Final: Team DPS Weekly: Oct. 10

Oct. 10, 2024

Celebrating Career and College Success Month

The CTE Multimedia Arts Career Pathway program offers DPS students classes for career paths ranging from graphic designer to media analyst to advertising manager. This program is available in 11 DPS high schools.

Students in Multimedia Arts receive hands-on experience, taught by CTE instructors who are professionals in those career paths, to develop their skills and career and college readiness while earning college credits. Juniors Sophia and Lea are third-year graphic design students who not only redesigned the logo of a community client but encouraged their peers to explore the career options in the Multimedia Arts program!

October is National Physical Therapy Month

October is National Physical Therapy Month! DPS school-based Physical Therapists support many of our students to be successful. We appreciate your dedication and support to our students with disabilities. Learn more about school based physical therapy and play PT Bingo!

Top 5 Call Out Results: Classified Employees

Happy Classified Employee Recognition Week! Read shoutouts from team members across DPS thanking these essential staff members for keeping our schools running in tip-top shape!

5. “Cinthya Delgado is a paraprofessional at Bruce Randolph in my classroom. Every day, she comes with her whiteboard and marker to support our students with IEPs. She is such a great support to my New-to-Country students!” -- Cheri Wright, Bruce Randolph School

4.“Leona Gonzalez is the best. She always supports teachers with all questions, subs, etc. Her commitment to serving our Bruce community is amazing. Gracias por hacer que la escuela funcione, usted es muy apreciada!” -- Laura Lopez, Bruce Randolph School

3.“Christopher Martinez is a fantastic FM! He and his team keep our school, Barney Ford, in excellent condition for our students and staff! We appreciate all that he does to ensure our school is safe and welcoming!” -- Ginger Conroy, Barney Ford Elementary

1.“Marcia Bjornell has been with the district for 29 years, working as a special education paraprofessional in the MI-S program. However, I don’t see her as just a paraprofessional, I consider her a teacher. She is the reason my program runs so smoothly, but what truly sets her apart is her incredible dedication to student safety. Marcia has saved two students from choking, once four years ago during breakfast and again this summer while working at ESY for students with disabilities. She is a lifesaver and the best teaching assistant I could ever ask for!” -- Wendy Shepard, Merill Middle School SPED

2.“Destiny Martinez is new to Lincoln Elementary and works as a paraprofessional across multiple grade levels in our building. Destiny is an example of a true team player. She is proactive in her approach to serving students and meeting their needs. She goes out of her way to include students with disabilities and celebrates every big and small victory. Destiny notices each student's strengths and intentionally builds positive relationships with students and staff. Additionally, Destiny is so kind and compassionate with our kindergarteners. She displays integrity and fun each day! Destiny is truly an amazing addition to our team and we are so lucky to have her!” -- Jennifer Holtzmann, Logan Kinney, Leann Lovasz, Suzette Montera-Smith, Shelley Dulsky, Lincoln Elementary

Top 5 Call Out: Principal Shoutouts!

October is National Principals Month! This month of recognition honors principals for their significant impact on the success and well-being of all students. Want to shout out your principal? Submit your shoutout here for a feature in next week's edition!

Bond Quiz: Answer Correctly for a Chance to Win a Swag Bag!

Leading up to the 2024 Bond, we will be sharing information in Our DPS Weekly that answers common questions our community has about the bond! This information can also be found on the DPS Instagram page and the Bond website. Answer mini quizzes here in Team DPS Weekly for a chance to win one of three swag bags each week!

Take the first mini quiz here!

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Think Passphrase, Not Password

In celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, explore the below tips and tricks for creating strong passwords.

DPS passwords must be a minimum of 16 characters. Turn your password into a passphrase by combining three unrelated words that mean something to you.
Never reuse your passphrase for other online accounts (banking, social media, etc). If one of those accounts becomes compromised, the hacker will have access to all other accounts.
Use a Password Manager like 1Password, LastPass or BitWarden to store a different password for every online account you have.
Check out Creating Strong, Memorable Passphrases for a tutorial.
If you need to change or have forgotten your DPS password, reset it at iforgot.dpsk12.org.

