Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Wildcat Weekly August 17, 2025

A Message from the Principal

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

What an amazing first week of school! Thank you so much for all of your support and for allowing us to work with your kids.

I want to take a moment to give a special shout-out to our Junior High students and staff. We have a combined student body of nearly 215 students, and it was so cool to see a completely full cafeteria at lunch on the very first day. Our Junior High kids have fit right in from the start! Our 7th graders have proven to be fast learners, and both classes are full of great kids who bring such positive energy. I am incredibly excited to see what these fantastic classes accomplish this year and throughout their junior and high school careers.

As we begin the year, please know that if you need anything at all, you can reach out to us. We are looking forward to a great school year!

Sincerely,

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

Building Highlights

We packed a lot into the first week of the school year, and it was so much fun! The excitement actually started last Saturday when our seniors gathered in the parking lot to claim their spots and did an amazing job painting them.

The week officially kicked off at 6:30 AM on the first day with our Senior Sunrise. Thank you to all the parents who helped feed our seniors that morning! Then, our staff and our award-winning band gave all our students a warm, clapping welcome as they arrived on campus.

We wrapped up the week with our seniors going on their annual retreat to Connection Point. The theme of the day was “Don’t Waste Your Senior Year.” Students were led in team-building exercises in the morning to help them understand how to lead our building in having a great year. The Valley Church generously cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for our lunch, and then our amazing staff wrapped up the day by talking with students about what their future looks like and how to put plans in place. I encourage you to talk to your seniors about what they came up with!

Our Junior High wrapped up the week with a great assembly featuring our partners Alex Meacham and I’mportant on believing in yourself and treating people with respect.

Please enjoy some photos from each of the events.

View the Senior Retreat Gallery

View the I'mportant Gallery

Building News

2024-25 Yearbooks

2024-2025 high school yearbooks are in! Didn't reserve one last school year and am interested in buying one now? See Ms. Sullivan! The cost is $70 cash or check made out to Deer Park Junior Senior High School. There are a limited number still available so act fast!

Registration for Student Wildcat Packs

Wildcat Packs is a Joshua's Place program that gives food to kids to take home on the weekends. To qualify for a weekly Wildcat Pack a student must be signed up for free and reduced lunches and elect to receive the pack by filling out the linked form. The Wildcat Pack is given at no cost to your child.

Students will receive their packs on Thursday’s from their teacher.

The first Wildcat Weekend Packs will be sent home on Thursday, October 9th.

Learn More

Schoology and FinalForms

Please be sure your FinalForms are updated. 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.

Free Virtual SAT Tutoring for Students in Grades 8–12

Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School is expanding its academic support programs this fall with the launch of free virtual SAT tutoring for students in grades 8, 9, 10, and 12, as well as targeted in-school preparation for juniors.

Virtual Tutoring for Grades 8, 9, 10, and 12

Students in these grade levels can participate in virtual tutoring sessions twice a week, held before or after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This free program is designed to help students strengthen skills and prepare for future SAT testing opportunities.

To enroll, students must sign up using the linked registration sheet no later than 3 p.m. on August 20.

Sign Up Here

High-Dosage SAT Prep for Juniors

All juniors will participate in high-dosage SAT tutoring during X-Bell, receiving live, small-group instruction from Varsity Tutors to prepare for the spring SAT. Juniors attending the Oaks who wish to join can register for the Tuesday and Thursday after-school sessions using the sign-up link.  To enroll, students must sign up using the linked registration sheet no later than 3 p.m. on August 20.

Sign Up Here

Program Details

• Schedule: September 2 – November 20 (12 weeks)

• Format: Live, small-group virtual instruction via Varsity Tutors

• Funding: Provided through a $180,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Counselor's Corner

Click HERE for the Counselor’s Corner!

Looking Ahead

• BOE Regular Meeting Meeting: Tuesday, August 19 | 6:30 p.m.
• Girls/Boys Soccer vs. Madison HS: Tuesday, August 19 | 5/7 p.m.
• Girls/Boys Soccer vs. Cincinnati Christian: Thursday, August 21 | 5/7 p.m.
• JV/Varsity Volleyball vs. Reading (Youth Night): Tuesday, August 26 | 5:30/6:30 p.m.

In Case You Missed It

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.

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

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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