Feb. 16, 2023
DPS Board of Education Public Comment and Progress Monitoring Session Feb. 21
The Board of Education will hold a Public Comment and Progress Monitoring Session on Tuesday, Feb. 21, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Watch the meeting on board.dpsk12.org and access the agenda on BoardDocs.
CollaboRATE is Back: Feb. 21-March 6
The annual CollaboRATE survey launches on Tuesday, Feb. 21! Take this opportunity to make your voice heard. The CollaboRATE survey is one of the most important tools that you can use to provide your leader, your team and DPS as a whole with confidential feedback. The feedback gathered through CollaboRATE will be used to help Team DPS grow and improve. 

The survey will be delivered to inboxes Tuesday morning and will come from K12 Insights. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. 

Please take time to complete it as soon as possible. All team members who complete the survey on Feb. 21 will be entered into a raffle for exciting prizes! There will also be prizes for the schools and departments with the highest completion rate when the survey closes on March 6.

If you do not receive the survey link from K12 on Tuesday morning, please email surveys@dpsk12.net. For more information, visit the CollaboRATE page on The Commons.
Know Your Benefits: Dependents and Your Health Insurance
Do you have dependents covered on your DPS benefits plans? We offer comprehensive coverage for two types of dependents:
  • Children (under 26 years old), and any child under custodial guardianship (must show proof of custodianship).
  • Spouses, common law spouses, and civil union partners.
 

When making your benefit selections for your family, keep these things in mind:
  • Deductibles*: Family deductibles do not change based on the number of dependents on your plan. 
  • Individual vs Family Maximums**: individual maximums count towards your family maximum. 
  • Double check that your pediatrician and primary care provider are in network. 

*Deductible is the amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay.
**Maximum is the most you have to pay for covered services in a plan year.

Learn more about common terms by visiting thecommons.dpsk12.org/openenrollment
Learn more about your specific plan details at thecommons.dpsk12.org/medicalinsurance - then select Plan Summary Documents.

Note: grand-parents, divorcees, siblings, or parents are not authorized dependents and will be removed from your health insurance.
Top 5 Callout: What Do You Love About Your Team?
Valentine’s Day may be over but it’s never too late to spread a little extra ❤️! Tell us what you love about your team through this form, and your submission may be featured in next week’s edition!
Financial Wellness Webinars
Join the February Financial Wellness webinars with AIG/Corebridge. Sharpen your retirement tools or learn new ways to become financially organized. 

  • Retirement Pathfinder: Learn about the interactive tool that can help you see and analyze your retirement plan like never before during a live demonstration. Register here for the webinar at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23.

  • Financial Wellness 101: At times, it can feel difficult to get our finances under control. By attending this workshop, you can learn how to gain control of your finances through cash management, debt reduction and retirement planning! Register here for the webinar at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Register Today for the 'Spring Into Motion' Step
Ready to spring into motion? Rally your coworkers this spring and get ready to enjoy the great outdoors with a four-week step challenge starting March 6. Participating in the challenge will keep you energized physically and mentally as you track your steps and compete against other DPS employees!

Whether you’re into biking, rock climbing or yoga -- you can log physical activities that convert to steps on the challenge portal. Sync with 60+ mobile apps and devices including Apple Health and Fitbit! Through Spring into Motion, you’ll also be able to access daily tips, healthy recipes, a motivating team competition and an engaging message board. Learn more and sign up today!
Sign Up for Well Aware Program and Earn $200
Did you know that preventative screenings can help individuals become aware of potential problems, get diagnosed earlier and avoid serious health conditions? Regular mental and physical health screenings are also important for long-term wellness. 

Take advantage of the Well Aware Program today! This program encourages employees who have elected DPS benefits (Kaiser, Aetna, MotivHealth) to complete both an online health risk assessment and age-based preventative (Well Adult/Well Woman) screenings to earn a $200 reward. 

The deadline to complete the program is May 20. For more information and next steps, click here
Cybersecurity Best Practices
Cybersecurity is a year-round priority to protect your money, identity and data. To keep work applications safe, DPS will be activating Cisco Duo multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all DPS applications in the near future. 

In the meantime, follow these steps to stay protected: 

  • Always keep the operating systems and patches up-to-date on all your devices. Contact your device manufacturer and operating system provider for assistance. 
  • Use unique, strong passwords and a password manager like 1Password, LastPass or BitWarden for all accounts and devices.
  • Turn MFA on for all your personal accounts by going to the account’s security preferences.
  • Always log off your applications and lock your computer when you are away. Turn your computer off when not in use.    
  • Set a unique and secure password for your home WiFi router.
  • Test your Cybersecurity Knowledge!  

For more information, check out the Cybersecurity page on The Commons.
Educators Take Flight Application Open March 6-13
The DPS Foundation invests in lifelong learners of all ages. To help ensure educators have equitable access to professional development opportunities, DPS Foundation is excited to launch the Educators Take Flight Program

There are nationwide opportunities for educators to learn and grow, but allocating resources for out-of-state professional development can be challenging. The DPS Foundation can ease expenses by removing flight costs for members of Team DPS. Whether an educator seeks to attend an out-of-state conference or bring an expert to Denver for a group learning experience, we can help!

The inaugural application window opens March 6 and closes March 13. Application windows will occur bimonthly. Learn more about eligibility and guidelines here.
Join the New DPS Canva Schoology Group
Did you know all members of Team DPS and students 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. If you are a Canva user or want to learn more about it, join the new DPS Canva Group! This is where you will find the latest updates and best resources from Canva.

Join here or use the Schoology access code: GX8Z-KJMS-Q3JW6.
Register Now for AAYLS Sista to Sista Mentoring Day April 14
Join us for Sista 2 Sista Mentoring Day on April 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church. Girls in third-grade through college are invited to attend. The day will be led by African American Young Ladies Summit (AAYLS) members who attend the Global Leadership Retreat. Our girls should expect to participate in discussions, projects and group physical challenges (dress comfortably!) Register your group today! Space is limited.
Living Our DPS Honoree
Jason Wilson
Dean of Student Services, Montbello High School
Students First

"Jason collaborates with the Mental Health Team to ensure that we are looking at the Whole Child and their needs when it comes to discipline. Jason looks for interventions and services available to the student to help them be more successful. He is very understanding and works to build all relationships in the Montbello community. This approach is great for building and improving the culture in the school building overall. One student said they are more hopeful about their future because they feel loved at the school and believe staff genuinely care about them. They are appreciative of Dean Wilson for giving them hope that they have a future. Jason was patient, understanding and met them where they were at when they needed it most."

-- Angel Saiz, Montbello High School
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