The Amity Weekly Minute: August 24, 2025
What's New?
From the Desk of Mrs. Warman
Dear Amity Families,
We’ve had a wonderful full week back at Amity! It has been great seeing our students dive into learning and reconnect with their classmates. As we move into the next few weeks, we’re hoping for some cooler weather so our students can continue to enjoy recess and activities outdoors.
This year, we’ve introduced a new Resiliency Cat Card focus for our students. Each week, a resiliency skill will be highlighted during our morning announcements to help students grow in kindness, patience, and perseverance.
- This Week’s Focus: I can be kind. Family Tip: Encourage your child to do one small act of kindness each day — it could be helping a sibling, holding the door, or giving a compliment.
- Looking Ahead (Week of 8/25): I can be patient. I can wait for my turn. Family Tip: Practice patience at home by playing a game that requires turn-taking, or by encouraging your child to wait calmly before dinner or a favorite activity.
Teachers will be posting the weekly resiliency focus in their classrooms as a visual reminder for students. Each week we will draw winners to receive calls home celebrating them being a Resiliency Wild Cat. We encourage families to use these same themes at home to reinforce the skills we’re building together at school.
Thank you for collaborating with us to help our students grow in their learning and personal success. Together, we can build resilient learners who are ready to take on challenges with confidence!
Warmly,
Laura Warman
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Amity Weekly Photo Gallery
This is the Amity Weekly Photo Gallery
Full Gallery
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Introducing Our Counselor & Social Worker Newsletter
We’re thrilled to launch our brand-new Counselor & Social Worker Newsletter, crafted to keep our Amity community informed, connected, and empowered! Each edition will bring you valuable insights, updates on school programs, mental health tips, and resources tailored for students and families. Whether you’re seeking strategies to support your child’s emotional well-being or curious about upcoming wellness initiatives, this newsletter is your go-to source. Be sure to check it out and stay tuned for the latest from our counseling and social work team.
View the Newsletter
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No School Monday September 1st
There will be no school Monday September 1st for observance for Labor Day.
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Step Store Information for Students Grades 3rd-6th
Dear Parents and Guardians of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th students,
We are excited to share that starting Monday, August 25th, our school will be launching the S.T.E.P. program, which is part of the University of Cincinnati Economics Department. Everything is funded by the University, along with private donors. Erin Harris is our S.T.E.P. coordinator and is also a Deer Park parent. S.T.E.P stands for Students Enterprise Program!
This incentive-based program helps encourage positive behavior, academic responsibility, and school attendance, while also teaching students the basics of money management.
Students will have the opportunity to earn up to $15 in STEP Bucks each day based on the following criteria:
- Attendance and punctuality
- Homework completion and being prepared with materials
- Positive behavior and following school rules
That means students can earn up to $75 a week for making good choices!
Students will be able to spend, save, or donate their earned STEP Bucks at the S.T.E.P. Store, which will be open four times during the school year. Our first store will take place on Friday, October 24th. We encourage students to make thoughtful decisions about how they use their earnings.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to be recognized for their efforts, develop responsibility, and learn about saving and spending. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to take pride in their daily choices. Ask your child about their Red StEP book!
Thank you for partnering with us to support our students’ growth!
Warmly,
Ms. Hopper
Step Store Coordinator
hopper.j@dpccsd.org
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Parent Information Night
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Parent Information Night. This is a valuable opportunity to hear from your child’s teachers and learn more about classroom expectations, curriculum, and ways to support learning at home.
Below are the times each grade level will be presenting.
In addition, Ms. Marshall (Grades PreK–3) and Mrs. McKnight (Grades 4–6) will be available in the Professional Development Center (PDC) before and after each session for informal conversations and support. Look for additional information to come directly from them.
We look forward to partnering with you for a fantastic school year!
- Amity Parent Information Night (PreK-3): Wednesday, August 27th,
- 5:00 p.m. (Preschool & Kindergarten)
- 5:30 p.m. (1st Grade)
- 6:00 PM (2nd Grade)
- 6:30 p.m. (3rd Grade)
- Amity Parent Information Night (4-6): Thursday, August 28th,
- 5:00 p.m. (6th Grade)
- 5:30 p.m. (4th Grade)
- 6:00 p.m. (5th Grade)
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Reminder from School Nurse Karle
Dear Parent/Guardian(s),
The Ohio Department of Health has issued immunization requirements for school attendance for the 2025-2026 school year. Please see below for specific grade level immunization requirements:
- Kindergarten students are required to have the following immunizations:
- Four (4) doses of Tdap/DTap/Td
- Two (2) doses of MMR
- Two (2) doses of Varicella (Chickenpox)
- Three (3) doses of Polio
- Three (3) doses of Hepatitis B
- Seventh graders are required to receive:
- One (1) dose of the Tdap vaccine
- One (1) dose of the Meningitis vaccine (MCV4).
