What's New?

A Message from the Principal

Dear Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School Families,

I hope this message finds you well. We've had an exhilarating week at The Park, filled with Homecoming festivities that truly showcased the vibrant spirit of our community. The excitement peaked with the pep rally on Friday and the packed house for the game Friday night. The festivities concluded with a bang at the homecoming dance on Saturday night, which saw an impressive turnout of 300 students. Congratulation to Joey Drennen and Reagan Osbourne 2024 Homecoming King and Queen

I want to express my immense pride in both our staff and students for their efforts in continuing the rich tradition of excellence and pride that sets The Park apart. It's a unique place, indeed, and this week has been a testament to that.

Special thanks are due to Karen Henry and the entire team responsible for organizing the Homecoming events. Their dedication and hard work made these memorable experiences possible. Additionally, I'd like to acknowledge Lauren Troxell for orchestrating an unforgettable Spirit Week and pep rally. Please see some great pictures of the week below

Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm. It's what makes The Park such a special community.

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

View Homecoming Parade Photos

View Homecoming Game Photos

Building Highlight

Parent-Teacher Conferences

As part of our ongoing commitment to foster strong partnerships between our school and families, we are pleased to invite you to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet with your child’s teachers to discuss their academic progress, celebrate their achievements, and address any concerns you may have.

Please see the LINK for dates and times to sign up. Reminder to senior parents that this is a College and Career Ready conference that requires a parent conference as part of your child grade for their X-Bell.

Because we want to make sure all parents have the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher, the conferences will be quick so here are some suggestions to help you prepare for your conference and get the most out of it.

• Talk with your child about their experiences and any concerns they might have.
• Prepare a list of questions or topics you wish to discuss.
• Bring any relevant materials or documents that could support the discussion.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. We look forward to meeting with you and discussing the wonderful progress your child is making. Should you have any immediate questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Conference Scheduling

Building News

Study Abroad Opportunities for Deer Park Students

Are you interested in studying abroad? 

AFS offers opportunities in over 40 countries with applications accepted on a rolling basis. Cincinnati students who participate in a full-year program through AFS may apply for scholarships through Friends of AFS, with the chance to receive up to 50% tuition assistance.

Additional scholarship programs include:

• NSLI: Language-based program with full scholarships available for summer or full-year programs. Application deadline: November 4th, 2025.
• CBYX: Full scholarship for a year-long exchange in Germany. Application deadline: November 1st, 2025.
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange & Study (YES): Full scholarship for a year-long program in countries with significant Muslim populations. Application deadline: December 4th, 2025.

For more information, contact your counselor for more information. You can also visit the program websites linked below for more details:

• AFS-USA
• NSLI for Youth
• CBYX
• YES Programs

Upcoming Terrace Metrics Dates

As we have done in previous years, our district is giving the Terrace Metrics Assessments to grades 6–12. Below is the schedule for the assessments:

• Monday, September 17 – 8th and 11th grade
• Wednesday, September 19 – 7th and 12th grade
• Monday, September 24 – 9th and 10th grade

These assessments will provide valuable data on our students’ social/emotional strengths and needs. Please note that the results are confidential; no teacher will have access to your child’s results.

Only members of the school’s response team (e.g., counselors, school psychologists) will see the students' results, which are available immediately after the assessment is completed. This allows us to understand the strengths and needs of every student, including those who would benefit from additional strategies. If your child indicates high distress, a member of the school’s response team will contact you by phone to discuss the next steps.

One possible step may include a “Clairity” assessment, provided by Clarigent Health. Clairity involves a private, ten-minute interview where the student is asked about their thoughts and feelings by a trained member of the response team. The interview is securely recorded, and the speech patterns (rather than the answers themselves) are analyzed to help the response team determine the best course of action for the student.

For more information on this survey, please click here.

PTO/Booster Organizations

Join the Wildcat community and make a difference! We invite you to get involved with the Deer Park Jr./Sr. High School PTO and our Booster organizations. You can visit Deer Park PTO to join the PTO, Deer Park Athletic Boosters to join the Athletic Boosters, and Deer Park Band Sponsors to support our band program. Your participation helps enhance the student experience at Deer Park!

Counselor's Corner

Click HERE for the Counselor’s Corner!

Looking Ahead

Please mark these important dates on your calendar:

• JV/Varsity Volleyball vs. Madeira: Tuesday, September 17 | 5:30/6:30 p.m.
• 7th Grade Volleyball vs. Taylor: Wednesday, September 18 | 4:30 p.m.
• Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Wyoming: Wednesday, September 18 | 7 p.m.
• 8th Grade Football vs. Indian Hill: Thursday, September 19 | 4:30 p.m.
• JV Football vs. Indian Hill: Saturday, September 21 | 10 a.m.
• Tipp City Band Invitational: Saturday, September 21
• Board of Education Regular Meeting: Tuesday, September 24 | 6:30 p.m.
• Conference Day (No School): Thursday, September 26
• Conference Day (No School): Friday, September 27

In Case You Missed It

Pre-Order a 2024-2025 Yearbook!

The cost is $40 for junior high and $70 for high school and can be pre-ordered online at yearbookforever.com or through Ms. Sullivan in Room 56. Cash or check accepted. Make the checks out to Deer Park Community City Schools.

Email Ms. Sullivan with any questions at sullivan.c@dpccsd.org!

Ohio State Test Resources

If your child will be taking an Ohio End of Course assessment this spring (grades 3-8 and some high school courses for graduation), you can access practice tests at home. We are pleased to share a valuable resource to support your child’s education: the Ohio State Test (OST) Portal. This site offers a range of tools and information that you can use to help your child prepare for state assessments.

Here’s how you can utilize the OST Portal:

1. Practice Tests: Access practice tests to familiarize your child with the types of questions they will encounter. These tests simulate the actual assessment experience, allowing students to practice navigating the test interface and understand the format of questions.
2. Family Resources: The portal provides a variety of resources, including test-taking tips, FAQs, and information specific to each grade level and subject area. These materials are designed to help you understand the testing process and how to best support your child.
3. Released Test Items and Scoring Guides: Review released test items from previous assessments along with their scoring guides. These guides include answer keys, scoring rubrics, and explanations of why certain answers are correct or incorrect. Understanding these can give insight into your child's progress and areas for improvement.

To start using these resources, please visit the OST Portal at oh-ost.portal.cambiumast.com/families.html.

We encourage you to explore the site and make the most of the available tools to support your child’s learning and preparation.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s education.

Wildcat Packs Program

Joshua's Place is excited to offer the Wildcat Packs program, providing weekend food for students. To qualify, students must be signed up for free and reduced lunches and registered for the program. Packs will be sent home every Thursday, with the first distribution on October 10th. To sign up, scan the QR code or return the registration form to school. For any questions, please contact John Mathias at john@joshuasplace.cc.

Registration Form

Extra 2023-24 Yearbooks for Sale!

There are a couple 2023-2024 high school yearbooks for sale still! The cost is $70. See Ms. Sullivan to get yours today! You can email her at sullivan.c@dpccsd.org with any questions!

Important Expectations for All Athletic Events

As we gear up for an exciting season of Deer Park athletics, we want to remind everyone of the expectations for attending all athletic events. To ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone, please note that any students or children under 9th grade must be accompanied by a parent or adult to attend these events.

Thank you for your cooperation, and let's make this season one to remember by showing our Wildcat pride responsibly!

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.

Attendance Reminders/Updates:

A few changes are being made for this school year. 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.

2024-25 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 links below 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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