Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Wildcat Weekly: August 10, 2025

A Message from the Principal

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

Here at Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School, our staff has been diligently preparing to welcome back our students and create an inspiring and dynamic learning environment. We are truly looking forward to a year filled with growth, discovery, and success for every student.

This new school year brings fresh opportunities for academic achievement, personal development, and engaging extracurricular activities. We believe in fostering a positive and supportive atmosphere where every student feels valued, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Your partnership is invaluable to your child's success, and we are eager to collaborate with you throughout the year. Together, we can ensure a vibrant and enriching experience for all our students. Please let us know if you need anything.

Every Sunday we will share specific details regarding schedules, important dates, and school events. Please make sure and make this a weekly must. 

We are incredibly excited to embark on this new journey with you and your students. Here's to a fantastic and successful school year ahead!

Sincerely,

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

Building Highlights

Our 2026 seniors have officially begun their exciting journey toward graduation! This school year promises many cherished traditions, including our upcoming Senior Sunrise and annual senior retreat.

Deer Park is truly blessed with an amazing senior class this year, and I am incredibly excited to see them lead us. To kick off their final year, our seniors participated in the tradition of painting their personalized parking spaces!

Please enjoy some pictures from this fantastic first event of the year.

View the Gallery

Building News

New Students

We want to welcome all of our new families to The Park. We know this can be a stressful time in a student's life. If you need help with anything in regards to helping your student adjust to a new school please let us know.

Bell Schedule

For the Jr./Sr. High School  Schedule please click here Click Here 

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.

Update to Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Backpack & Cell Phone Policy

Following the recent enactment of a bill by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, all schools are now mandated to implement cell phone policies. In alignment with this directive and our commitment to fostering an optimal learning atmosphere, Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School students will be required to put all electronic devices—including cell phones, headphones, AirPods, and similar items—in their backpacks or lockers. Students will be allowed to take their backpacks to class this year. This will enable all students to arrive to class on time and provide extra protection for their Chromebooks.

If a student is caught with their phone, headphones, or other electronic devices out anytime during the school day, they will be required to place the device in an assigned Yondr Pouch going forward for a determined period. Please see the student handbook for complete details. For any questions or further discussion, feel free to contact me directly at 513-891-0010 or via email at vandermeer.j@dpccsd.org.

Your support is crucial to the continued success of this expectation at Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School. Together, we can provide a more enriching and distraction-free learning environment for our students.

Attendance Reminders/Updates:

Please review the following instructions:

• When a student is absent, please call the attendance line at 891-2414 before the start of the school day.
• If a student will have a late arrival or early dismissal, please email DPHSattendance@dpccsd.org no more than one day in advance. Be sure to include the student's name, reason for leaving/arriving late, and the time the student will be picked up.
  • Ensure that all emails come from an address we have on file for a parent/guardian. If the email address is not on file, it will not be accepted.
  • If you send an email or a physical note for early dismissal, you do not need to come in to sign your child out; we will allow them to sign out on their own.
  • However, if you only call and do not provide written permission, you will be required to come into the school and sign your child out on the SafeId kiosk, located in the main lobby.
• Even if your child is 18, they will not be permitted to leave without parental permission.
• Any medical appointment or court appearance is excused and will not be counted against a student.
  • These appointments will only be marked as medically excused once documentation (e.g., a medical note) has been received to verify.

Dress Code Reminders

As we welcome everyone back for another exciting school year, we want to remind students and parents about the importance of adhering to our dress code, especially with the extreme heat we're experiencing. We understand that staying cool is a priority, but it's equally important to dress appropriately for the school environment. Please ensure that all clothing choices align with our dress code policy, which promotes a respectful and focused learning atmosphere. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. For your reference, dress code information can be found in the student handbook which is accessible through FinalForms.

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.

2025-26 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

Looking Ahead

• First Day for Students: Tuesday, August 12
• Class of 2026 Senior Retreat: Friday August 15
• BOE Regular Meeting Meeting: Tuesday, August 19 | 6:30 p.m.

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.
• X: 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.

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Inspiring & Empowering Lifelong Success

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