Team DPS Weekly
"Never too old for some fun in the snow!" -- Lina Castellanos Gaitan, College View

Check out more winter photos in the Top 5 below!
Jan. 27, 2022
Top 5: Winter Photos
From skiing the slopes to traveling abroad, Team DPS is having a Fun and busy winter! Check out what team members have been up to this season in the Top 5 below and in this photo gallery.
5. "Nothing beats a good snowy morning walk in the company of my good friend Toro"
-- Jessica Hernandez, Green Valley
4. "This is a little frozen birdhouse on our farm!"
-- Jennifer Gray, Social Work
3. "We enjoy having fun in the high country and taking in the epic Colorado scenery! It's simply amazing to see the contrast of the changing mountains from summer to winter (especially in the last month)!"
-- Trevon Brandhorst, FACE
2. "This has been one of the highlights of my winter so far! I traveled to Prague and Budapest in December to enjoy the holiday markets and cities -- it was absolutely incredible to enjoy their cultures and traditions. This is the astronomical clock and the church in Old Town Square Prague. And this photo shows Budapest's parliament building, which is incredibly massive and beautiful!"
-- Judith Eyre, Transportation
1. "I watched my daughter experience snow for the first time, and seeing the joy on her face was priceless. Her constant love for learning new things reminds me to always stop and enjoy the moments that we may take advantage of." -- Sofiya Erman, Multicultural Outreach
Top 5 Callout: Favorite Field Trip
Magic School Bus had it right -- field trips can be out of this world! We want to hear about your favorite field trip. Whether you were a chaperone or an attendee, share your best field trip through this form, and you may be featured in next week’s Team DPS Weekly!
The ‘Your Voice/Tu Voz’ Team DPS Survey is Now Open
Our mid-year DPS “Your Voice/Tu Voz” Survey is open now through Friday, Feb. 4. Please check your DPS email for an email from Superintendent Alex Marrero that includes your unique survey link. Share your voice to make a difference for DPS -- and win a prize! We appreciate your help in encouraging your teams to participate. All responses to the survey are important because they inform decisions on how we can better serve our DPS community. Thank you for helping us shape the future of DPS!
Share Your Input at Upcoming Healthy Start Times Virtual Events
The DPS Board of Education passed a resolution last May to have all middle schools and high schools start no earlier than 8:20 a.m. each school day to support healthy sleep habits in adolescents. With this shift to Healthy Start Times in fall 2023, we need your input on what scenarios work best for the community in implementing this change. There are three options for bus routes that make Healthy Start Times possible. After learning about the options, we want to hear what you think. Join an upcoming meeting and share your thoughts! For more information and to register, visit the Healthy Start Times page.
Share Your Feedback on the Gmail Transition Project
Thank you, Team DPS, for helping make the switch to Gmail possible! We appreciate your ability to convert to a new email system to better collaborate with all DPS staff and students. Please take this quick three-minute survey to share feedback on your experience by Feb. 10. Your response to the survey is greatly appreciated as it will help us learn and improve on future projects.
Coming Soon to Team DPS Weekly: Know Your Benefits Series
Open Enrollment is happening April 18-May 6 with benefit election changes effective July 1. Benefits can be complicated. As we gear up for Open Enrollment, Team DPS Weekly will include a “Know your Benefits” series to help you understand your benefits at DPS.

In the meantime, get familiar with the Open Enrollment process by visiting the Benefits page on The Commons or emailing hr_connect@dpsk12.org.
Start Earning Your $200 Well Aware Reward
Are you on a DPS health benefit plan with Kaiser Permanente or Aetna? Through the Well Aware Program you can earn $200 into your Health Savings Account (HSA) or as a stipend on your paycheck (HMO plan members). All you need to do is be up-to-date on your preventative screenings and complete a 20-minute online health assessment.

Participants who complete these two actions by May 20 will earn their $200 reward for this program year. To access the Well Aware Program and begin your online health assessment, visit your Kaiser Permanente or Aetna portal. 

For program requirement questions, please reach out to: 
  • Kaiser Permanente 866-300-9867
  • Aetna 855-220-6416
Join the Employee Wellness Team for an Upcoming Fitness Class
Get ready to sweat during this one-hour, virtual fitness class on Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. with Mile High Fitness! Challenge your cardiovascular system with interval challenges, tone your muscles with resistance training, and learn to use your own body weight to stay challenged. This class is open to all levels of fitness and movements may be modified for beginning exercisers. Complete this waiver to receive a confirmation email with the meeting link to join.
Living Our DPS Honoree
Michael LaGuardia
Student Support Coordinator, 
John F. Kennedy High School
Students First

"Michael LaGuardia is the embodiment of Students First. Growing up in Southwest Denver, Michael found himself at a crossroads in terms of the choices he was making. Through his high school football program, Michael was able to successfully attend college and in his words 'make a success of himself.' Through his work as our Student Support Coordinator and Head Football Coach, Michael has made it his mission to be that trusted adult our students can go to for anything. In fact, the running joke is that he is another one of the social workers at our school!"

-- Annie Walden-Newman, JFK
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