Welcome back to everyone!  With the school year now underway, Deer Park's Transportation department would like to remind everyone to be on the lookout for our yellow school buses as our drivers seek to safely transport students to and from school.  Please remember not to pass or approach a school bus with flashing red lights.  Additionally, we always appreciate when parents are diligent in letting both the schools and the transportation dept. know of any busing changes in a prompt manner. 

Below is a link to an excellent video produced by the Washington State Patrol regarding our state's traffic laws and school buses; please take a moment to review this short video.   The safety of your children is our highest priority and we hope everyone has a wonderful school year.  The phone number for the Deer Park Transportation Dept. is 464-5530; please feel free to call!

http://www.youtube.com/wspgovandmedia

The first day of the 2010-2011 school year in Deer Park is quickly approaching - school starts on Wednesday, September 1st.  Fall sports are underway at Deer Park High School and all district administrators and office staff have resumed regular hours.  It is our sincere hope that everyone was able to enjoy summer break.  The weeks of summer break are a busy time for many folks who work throughout the school district taking care of large projects in the absence of student traffic and prepping the buildings for the upcoming school year.  We truly appreciate the efforts of our maintenance and IT staff as they work to clean, maintain, and equip our schools for another great year!

We are very excited as the Deer Park High School renovation project nears completion.  This project started over two years ago and has required a great deal of flexibility and patience from everyone at DPHS; the finished product is going to be fantastic!  Final landscaping is underway and furniture is being installed in last of the newly completed classrooms.  In addition to the completion of the final new classrooms, this last phase of construction opens three exciting new spaces:  a renovated "main" gymnasium (complete with new bleachers and a new wood floor), a new cafeteria and commons area, and a brand new 300 seat theater/auditorium.  Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony.

Finally, "Back to School" lists and reminders can be accessed on this page (these checklists can also be accessed via the main menu, by following the "Parent Resources" and "Back to School" links)  Additionally, updated school calendars for the 2010-2011 year as well as the 2011-2012 have been posted (school calendars can always be found at the "District Information" link in the Main Menu); while a few dates still need to be formalized and added, the calendars should give folks important information regarding many important dates and school break periods.

The Spokane Regional Health District, in partnership with the Group Health Foundation, will be at Arcadia Elementary  Saturday, August 21, 2010, from 10:00am until 4:00pm offering FREE immunizations for all children 18 and under.  Don't forget to bring your immunization record cards for updating!  Vaccines are available on a first come, first served basis.  Parent/guardian permission is required for all children receiving immunizations.

Available vaccines include:

Varicella (chickenpox), MMR, Meningococcal, Tdap (11 or older), Dtap, Hepatitis B, Polio, Tetanus, and HPV.

Additional information about the Spokane Regional Health District can be found at their website - http://www.srhd.org.  Additionally, if you would like to speak with someone about the immunization clinic, please feel free to contact Deer Park School District's Head Nurse, Dawn Epler, RN, at 464-5527.

1. Completed paperwork - on the DPHS athletics web page, you can download the athletic handbook. Please read it thoroughly and print the last 4 pages; there you will find the 2 pages of required concussion forms as well as the 2 pages of emergency medical information. Please fill in all necessary elements and be prepared to turn these forms in.
2. Updated Physical - DPSD requires you to have a yearly physical. You will need to bring a copy of the physical form with you for verification.
3. An ASB Card - your ASB card ($30) may be purchased at registration and is not absolutely necessary for the first day of practice (reduced fee is available for those who qualify).

When and where is practice? (please arrive at least 20 min. early on day one to turn in necessary paperwork).

• JV-V Football - Players will meet at 8pm on Aug. 17 at DPHS; practice will not begin until 12:00am on Aug. 18 (yes, a little "Midnight Madness" for the football players!)
  
• Frosh Football - Practice will be at 9:30am on Aug. 18 at DPHS
• - football practices will take place from 9:30-12:30 until school starts
• Girls Soccer - Practice will be on the DP Elementary fields at 3pm on Aug 23rd
• Volleyball - Practice is in the DPHS gyms at 3pm on Aug. 23rd
• Cross Country - Both teams (boys and girls) will meet on Aug. 23rd at 9am in front of the school

If you have any questions please you may call the main office at 468.3500 starting on Aug. 18th or you can e-mail Athletic Director Scott Carlson at carlsos@deerpark.wednet.edu

The August HSPE testing window is almost here.  High school students who missed the test in the spring or need to re-take any portion of the HSPE will test during the week of August 9th.

In order to be eligible for August testing, students must have pre-registered for each subject test prior to the June 18th deadline.  Test administration will take place at Deer Park's Administration Building (also the site of the Home Link program), located at N. 428 Main.  Check-in processes (to include picture ID verification) will begin at 8:15am each day; please wait in the main lobby area of the administration building for the test coordinator to begin check-in at 8:15am.  The testing schedule for this year's summer test administration is as follows:

• August 9:  Writing day 1 (expository); check-in at 8:15 - testing begins at 8:30 a.m.
• August 10:  Writing day 2 (persuasive); check-in at 8:15 - testing begins at 8:30 a.m.
• August 11:  Reading; check-in at 8:15 - testing begins at 8:30 a.m.
• August 12:  Mathematics; check-in at 8:15 - testing begins at 8:30 a.m.