Wellness Week: Oct. 14-18

Join CELT and the Employee Wellness Team for Wellness Week on Oct. 14-18! All week long, there will be themes to boost your well-being. Start your week mindfully, connect with colleagues on Tuesday, get moving on Wednesday, practice gratitude on Thursday and treat yourself on Friday. From meditation sessions to group activities, there's something for everyone. Let's come together to prioritize our health and live our Shared Core Value of Accountability. Don't miss out on this opportunity to refresh and recharge with your DPS team.

October Wellness Events

Dental Hygiene 101: Join our hybrid webinar to enhance your dental care knowledge and maintain optimal oral health on Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 12:15-1 p.m. If you can’t make the dental webinar but have dental questions, check out “Ask A Dental Hygienist!”

EAP Informational Webinar: Learn more about your Guidance Resources Employee Assistance Program provided by ComPsych on Wednesday, Oct. 16 from 12:10-12:50 p.m.

Workplace Support: Do you need help with stress, communication or work-life balance? Our consultant, Diane, offers personalized support, crisis intervention and wellness seminars to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.

The District Attendance Team Wants School Input and Feedback!

During the week of Oct. 14, the District Attendance Team will host a series of 30-minute, virtual engagement sessions for all school staff interested in contributing to attendance improvements. Sign up for one or more feedback/input sessions. Please share this link with other school staff who may be interested.

Donut Mascot Visits Schools for "Do Not Miss Class" Campaign

Last week, McMeen Elementary and Bruce Randolph School students who arrived at school on time were awarded with donuts as part of the DPS “DoNot Miss Class” Attendance Campaign. This fun campaign served as a reminder to students to show up every day and “Do Not” miss out on the chance to grab a free donut! Check out the eventful donut days here.

Help for Newcomers Guide

The City of Denver no longer operates a newcomer reception center and no longer offers newcomer shelter or onward travel assistance. However, newcomers can still access basic services! This Help for Newcomers guide lists resources for the City's system of shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, those seeking medical care, those needing mental health support and more!

The Ombuds Office: Effective Verbal Communication Resources

It's essential to remember that how we verbally or nonverbally communicate can prevent, reduce or escalate issues or concerns into becoming a conflict.

Every person brings their unique history, background, cultural experiences and expressions of their identities to the workplace. Therefore, we should be mindful that our messages may be received or interpreted positively or negatively.

To help with this, here are some tips for effective verbal communication that can help prevent or reduce conflicts.

For more information on the importance of communication, explore our 2023-24 Annual Report or access these resources for insights on effective communication practices. Coming up next month: nonverbal communication!

Living Our DPS Honoree

Nefi Hernandez
Senior Supervisor, Extended Learning and Community Schools
Students First

"Nefi is a Senior Supervisor in the Department of Extended Learning and Community Schools (ELCS). Nefi supervises the Northwest region and oversees nine program sites. Some host after-school Enrichments and ELCSports in addition to their Discovery Link programs. To ensure all students have the best experience in our program, Nefi supports the development of processes and procedures for program supervisors and their staff. Nefi has been instrumental in creating documents to hold program supervisors and their teams accountable for delivering a high-quality program experience for all students. A safe and welcoming environment is crucial and plays a role in creating a positive team culture.

To support this initiative of high-quality programs, Nefi has all program supervisors and their teams complete a list of roles and responsibilities, program supervisor's expectations and working agreements. In addition, he facilitates program supervisor micro-session meetings to support the preparation of full-day programs so all students have a memorable experience. I admire how Nefi puts students at the forefront of everything he does. His work is centered around leading and coaching his program supervisors so they can coach their teams and make all the ELCS programs the best they can be for students. Thank you, Nefi for your hard work and for being a stellar role model by putting Students First."

-- Leah Martinez, Extended Learning and Community Schools

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