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March 2019 Newsletter

Our March Status Quo Breaker is...
Kate Pool, Information Support Specialist, in Technology is being recognized as our March Status Quo Breaker! Kate has been instrumental in many Lean initiatives and has served on the Lean Team since she started in Technology. Her creativity is a huge asset especially when faced with roadblocks and system limitations allowing the team to work towards successful solutions. Way to go, Kate!
The Status Quo Breaker is a monthly traveling trophy recognition of an employee for their contribution to process improvement, to say thank you for being Lean and/or for helping make DMPS Leaner. Do you have someone you want to nominate for the Status Quo Breaker? Contact Emma Knapp.
Iowa Lean Consortium's Lean Government Exchange
The ILC's 3rd Annual Lean Government Exchange will be on May 16 in Des Moines! Government and non-profit entities face unique challenges within their Lean journey so we have designed a day of learning aimed at helping you learn how to overcome those challenges. The day will begin with a keynote address from Terri Runyan, Director of Performance Excellence, City of Fort Collins. Your day of learning will continue with breakout sessions focused on three tracks - introducing, growing and sustaining continuous improvement. For additional details on the keynote, breakout sessions and how to register, please click here.
Drake Continual Improvement Network on April 24th
The next meeting of the Drake Continual Improvement Network is Wednesday, April 24 from 6-8 p.m. in Levitt Hall (located in "Old Main") on the Drake campus. The night will include hearing about a first year principal's experience using quality tools and processes, and experiencing a "gallery walk" of PDSA posters from students in Drake's Educational Leadership program. Sign up to attend here.

Project Spotlight!

Shout Outs!

The textbook inventory process is completed at the end of every school year to obtain an accurate count of materials within each school and what will need to be replaced or moved over the summer to prepare for the next year. This yearly process was being recreated each time and wasting one of our most valuable resources, staff time. A team spent a day together mapping out the current process and determining what changes would benefit all stakeholders involved but especially our teachers and library staff. Over some great discussions, the team decided on a two phase approach. Phase one would be short term changes that could be implemented and deployed by April 1 and help with this year's inventory (keep your eye out for those changes to be communicated). And phase two would be longer term changes to go in effect for the 2019-2020 inventory and moving forward.
Amazing job Margi Neve, Kellie Halon, Vicky Bennett, Kayla Pettigrew and Vanessa Howell saving hours of work by transitioning the Community Partner parent release and student add/drop request to electronic and automated processes!
Thank you Debbie Swigert, Sharon Fuller, Bobbi Speer, Tom Sheehy, Amanda Dvorak, Elizabeth Sheridan, Miriam Sayre and Kris Kiernan for your time and great work improving the textbook inventory process!
Great work Joel Etienne, Erin Rempe, Cas Christensen, Kevin Oleson, Jessica Buchheit and Nick Lenhardt for your quick implementation of a new budget forecasting tool! 

Past Newsletters

March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
September 2016
October 2016
November 2016
December 2016
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
April 2017
May 2017
June 2017
July 2017
August 2017
September 2017
October 2017
November 2017
December 2017
January 2018
February 2018
March 2018
April 2018
May 2018
June 2018
July 2018
August 2018
September 2018
October 2018
November 2018
December 2018
January 2019
February 2019
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Des Moines Public Schools
Continuous Improvement
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Des Moines, IA 50321