In this email --- Apple Awards, Benefits, Scholarships. Trouble viewing? View in Browser. SUPERINTENDENT Building Compassionate Learning Communities Conference On this episode of Supt's On, Dr. Tucker chats with DCSD Personalized Learning Officer Nancy Ingalls and Sky Ridge Medical Center C.O.O. Kirk McCarty about the upcoming Building Compassionate Learning Communities Conference. Watch video >> Friday, March 27 - Saturday, March 28 ThunderRidge High School, Highlands Ranch Register now >> This free conference will foster thriving and compassionate communities of students and adults by building further capacity for Social-Emotional Learning amongst teachers, parents, and community members. Learning at this conference will include training for teachers and parents around mental health and well-being, strategies for students and staff to assist with stress and anxiety, and considerations for parents in supporting their children to be successful students. More info >> Everyone Counts -- Census 2020 Census Day is April 1, 2020, and a complete count matters a lot to students and schools! The 2020 count will drive decisions regarding the allocation of more than $675 billion in federal funding that supports school programs and services. Learn more and access resources to help spread the word to families across DCSD. More info >> Apple Awards Reveal Party Saturday, February 29 7:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Vehicle Vault, Parker Purchase tickets now >> Celebrate DCSD’s amazing educators and staff with a lively ceremony! The party continues with dessert, drinks, prizes, and dancing to music provided by The Radio Band. Purchase your tickets now for only $35 a person (as always, Apple Awards Representatives attend free).Find out more about the event and this year’s outstanding Nominees and Representatives! More info >> Next DCSD Board of Education Meeting: Tuesday, February 18 at 6:00 p.m. Douglas County School District Administration Building 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock The meeting can be viewed on Comcast Channel 54, or here. Board Recognitions The Board of Education recognized the following staff and students at the February 4 DCSD Board of Education Meeting. Kyla Colomina, sophomore, Chaparral High School, 7Everyday Hero (left); Julianna Dalton, senior, Chaparral High School, Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year (center); Holly Giron, Staff Wellness Coordinator, Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools Honor Roll inductee (right) BENEFITS Are Your Benefits Up-To-Date? If you have experienced a qualifying life event, you may make changes to your benefits outside of the Benefits Open Enrollment window. You have 30 days to make changes due to a qualifying event. Change requests submitted after 30 days cannot be accepted. An IRS-approved “change in status,” may include: The addition of a dependent through birth, adoption, or marriage. The loss of a dependent through divorce or death, or if your child reaches the maximum age (26) limit for coverage. A change in your or your dependent’s employment status from full-time to part-time, or vice versa, or loss/gain of employment, resulting in the loss or addition of coverage. An unpaid leave of absence taken by you or your spouse. A change in your dependent’s employer-provided coverage (i.e., annual enrollment). A change in your or your dependents’ Medicaid, Medicare, and/or CHIP eligibility. Enrollment in the public Marketplace during the Marketplace annual enrollment period. A change in hours to less than full-time status, even though medical benefits are still available to the employee. The change in coverage must be consistent with the gain or loss of coverage. For example: if you and your family were covered only under your spouse’s medical plan and that coverage has ended, you can only enroll in the coverage that was lost. Please contact our HR Solutions Team for assistance by phone 720-433-0140 or email [email protected]. STAFF HEALTH & WELLNESS Winter Wellness in Action! Congratulations to drawing winners: Rachel Papp from Rock Canyon HS and Natalie Reeser from Franktown Elementary! Both won entries to a race in the Colfax Marathon! View photos >> Volleyball League Registration Open Grab your coworkers and join the DCSD Staff Volleyball League. Season begins on Tuesday, March 24 and ends on Tuesday, May 12. Register >> LEADERS Management Seminars Click on the class title for a description and to register through InspirEd. For questions, please contact Vanessa Hoffman at [email protected]. Evaluation Training of Special Education Staff Wednesday, February 19, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. West Support Center (Mt. Evans) Keeping the Edge: Social-Emotional Learning for Leaders Thursday, February 27, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. West Support Center (Mt. Evans) Franklin Covey: Inspiring a Culture of