to Canva for Education
All members of Team DPS and students now have full access to Canva! Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create, collaborate, and communicate visually. With Canva for Education, you can create education presentations, lesson plans, worksheets, reports, posters, and more. Learn more and find login directions here.
Living Our DPS Honoree
Ghanem Aneffati
Facilities Manager,
Northfield High School 
Accountability

"Ghanem lives Accountability to the utmost extent! Each day when I arrive at school, I see him hard at work clearing the paths for students and staff to get to their buildings. Throughout the day, he is abundantly responsive to the many needs of our school. He seems to be everywhere at once, putting down more rugs to keep students safe when they enter with wet shoes, putting down salt on the outside steps, and working with district staff when we had an emergency evacuation. It is a great feeling to know we are in good and accountable hands with Ghanem on our team at Northfield."

-- Nicholas Kresse-Bond, Northfield
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