WPS Benefit News
NOVEMBER 2020
In This Issue:
- November is National Family Stories Month: Balancing Family Traditions This Holiday Season
- Live Inspired: Just Keep Breathing!
Top Social Issues for Teens in Today's World (FREE Webinar)
Employee COVID-19 Hotline Adds E-mail Address
#2020WeGotThis Challenge - We Are in This Together!
- Discounts for WPS Employees
- Your Guide to Employee Benefits
Balancing Family Traditions This Holiday Season
A huge part of our social and emotional well-being is tied to our meaningful connections with others. Often those relationships are with those we define as family. With the holidays upon us, we approach that time where we reminisce about holidays and times past while we also make new memories with those we love.
Much of our adult lives are spent carrying out those traditions we look forward to with our immediate and extended families. That may be looking forward to Grandma's homemade pumpkin pie, fighting your cousin for the Thanksgiving wishbone, or shopping with your best pals the day after Thanksgiving in search of that perfect deal.
This year, we are all navigating a different type of holiday season with the impact of COVID. With this new season comes new questions: Can I safely visit with my family? Are we going to forego family traditions and stay home? Should I travel? Will things ever go back to normal?
So many families are rooted in tried and true traditions that it may be hard to break the norm this holiday season, but it is also an opportunity for families to get creative in what will certainly be a year that none of us will forget. Consider shifting traditions this year and getting creative as we all embrace continual change and the need for flexibility. instead of thinking of all the things we cannot do right now, consider what we can do.
* Organize a Thanksgiving celebration via Zoom. Everyone has their own feast but can still eat together and share memories. Plan a family trivia to keep everyone engaged despite the virtual atmosphere. No one will know if your pie does not turn out, and you can update your background to disguise your messy kitchen.
* If weather permits, consider moving your event outside where you can remain socially distanced. Each family can bring their own food.
* If you are not able to be with loved ones who are vulnerable this holiday, spoil them from afar with special package deliveries or doorstep surprises.
* Consider moving your shopping to online to avoid the crowds and the risks. Use the free Santa's Bag app on your phone to track your spending and stay on budget. Financial wellness is important too!
* Consider finding a new tradition with your immediate family this season that you can do from the safety and comfort of your own home.
* Focus on the positive as much as possible. It has been a rough year. Find the magic in the holidays wherever you can.
Live Inspired: Just Keep Breathing!
Top Social Issues for Teens in Today's World
Free Webinar
Teens have different issues to deal with today. Social media has amplified the struggles they face and many suffer from anxiety and depression. They are exposed to violence on the screen and in music. Let's not forget drugs and alcohol and peer pressure, which have been a problem for decades. Join this webinar for a discussion about signs to look for in your teen and how to help them deal with today's pressures.
Webinars can be found below the Resource Library under Check Out Our Webinars.
Click here to access the webinar (this link allows you to skip the login page)
Employee COVID-19 Hotline Adds E-Mail Address
Employees of the Wichita Public Schools should call the COVID-19 Hotline or fill out the online form to report their COVID-19 situation.
The hotline is open from 7 A.M. until 8 P.M. on weeknights and is checked twice per day on the weekend for return calls.
Some scenarios may include:
- You are positive for COVID-19
- You are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
- You have been in close contact with someone positive with COVID-19 inside or outside your home (were within 6' of the person for 10 minutes or longer, masked or unmasked)
- You have traveled to somewhere on the KDHE travel-related quarantine list
We also now have a COVID hotline dedicated e-mail. This can be utilized after you have had initial contact with the hotline: covidhotline@usd259.net.
Click Here to complete the online COVID-19 form or call the hotline at (316) 833-0074
#WeGotThisChallenge2020 - We Are In This Together!
Did you know this started right here in Wichita? One of our community members saw the need to add a ray of hope to the city. This has been seen in chalk art, billboards, signs outside of nursing homes, etc. It has spread well outside of Wichita. A sense of community and belonging can contribute to your overall wellness. Join the challenge.
You can even order a yard sign which can benefit the United Way of the Plains Pandemic Fund.
Discounts for WPS Employees
For more details about offers, visit the Employee Discount page by following these steps:
- Go to the district’s website: www.usd259.org
- Click on the SIGN IN link (at the top of the page) and log in. You MUST be logged in to see restricted content on the website.
- Place your curser over the STAFF button (in the red bar). You’ll see a drop-down menu – select EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS.
TIP: When you look at items on the list, you must click on the title of the company to see the complete description, including code words and special links:
Your Guide to Employee Benefits
Employee Benefits & Insurance Management
Danielle Dettmer
Functional Manager
HR/Employee Benefits & Insurance Management
Email: employeebenefits@usd259.net
Website: http://www.usd259.org/HumanResources
Location: 903 South Edgemoor Street, Wichita, KS, USA
Phone: 316-973-4581