- Twelfth graders are required to receive:
- Two (2) doses of the Meningitis vaccine (MCV4), unless the first dose is administered on or after the student’s 16th birthday, then the second dose will not be required.
A copy of the student’s immunization record must be submitted to the school in order to complete the requirement. Records can be submitted in person or by fax to Amity or the Jr./Sr. High School. The deadline to turn in proof of immunization is on August 26th, 2025. Students who do not have proof on this day will be withheld from school starting August 27th, 2025.
You may obtain the vaccination at any Hamilton Co. Public Health Dept. Clinics (513-946-7600), Norwood Health Dept. (513-458-4600), TriHealth Clinics at Walgreens, Kroger Little Clinic, or your family doctor. Please check with your health care provider to be sure your child is properly vaccinated for the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
Click here for a full list of the Ohio Department of Health’s Immunization Requirements for School Attendance. Please contact us with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s immunizations.
Sincerely,
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Christie Scholl MSN, RN, LSN |
Leslie Karle, MSN, RN, LSN |
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Jr./Sr. High School |
Amity Elementary |
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Fax: 513-891-3845 |
Fax: 513-891-0106 |
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Cub Scout Opportunities for Students
Deer Park Schools is excited to share upcoming opportunities with Pack 3791! Students can participate in the Pinewood Derby this winter and the Cub World Adventure Camp this summer—featuring archery, hiking, swimming, and more. These programs offer students a chance to build skills, confidence, and memories that last a lifetime. Check out the details here:
View the Flier
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Interested in Dance?
Deer Park Schools is sharing a great opportunity from the Deer Park Dance Program! While registration has ended, you can still visit www.deerparkdance.com for more information. You can also reach out to the program directly at thedeerpark.danceprogram@
Classes are available for students in Preschool through 12th Grade.
View the Flier
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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
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August Lunch Menu
Due to supply issues, lunch menu options change frequently based on availability. The most up-to-date menu is below, however, please continue to check the Deer Park Food Services website for the latest information.
Visit the Website
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Looking Ahead
Please mark these important dates on your calendar:
- Parent Information Night (Pre-K-3rd): Wednesday, August 27 | 5-8 p.m.
- Parent Information Night (4th-6th): Thursday, August 28 | 5-6:30 p.m.
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In Case You Missed It
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Dismissal Changes
If you need to make a change to your student’s dismissal plan for the day, please call the office before 2:30 p.m. This allows us to notify all appropriate staff and ensure your child is safely where they need to be at the end of the day. Your cooperation helps us keep every student safe.
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2025-26 Amity School Times:
Arrival Times:
- Students eating breakfast can arrive between 7:35-7:50 a.m. at the cafeteria entrance. Breakfast is $2.00.
- All doors open at 7:50 a.m.
- School starts at 8:05 a.m. (Students are Tardy at 8:06 a.m.)
Dismissal Time:
- All students will be dismissed at 3:05 p.m.
Preschool Arrival and Dismissal Times:
- Preschool starts at 8:30 a.m. and dismisses at 11:00 a.m.
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Drop Off and Doors Open for Arrivals:
Breakfast: Enter through the open cafeteria door facing Linden Avenue. The cost of breakfast is $2.00.
Car Riders: Car Riders can enter through either our East entrance, which are the main office doors, or through our West entrance off the playground. We recommend kindergarten students be dropped off at the East entrance for easy access to their classrooms.
Walkers: Walkers not attending breakfast can enter through any of our three open doors.
*** We ask that parents say goodbye to their students in the car or at the doors of Amity. We will have plenty of staff members to help get them into their correct classrooms daily. Check in conversations with teachers can be scheduled through email or phone calls to the school.
Breakfast Entrance To Amity That Is Open From 7:35-7:50 Map
Morning Entrances To Amity That Open At 7:50 Map
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Kindergarten and 1st Grade Dismissal
- Kindergarten and 1st grade will be dismissed to the East Parking lot off the main office entrance.