Students are reminded to bring the following items to the HSPE testing site: official school or government picture ID (required), spring 2010 HSPE Score Report (if available), pre-registration confirmation (if available), a calculator for mathematics testing.  If students do not have a calculator one will be provided.  Students are reminded that they are not permitted to use headphones (personal music device) or cell phones at any time during the testing period.  If you have questions, please call Travis Hanson at 464-5509.

In the past few years, our secondary schools (DPMS & DPHS) have worked hard at improving present levels of achievement in mathematics.  One of the recurring themes of research in this area is that success in the three years of mathematics at the middle school level is vitally important as students prepare to take on the challenges of "higher-level" mathematics - algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. In fact, the research is remarkably clear in this area:  students who do not experience some level of success in mathematics at the middle school level very rarely experience success in math at the high school level.

Beginning with the upcoming 2010 - 2011 school year, students in the State of Washington must pass two "End of Course Exams" in mathematics; one test will cover a student's knowledge of algebra and the other will test their skills in geometry.  These two course specific exams have now replaced the single mathematics test previously used as a high school graduation requirement.

With this in mind, parents of middle school students might be wondering about summer practice options for their children in order to help them retain learned math skills - as we're all painfully aware that summer regression is a common issue for most students.  Any amount of time that can be invested in skills practice during the summer months is time well spent.

Math curriculum adopted in 2009 at Deer Park Middle School, McGraw-Hill's MathConnects, offers an excellent website for additional support & skill practice over the summer.  Parents and students can use the following links to access these materials.  In addition to the links provided below, there are more resources available by clicking on the "Main Website" links at each level below (look to the navigation menu menu on the left side of each main website for a complete list of all online resources).

The group had been preparing for four weeks by reading selected essays from his book about the Columbia Basin called Visible Bones. When Jack arrived, he engaged the group in a slideshow, all the while discussing how David Thompson came to be the first European to walk from Cusick past Fan and Eloika Lakes and then near what we now know as Deer Park.

Then came the trip to Dragoon Creek Campground. At the entrance plateau above the camp ground, students found mostly plant species introduced after David Thompson’s visit. Among these included viper’s bugloss, vetch, and toadflax, also known as butter and eggs. The group then moved down the hill along Dragoon Creek and found many native species including teasel, monkshood, and pinedrops, also known as coyote’s arrow.

Students plan to incorporate all that they have learned in some way into an individual project about either the natural or social history of a local place important to them. They all thought it pretty special to have a real professional speak to them about how he has turned the sort of projects they are working on into a career.

When the field trip was done, Jack promised to return in the Fall and walk the DPHS nature trail which has almost been reclaimed by the forest.  It is the hope of the DPSD Cornerstone After School Program to reclaim the nature trail as part of DPHS’s renewed commitment to our people and our place.

Chosen from a field of 24 outstanding candidates, Dr. Cooke previously served as principal at Prairie View Elementary School, Mead School District's newest school which she helped to open three years ago.  Prior, she was principal at Evergreen Elementary School for eleven years, following service as a middle school assistant principal.  Dr. Cooke was a middle school teacher and administrator on the west side of the State prior to her time in Mead. 

Dr. Cooke received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Washington University, her Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Western Washington University, and her Doctorate in Organization and Leadership from the Teachers College at Columbia University.  Her superintendent credential is from Washington State University.

We are excited to have Dr. Cooke in Deer Park and look forward to the future under her leadership.

The Deer Park School District announces the sponsorship of the Simplified Summer Food Program for Children.  Meals will be made available at no charge to attending children under 19 years of age.  All meals are available without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY).  The Deer Park School District and the USDA are an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Summer Feeding Sites (June 14th through July 1):

 - Deer Park Middle School - 347 S. Colville, Deer Park WA. (meals will be served in front of Middle School)

Breakfast 8:00 am -8:30 am                 

Lunch 11:30 am -12:00 pm

 - Deer Park Elementary School – E 1500 D Street, Deer Park WA. (meals will be served on south side front yard)

Breakfast 8:00 am-8:30 am                

Lunch 11:30 am-12:00 pm   

 - Arcadia Elementary School – E 1120 D Street, Deer Park WA. (meals will be served on front lawn)

Breakfast 8:00 am -8:30 pm

Lunch 11:30 am-12:00 pm    

 - Meals will also be served at the following locations from June 14th to August 13th:

Swinyard Park/Pool – 200 E. "B" Street Deer Park, WA.

Lunch 12:15 pm-1:00 pm              

Elk Community Park – N. 40044 Elk-Camden Rd. Elk, WA.

Lunch 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm

No meals will be served on July 2nd & July 5th.

Please contact Deer Park School District's Nutrition Services Dept. at 464-5536 with any questions.

The 2009-10 school year will come to an end on Wednesday, June 9th!!  What an exciting year it has been, as our school district continued to experience growth in enrollment, the DPHS renovation project entered its final phases, and the district chose a new superintendent!  We would like to remind parents that the last day of school is a half day.

Thank you to our students, staff, parents and community for a great school year; have a safe and enjoyable summer break!