“We took students to Italy and Greece over Spring Break. For many of them, it was the trip of a lifetime, which included visiting Florence, the Colosseum, the Parthenon and many other adventures!”
-- Katie Bourne, South High
Check out more Spring Break photos in the Top 5!
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Take Action Monday, April 18: Enroll or Waive Your Benefits |
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Open Enrollment begins Monday, April 18! During this time, all benefits-eligible employees must take action by logging into the Enrollment Site by May 6 and enrolling or waiving their benefits. Employees who do not take action will be auto-enrolled in the Aetna 3500 medical plan (employee only, post tax, with a Health Savings Account).
The district is experiencing an increase to health insurance premiums, effective July 1, for both the Kaiser and Aetna plans. Factors that have led to the increase include:
- Additional claims cost due to procedures that had to be delayed due to the pandemic.
- Nationally, drug prices have increased by 33% over the past seven years.
- General inflation costs and COVID expenses have increased claims costs by 5.3%.
The good news is that DPS employees have a new, lower-cost quality health plan option available for consideration. The new MotivHealth plan features affordable deductibles, an extensive network of providers, an out-of-network option and cost savings on select specialty drugs. The network includes Centura facilities across Colorado. Of the six Colorado hospitals receiving the “Top Hospital” Leapfrog designation, five are Centura hospitals.
The Benefits Board, represented by all bargaining units, has taken steps to help mitigate the high cost of health care. In 2020, DPS moved to a self-insured benefits model; our medical rates would be 28.5% more expensive if we were still fully insured.
On average, DPS contributes 70% of the total cost of health benefits. The district’s contributions to individual and dependent coverage are determined by bargaining unit and your FTE.
Want to learn more about the health plan options DPS offers? Sign up for one of our virtual benefit vendor presentations:
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Top 5: Spring Break Photos
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Whether you traveled abroad or stayed in town for some rest and relaxation, thank you to all the team members who shared their fun photos from Spring Break! See the Top 5 photos below and more in this photo gallery. |
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5. “I spent most of Spring Break doing my annual spring cleaning! The cats were not impressed.”
-- Cheryl Nitz, Columbine Elementary
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4. “I had the most amazing vacation in Colombia for a friend’s wedding. We enjoyed sharing in the food, music, dancing, and art of this beautiful culture!”
-- Carolee Jackson, Assessment, Reporting and Data
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3. “I got to attend the Trans Day of Visibility March with my dad in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was wonderful to see so many youth and families there, and affirm the right for all kids to participate in sports and clubs as themselves. The theme of the march was ‘I am enough.’” -- Kendra Layton, Bryant Webster Dual Language
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2. “Three staff members and 18 students visited Iceland over the break. This picture is us starting to climb the Solheimajokull glacier!” -- Ilyanna Kreske, Hill Campus of Arts & Sciences
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1. “We took a group of 36 students on a European adventure from Italy to Greece! With all the sites, food and beauty -- we had a blast.” -- Matthew Craig, South High
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Top 5 Callout: Occupational Therapist Shoutouts |
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April is Occupational Therapy Month! Occupational therapists (OTs) are trained health professionals who use purposeful, goal-directed activities and task analysis to enable children with disabilities to benefit from their IEP or Section 504 plan.
Shout out your school's occupational therapists and the incredible work they do supporting students with disabilities at your school! Share your shoutouts through this form and we’ll feature them in next week’s edition.
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Discount Alert: Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs |
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The Colorado Rockies and the DPS Foundation invite all students, family members, employees, and volunteers for DPS Appreciation Night! Watch the Rockies play against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, April 15 at Coors Field. Discounted tickets start at $15, and $2 from each ticket sold will benefit the DPS Foundation.
Can’t make it to the April 15 game? Check out alternate dates and get your tickets here!
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Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-6: Seeking Student Submissions |
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National Teacher Appreciation Week is just around the corner, taking place May 2-6! In celebration, DPS invites our students to recognize their favorite teachers by sharing what makes them so great.
Please share this opportunity with students and ask them to share why they love their teachers by completing this short form by April 29. Please note that submissions may be featured on the DPS website and DPS Facebook page. We look forward to sharing these perspectives and thanking YOU -- our amazing educators -- for ensuring Every Child Succeeds!
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Get a Free Treat from Scoops Every Tuesday This Month |
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Scoops Denver -- located in City Park West -- is celebrating Denver educators by offering free treats every Tuesday in April! Teachers are invited to stop by for a free treat on April 19 and 26. Choose from a scoop of ice cream, a pint, a milkshake, a unicorn bowl, a beer or a glass of wine!
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Spring Parent Teacher Home Visit Week: May 9-15 |
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Parent Teacher Home Visit (PTHV) Week is happening May 9-15! This is a great time to conduct second visits if they haven't occurred already, and provides an opportunity to follow-up on families’ hopes and dreams as well as share highlights and successes from their year. The top three schools with the most visits will be celebrated for their efforts.
Before PTHV Week officially begins, Dr. Marrero will participate firsthand in a PTHV on May 6. If your school is interested in hosting Dr. Marrero, contact Brittany Newswanger and Trevon Brandhorst by April 15.
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Volunteer at the May 11 Seal of Biliteracy Celebration |
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We are excited to announce that the districtwide Seal of Biliteracy celebration is back! The Seal is a nationally recognized award that serves as a formal signal to colleges and employers that a student has attained college-level biliteracy in multiple languages.
All high school seniors who earned the Seal this school year are invited along with their families to celebrate their achievement at East High School on May 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. DPS team members are invited to join the event by signing up to volunteer here.
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Jordan Johnson
Special Education Paraprofessional, Columbine Elementary
Collaboration
"Mr. Jordan began the school year in our MIA program (our Center Program for students with autism) not knowing that he would be called upon to train multiple substitute teachers and paraprofessionals while I dealt with a family emergency. Three long weeks turned into three long months, and Mr. Jordan persevered. He always welcomed new staff members with a smile and collaborated with them to adjust the daily schedule as needed. The students and staff worked together and continued to learn many valuable skills with an emphasis on Students First and Collaboration. He has a natural, easygoing personality and I am confident that he will be successful in whichever career path that he chooses to follow. Thank you, Jordan, for being an inspiration to our students and staff at Columbine Elementary School."
-- Cheryl Nitz, Columbine
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Denver Public Schools sends all district newsletters and critical employee communications through Constant Contact. Please do not unsubscribe your dpsk12.org email address from any message; if you unsubscribe from one newsletter or one communication, you will be removed from all other district-managed email lists in Constant Contact. If you have any questions, please email newsletters@dpsk12.org.
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