Staff News

Preparations for going back to school are ramping up everywhere. Unfortunately, something else that is ramping up is the theft of catalytic converters, according to the Dallas ISD Police Department.

Catalytic converters—devices on vehicles that look like a small muffler in the exhaust system—continue to be a hot item among thieves. The Dallas ISD Police Department wants employees to be aware of the rise in thefts of this device and take precautions.

“We want everyone to be conscious of their surroundings, and if they see something that looks suspicious—like cars driving unusually slowly through the parking lot—to call us so we can come check it out,” said Dallas ISD Police Chief John Lawton.

Staff can call 911 or the Dallas ISD Police number at (214) 932-5627 to report suspicious activity. Providing make, model and color of the suspicious vehicle and a description of the clothing, height, and complexion of people at the time of the call will help the officers handle the situation.

The catalytic converter processes environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by an engine and converts it into less harmful gasses. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, it has become popular among thieves because they contain platinum, palladium, or rhodium. In recent years, the values of these precious metals have increased significantly and, typically, recyclers will pay $50 to $250 per catalytic converter.

Thieves tend to target vehicles that are higher up off the ground because they can quickly get under the vehicle and take off the converter, Lawton said. While Dallas ISD police has been monitoring lots and looking into additional safety measures, people being vigilant can discourage thieves.

According to the NICB, catalytic converter thefts have seen a significant increase across the country since March 2020, the start of the global pandemic, and especially in some states like Texas. The cost of replacing a catalytic converter can range from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the vehicle.

Insurance experts and Dallas ISD police recommend:

• Installing a catalytic converter anti-theft device, which may be available from various manufacturers and can provide a level of security from theft.
• Parking fleet vehicles in an enclosed and secured area that is well lit, locked, and has an alarm.
• Parking personal vehicles at home in a garage or a well-lit driveway.
• Contacting the police and insurer if the converter is stolen.

If what’s keeping you from finalizing your benefits enrollment for this year are questions about coverage or new features, the Benefits Department is ready to provide guidance. Register to participate in one of a series of webinars in which benefits experts will provide information and answer questions. The first one is today at 4:30 p.m. To find the dates and to register, click on this link.

Getting to know the HAS

This year, Dallas ISD offers staff who have chosen a high deductible plan the opportunity to enroll in a Health Savings Account, or HSA. Like the Flexible Spending Account, it will allow you to set aside funds for eligible health care expenses like doctor visits, prescriptions, and dental and vision care. Eligible expenses are determined by the IRS and can be viewed in detail Publication 502.

To participate in this new savings plan, you have to enroll in the TRS ActiveCare HD plan to qualify. You find out more about the medical plans available to staff by visiting www.dallasisd.org/benefits.

Like with an FSA and other health-related savings accounts, there are limits to how much you can contribute each year. Individuals age 55 or older and not yet enrolled in Medicare can make an additional “catch up” contribution of up to $1,000 per person each year.

Coverage            Maxium Amount
Individuals           $3,600
Family                 $7,200

Unlike other health savings accounts, funds in the HSA that you don’t use by the end of the year can roll over to the following enroll­ment year. Another exciting feature of an HSA is that you can invest your funds. You will have the option to choose from an extensive list of mutual funds to increase the value of funds that you can hold in your account.*

Can I have them both?

You can have both and HSA and an FSA. But you should note that if you do have both, you can use the HSA only for your medical expenses and your FSA, or Limited Purpose FSA, only for vision and dental expenses.

If you are enrolled in the high deductible insurance plan, but you don’t want to have an HSA, you can still put money into the FSA. To do that at the time or enrollment, simply add your contribution amount in the LPFSA box in the enrollment portal. This will enroll you in the traditional FSA and you can use pre-tax FSA funds for all eligible expenses, including medical.

Ready to get enrolled? Go to the Benefits page at www.dallasisd.org/benefits, your one-stop-shop for all benefits information and links.

If you have questions or need help, assistance is close by. Just call (972) 925-4000 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Spanish- and English-speaking representatives will be available to guide you through the choices and the enrollment process. For additional information you can also look at the Benefits Overview Guide.

*Note: Investment products are not FDIC insured, and are not bank issued or guaranteed. They are subject to risk, including fluctuations in value and the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Dallas ISD will continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC and Dallas County Health to address the COVID-19 pandemic. With the uncertainty of the Delta variant of the coronavirus and the return of students and employees to schools and other facilities, many supervisors have inquired if employees have been vaccinated and/or if they can request proof of COVID-19 vaccination. While the inquiry into whether employees have or have not been vaccinated is not a disability-related inquiry by itself, district leaders should follow the guidelines in this memo if they ask employees if they have been vaccinated.

For additional COVID-related information and protocols visit https://www.dallasisd.org/covidstaffinformation.

In compliance with state and federal laws, Dallas ISD requires that all employees complete the policy acknowledgement and compliance training at the beginning of every school year. This year, the training must be completed by Monday, Nov. 1.

