Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Guardians of Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Students,

We hope you all are having a fun and safe summer! The Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School office team has been hard at work gearing up for the 2023-2024 school year. I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to all families who are new to Deer Park for the upcoming school year. We are so excited to have you become a part of DP Nation.

There are also lots of fun and exciting things happening around the campus during the summer with all the camps and activities! Whether it's academics, band camp, or athletics, there is no substitute for the authentic learning experience that accompanies those experiences.

This email includes a lot of important information as you prepare for the 2023-24 school year. Please take a moment and share this information with your student as well.

Thanks,

John Vander Meer
Office Phone: 513-891-3845
Email: vandermeer.j@dpccsd.org

P.S. Please do not hesitate to email or call me with questions/concerns, particularly over the next couple of weeks as we gear up for school. I may not know all the answers, but together we will figure it out or find the people who have the answer.

7th Grade Parent/Student Open House and Jr./Sr. High School Open House

Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School will host a pair of Open House events for students. The first will be exclusively for students entering the 7th grade and will take place on Thursday, August 10th, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at Crawford Auditorium. 7th-grade parents - please be looking for more information to come on this event.

The Open House for all students will take place immediately following the Back to School Bash on Friday, August 11th, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This will give students and parents an opportunity to meet teachers, find their classrooms, and try out lockers. Student schedules will be available when you come into the building. We will also have computer stations set up during Open House for you to complete Final Forms and Schoology parent registration, and parents can also pay fees at this time.

Bell Schedule

Please click here for Jr./Sr. High School Lunch and Bell Schedules 

A couple of things to keep in mind regarding the daily schedule:

• The school day will be 8:10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Doors will open at 7:30 a.m Students may buy breakfast during this time
• All students arriving prior to 8:00 a.m. will report to the cafeteria until the bell rings, releasing them to their lockers and class.

Dress Code Reminders

Dressing appropriately for school is important to the overall success of a student. Please review the student handbook for specific dress code information. The student handbook is available on FinalForms.

Cell Phone Policy

This year Junior & Senior High students will be expected to turn their cell phones off when the bell rings to go to class first thing in the morning and keep them off until lunch. If used appropriately students will be allowed to access their phones during lunch. Once lunch is done they will be expected to put their phones away until the end of the day.  This is a change from last year. If students need to connect with you during the school day, they can do that during breakfast, by text at lunch, or they are welcome to use the phone in the front office to call you.

School Supplies

Junior High classroom supply lists are available on the Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School website. At the high school level, specific school supplies are driven by the courses taken.  In other words, teachers will provide information about what you need for their class on the first day of school. All students should plan to bring a notebook and something to write with on the first day.

Schoology and FinalForms

Please be sure your FinalForms are updated prior to your child starting school, as mentioned above, before receiving his/her Chromebook. Please check your previously entered information for accuracy. You may click here to access the forms and get started.

Secondly, as a reminder, teachers use Schoology to keep grades and assignments up to date. Schoology’s platform offers a tremendous amount of information in a user-friendly version. You will be able to communicate with your child’s teachers and check homework and grades through Schoology. If you need your Schoology login information, please contact the main office at 513-891-0010.

Back to School Bash

We’re starting the school year off right with FOOD, FUN, and FRIENDS! Come join the Us and the Amity staff at Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School for the Back-to-School Bash on Friday August 11th 11am - 12:30 pm

Once again, community volunteers will be grilling up hot dogs, hamburgers, and brats! For $2, you will get a ticket for one grill item, one bag of chips, and a cold drink! Afterwards, enjoy a tasty treat from Kona Ice! This is a cash only event.

2023-24 PDF District Calendar

Each year, the Deer Park Board of Education approves the district's yearly calendar, which can be found on the Deer Park Schools website. This calendar includes official school dates, holidays, and breaks. Additionally, a printed event calendar will be sent home with your student during the first week of school. For your convenience, you can access the PDF calendar using the link provided below.

View the Calendar

Staying Connected

There are multiple ways to stay connected to Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School. Please see the attached flyer for ways to stay connected through Email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Text Messages.

• E-Mail: Newsletter: All parents who have completed FinalForms should receive Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Weekly Newsletters. If you are not currently receiving them, please register for the e-mail communication. To register, simply go to www.deerparkcityschools.org and click on the button on the bottom of the page that says “Subscribe to District News”. From there, you will send an email requesting that you be added to future email communication from the district.
• Twitter: Follow Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School for the most up-to-date news and happenings! @DeerParkHS, @DeerParkSchools, @dpcounselor, and @DP_Athletics
• Instagram: Follow @deerparkhs for photos featuring students, teachers and staff!
• Facebook: Follow us at Deer Park Community City Schools and Deer Park Jr/Sr High School.

Upcoming Important Dates

• August 10 - 7th Grade Parent/Student Open House | 5-6:30 PM
• August 11 - Back to School Bash - Jr./Sr. High School | 11 AM-12:30 PM
• August 11 - Jr./Sr. High School Open House | 12:30-3 PM 
• August 15 - First Day for Students

Please feel free to contact our Office Mon-Friday from 8:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. with any questions you may have. Looking forward to a great school year and GO CATS!

Sincerely,

John Vander Meer
Principal, Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School

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Inspiring & Empowering Lifelong Success

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