- East Parking Lot Dismissal Map- Kindergarten and 1st Grade
- Car Riders- We ask that parents have a Student Pick-Up Card to help speed car rider pick up. Please remain in your car during pick up and your student will be brought to you.
- Walkers- Parents walking to pick up their students need to wait in the designated walker pick up zones to help ease congestion. Your student will be brought to you in this area.
- Shuttle Riders/Day Care Buses- These students will be taken to designated areas within the building and loaded onto the buses for dismissal. (Reminder: to ride the shuttle you have to apply each year by filling out the link sent out by district)
- All Kindergarten students will be dismissed on the East side of the building. All older siblings will come down to meet them on the East side of the building before departing.
- 1st grade students with an older sibling in grades 2nd-6th will be brought to their older sibling and exit to the west side of the building using the 2nd-6th grade dismissal process described below.
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2nd-6th Grade Dismissal:
- 2nd-6th Grade walkers and car pick up will be brought to the West side of the building off the playground.
- Car Riders- We ask that parents have a Student Pick-Up Card to help speed car riders pick up. Please remain in your car and pull all the way up to increase the number of cars we can get in our parking lot. Students will be staged by grade in these areas. All cars inside the gate will be loaded with students before any cars inside the gate will be permitted to leave. This is for student safety.
- Walkers- Parents walking to pick up their students need to wait in the designated walker pick up zone outside the southwest corner of the building by the big tree. Students will be brought to you in this area.
- Shuttle Riders/Daycare Buses- These students will be taken to designated areas within the building and loaded onto the buses for dismissal. (Reminder: to ride the shuttle you have to apply each year by filling out the link sent out by district)
- In the event that we have heavy rains, we have a plan in place for our West (playground) parking lot. Students will be housed inside the building in the classrooms and will be radioed to when their cars enter the recess parking lot. Students will then come down stairs to be released to the cars. Typically traffic patterns will be followed, but loading will require patience, as the distance students are traveling to get into cars will increase.
West Parking Lot Dismissal Map- Grades 2-6 (and 1st grade siblings)
2nd-6th Grade Walking Routes Map
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Shuttle Bus and Transportation:
On August 4, the district sent communication to our families that we will be bringing back the shuttle bus for this upcoming school year. You can find out more information about our shuttle as well as a link to the shuttle bus application here:
Shuttle Bus Registration Information
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Lunch/Recess Times:
Below are posted lunch and recess times for the 2024-25 school year.
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Grade |
Lunch Times |
Recess |
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K |
10:50-11:20 |
11:20-11:40 |
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1st |
11:00-11:30 |
11:30-11:50 |
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2nd |
11:20-11:45 |
10:55-11:20 |
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3rd |
11:30-12:00 |
11:00-11:30 |
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4th |
12:10-12:40 |
12:40-1:00 |
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5th |
12:20-12:40 |
11:55-12:20 |
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6th |
12:00-12:20 |
12:20-12:40 |
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Attendance, Arrival, and Dismissal Information
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Cell Phone Policy
We understand that students are starting to get cell phones in the later grades within Amity. Please help us in talking to your student about the following expectations prior to the start of school. This year Amity Elementary students will be expected to turn their cell phones off when they get to Amity in the morning and keep them off until the end of the day. This is a change from last year. We believe this will help eliminate distractions throughout the academic day. Because all students are issued a chrome book at the beginning of the school year there is not a need for students to access their cell phones during the school day for academic purposes. If students need to connect with you during the school day, they are welcome to use the phone in the front office to call you.
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FinalForms
We will continue to utilize FinalForms in an effort to help simplify your life! Please login to FinalForms at https://deerpark-oh.
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Schoology
The Schoology Learning Management System offers a tremendous amount of information in a user friendly version. You will be able to communicate with your child’s teachers, check homework and grades, and find teacher resources through teacher Schoology pages.
Schoology Link
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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
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Staying Connected
There are multiple ways to stay connected to Amity Elementary School.
- Email Newsletter: All parents who have completed FinalForms should receive Amity Weekly
Newsletters. If you are not currently receiving them, please register for the email 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 Schools for the most up-to-date news and happenings at @DeerParkSchools or @DeerParkAmity
- Facebook: follow us at Deer Park Community City Schools.
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Inspiring & Empowering Lifelong Success
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