Connect Newsletter (Nov. 5, 2026)

Cast Your Vote for Halloween Hoopla Winners

The Halloween spirit was on full display across Cook Children’s. Browse photos from the Virtual Costume Contest, featuring creative individuals and teams from across the System, and check out the Medical Center-Fort Worth Halloween Hoopla skits. Cast your votes and help celebrate the incredible creativity of our teammates! 

Voting is open now through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. Click here to view the creativity and vote for your favorites.

Stay tuned! Next week, we’ll announce winners from all our Halloween Hoopla celebrations, including:

• Virtual Costume Contest
• Fort Worth Skit Contest
• Night Shift Costume Contest
• Calmont Costume, Pumpkin and Door Decorating Contests
• Prosper Costume Contest

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s Halloween Hoopla celebrations so memorable. Cast your vote now. 🥇

Save the Dates 

We have several events for you to attend across the system: 

Join us at Six Flags Over Texas Final Reminder

Enjoy exclusive ticketed access to Six Flags Over Texas from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit the Team Experience CookNet site.

Peaks' Treats Grand Opening

Have you heard? Peaks' Treats will be having a grand opening at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 10. This returning food spot will feature bowls and desserts for you to enjoy. 

Visit Connect Newsroom to see a full list of its offerings and business hours.  

Team Health Open House 

Occupational Health is now Team Health, and you’re invited to the Team Health Open House. This is a come and go event to meet our new Team Health physician (and the rest of the team, too!) and learn about the services Team Health provides. Stop by and enjoy refreshments between 1-3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 at 901 7th Ave., Fourth Floor, Fort Worth. 

Click here to view the full flyer. 

Child Life Invites You to Join Thanksgiving Parade

The Child Life Department is hosting its second annual Thanksgiving Parade and invites departments and units to join the fun by decorating a cart or wagon, creating a festive float, or dressing up in holiday attire or a favorite costume. The parade will take place at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, traveling from the Child Life Zone to the Atrium, with participants asked to meet outside the Child Life Zone before the parade begins. 

Click here to sign up your department or unit by Friday, Nov. 13. Email the participation form to  patientevents@cookchildrens.org and help bring Thanksgiving cheer to patients and families. For questions, please email bianca.erazo@cookchildrens.org. 

Get Ready for Jingle Mingle 

The holidays will be here before you know it, as will one of the top holiday Cook Children's employee events: Jingle Mingle! Be sure to save the date for the holiday feast, share with your teams, and make plans to attend.

• Dec. 2: Medical Center-Prosper (MOB, UCC, PCP)
• Dec. 4: Medical Center-Fort Worth (Dodson, ROB, 750, 901)
• Dec. 9: Calmont Office Building

Off-site and fully remote teams will receive interdepartmental transfer funds to support their own holiday parties on a December date that works best for the team. Stay tuned for more details on Jingle Mingle events in an upcoming Connect newsletter and on the Team Experience CookNet site. 

As a reminder you can view all upcoming events on our System Calendar located on the homepage of CookNet. 

PTO Sellback Reminder 

If you elected to sell back Paid Time Off for calendar year 2026 (an election you made during open enrollment in 2025) but haven't sold the time yet, your hours will be automatically paid out to you. This payout will be on the Nov. 6, 2026, paycheck.

If you would like to elect PTO sellback for calendar year 2027 (an election made during the current PTO sellback open enrollment), you can begin selling those hours as they accrue, starting in January 2027. If you have not yet made the election and would like to sellback PTO in calendar year 2027, please complete the PTO sellback open enrollment in Workday no later than Nov. 30, 2026.

Construction Notification 

From now until Nov. 25, all crosswalks at Eighth and Terrell avenues are closed. To cross Eighth Avenue, please use the crosswalks at Rosedale and Cooper streets. Due to sidewalk construction on Eighth Avenue, all pedestrians must use Ninth Avenue via Cooper Street and Humbolt Street. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.