Trust Wednesday, March 18, 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Cantril Building (Gym) OPPORTUNITY Teaching Climate Change Seminar Thursday, February 17, 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Highlands Ranch High School Register >> Many Colorado Academic Standards will soon include information on climate change. This seminar will cover: how to address controversy related to climate change, where to find authentic data to support the curriculum, and lesson-specific activities for each grade level. SCHOLARSHIPS DCSD Perseverance Scholarship The annual DCSD Administrator Scholarship has been renamed but its purpose remains the same. The DCSD Perseverance Scholarship recognizes students who have overcome personal challenges. These students show grit, determination and resiliency, and need financial assistance to continue their education after graduation from a DCSD school. Watch videos of the 2018 and 2019 Scholarship Award recipients to see to see examples of powerful stories of perseverance! Then consider donating to the DCSD Perseverance Scholarship Fund. 100% of donations go straight to student scholarships. Donate today >> Save the Date! Chicken for a Cause! From open to close on Monday, March 2, mention the DCSD Perseverance Scholarship at any Douglas County Chick-Fil-A and 10% of your order will go towards the scholarship fund. More info >> Voting Eligibility for Students Turning 18 Students who turn 18 by the General Election on Tuesday, November 3 are now eligible to vote in the March Presidential Primary and June State Primary Elections, thanks to the Colorado Votes Act. Qualified 17-year-olds pre-registered as a Democratic, Republican or unaffiliated voter will receive a ballot by mail the week of Monday, February 10. Those not pre-registered may register to vote at DouglasVotes.com, or by visiting a Voter Service and Polling Center beginning Monday, February 24 through Election Day. More info >> STAFF STORIES Stephanie Zundel, Counselor The United States will be represented by some of the best athletes in the world at the 2020 UCI Para-cycling World Championships this month, including DCSD’s own Stephanie Zundel, a school counselor at Soaring Hawk Elementary. Watch video >> STAFF RECOGNITION Jeff Johnson, Principal Congratulations to Jeff for winning the Playworks Principal of the Year for Sedalia Elementary’s exemplary programs for modeling safe and healthy play. His work has helped create a culture of kindness felt in every classroom of the school. Read more >> STAFF PROFILE Kristina Hilton, Counselor Former special education teacher Kristina Hilton is making waves as Northridge Elementary's first school counselor, where she works with students in developing resiliency skills and collaborates with families to meet the needs of a diverse student body. Read more >> FREE EVENT DAC Winter Forum Tuesday, February 11, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch Parents/guardians, students, and community members are invited to learn about resources for student health and safety. Breakout sessions will cover subjects such as vaping and substance use prevention, cyber safety, and post-secondary readiness. More info >> Presented by the District Accountability Committee CAREERS Future Career Showcase Wednesday, February 12, 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Chaparral High School, Parker The Third-Annual Future Career Showcase will feature over 60 vendors offering viable alternatives to a four-year college. Chaparral, Legend, and Ponderosa students are invited to attend. Email Aaron Ragon for more info >> FREE PARENT CLASS Jekyll and Hyde: Teen Mood Swings & How to Handle Them Wednesday, February 12 at 6:00 p.m. Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree When your pre-teen or teen moods swing from Jekyll to Hyde in a heartbeat, do you know when it's just part of growing up or something more? More info >> Presented by DCSD Parent University and Sky Ridge Medical Center FREE EVENT Screenagers The Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience Thursday, February 27 at 6:00 p.m. Cresthill Middle School, Highlands Ranch Join us for a community resource fair before the viewing begins at 6:30 p.m. Afterwards, a Q&A panel of a DCSD high school counselor, middle school counselor, and two community health partners will speak from 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. More info >> Presented by DCSD Counselors for Prevention TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS Treat you and yours to an evening out with an Colorado Avalanche game or head to The Denver Center for the Performing Arts to see the musical Mean Girls courtesy of the Foundation for Douglas County Schools (FDCS). Tickets are discounted for you and a portion of your purchase goes back to Douglas County Schools! It’s a win-win for everybody. More info >> INVESTING IN GREAT IDEAS Opportunity Grants: Accepting