Annual Policy Acknowledgement

Using their email address and password, employees will log into the policy acknowledgement website at http://PolicyAcknowledgement.dallasisd.org to acknowledge the Employee Handbook, Annual Employee Notification of District Policies, Family Relationship Disclosure, and Confidentiality Requirements.

Compliance Training (Cornerstone)

The compliance training is available in Cornerstone at https://dallasisd.csod.com and includes the following: Child Abuse, Code of Ethics, Copyright Law, Dress Code, Safety Protocols, FERPA, Sexual Harassment, and Workplace Bullying. Training for campus staff will also include Anaphylaxis, Bloodborne Pathogens, Bullying, and Section 504. All sections must be completed to receive credit for the training.

Employees will log into Cornerstone using their email address and password and look for the compliance training assignment in the “Training in Progress” or the “Your Assigned Training” box located on the “Welcome” page. If the assignment is not listed, employees can hover over the “Learning” tab and select “View Your Transcript” to access the training. For assistance with technical issues in Cornerstone, go to the Live User Support tab to access the live support team.

For additional questions or assistance, please contact Policy and Compliance at HCMcompliance@dallasisd.org.

Whether already using DonorsChoose or new to the platform, teachers are invited to participate in the free DonorsChoose inaugural Teacher Summit today. Expert teachers, equity and mental health leaders, and celebrity guests will help teachers craft their vision for an exceptional year for students. Summit participants will learn how to leverage DonorsChoose to set up exceptional learning projects for their students. Don’t miss this virtual opportunity to learn, invest, connect and start the year feeling energized and ready! Reserve your spot at www.donorschoose.org/teacher-summit.

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that connects teachers with donors on the community. DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers create classroom project requests on the platform and people in the community donate fund to partially or completely fund the project. Once the project is funded, DonorsChoose purchases the items on the teacher’s project and sends them to the school. Projects support learning and non-perishable materials stay at the school if the teacher changes schools or leaves the district.

A recording of the summit will be available here for teachers who were unable to participate live. For more information about DonorsChoose, visit https://www.donorschoose.org/.

A little over two weeks are left for Dallas ISD staff to make changes to their annual benefits, explore options, or check out the new Health Savings Account offered to those who have a high-deductible plan during the 2021-2022 Benefits Enrollment window.

Annual enrollment runs through Aug. 20 and becomes effective Sept. 1. If you don’t make any changes, you will keep the same medical, vision, and dental plans; however, if you want to put money into a flexible spending account or FSA, you need to enroll every year. Now is also the time to enroll in the Sick Leave Bank.

Dallas ISD offers staff medical, dental, and vision coverage and life insurance. The district also provides several  supplemental, voluntary insurance plans that can help meet your financial needs when the unexpected happens. You can choose from four different plans that provide benefits for require hospitalization, when you face various types of critical illness, when you become disabled and unable to work, or if you need long-term care at home or at an assisted living or rehabilitation facility.

You’ll find detailed information about each of the plans—including the optional, voluntary plans—and their premium costs through the Benefits Portal.

It all starts in the Benefits page at www.dallasisd.org/benefits, your one-stop-shop for all benefits information and links. From the Benefits Resources page, check out the Benefits Overview and Plan Costs, which provides many details on your benefit options.

If you have questions or need help, assistance is close by. Just call (972) 925-4000 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Spanish- and English-speaking representatives will be available to guide you through the choices and the enrollment process.

For additional information you can also look at at the Benefits Overview Guide.

As Dallas ISD is preparing for the new school year with in-person classes, health officials are encouraging all eligible people ages 12 and older to get vaccinated. If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, let Dallas ISD know by filling out this form https://records.dallasisd.org/Forms/COVIDVaccineInformation.

With cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise fueled by the Delta variant, health officials have said vaccinations combined with precautions like handwashing, masks and maintaining social distance can help prevent the spread. For information on the nearest vaccine location, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/.

Parents, students, staff and the community are already connecting with Dallas ISD in preparation for the start of the school year. And one of the preferred ways of connecting 24 hours a day, seven days a week is through Let’s Talk! via their computers, tablets, or smartphones.

Dallas ISD has received over 1,135 dialogues during the past week on such topics as student enrollment, technology (passwords), and transportation.

Through Let’s Talk!, Dallas ISD continues to make significant progress toward building a customer service culture that upholds the district’s vision, mission, and goals. Let’s Talk! streamlines communication between district staff and customers, who include employees. The district’s average Customer Experience Score (CX) is currently 8/10, with an average response time of five business days.

A new feature was recently added so customers submit dialogues via text to (972) 210-0660, making it easy for customers to share questions, thoughts, and concerns.

Between December 2020 and May 2021, 97% of campuses have been added to Let’s Talk! As of July, 59% of customers using the platform are parents/guardians, 27% are employees, 9% are students, and the remaining 7% are community members.