Deer Park Elementary

Our goal in transportation is to ensure all students arrive to and from school safely and on time! As we are migrating to new transportation systems, we need updated information for all returning and new students. Our goal is to ensure we have accurate and updated records for the first day of school. If your child plans to ride the bus, you MUST register annually: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMi6tA-M7KUwGD9cmTeNN6wndYW_vc5p1UnyzJjrz1cQR2dw/viewform?usp=dialog

The Deer Park School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Caleb Krantz to the School Board. The Board is excited to welcome him to the Board and appreciates his willingness to continue serving our students, staff, families, and the Deer Park community.

Caleb Krantz is a local parent and engineer with a history of involvement within the District since moving to the community in 2010. His daughter graduated in 2023, and his son is a senior at the high school this year. Caleb has served as a CTE advisor and a member of the Facilities Advisory Committee for over 10 years. He has been an active supporter of multiple booster clubs and also a member and president of the Committee to Support Deer Park Schools.

Krantz will officially take the oath of office and be sworn in at the August 24, 2026, School Board meeting. We look forward to having him join the Board and contribute to the important work of supporting our schools and students.

Schools are open for business, and educators across the schools, pre-K-12, are engaged in professional learning! DPSD is committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for our students. We share a common goal: to ensure high levels of learning for all students! Our educators are demonstrating a desire and commitment to helping all students learn by working collaboratively to ensure success for all students. Way to go, educators! We are getting inspired to launch an awesome year for students!

Deer Park School District follows the Department of Health guidelines for air quality. See the Washington Children and Youth Activities Guide for Air Quality guidelines: https://5il.co/3p67p

Welcome back to school! As you are preparing for the first day of school (Wednesday, August 26, for 1st - 12th grades), here is a list of school supplies your child will need this year. The remainder of the school supplies are provided, many thanks to our community that supports the local levy.
1. Backpack
2. Comfortable shoes for PE
3. Headphones (child-sized, over the ear, 3.5mm jack; no Bluetooth or wireless)
4. Box of Kleenex

The Deer Park School District Board of Directors is seeking to fill an open position. Residents of the school district may apply to fill the unexpired term ending December 2027. Applicants interested in serving must reside in the Deer Park School District #414. The Deer Park School District map is available on the website: www.dpsd.org.

The vacancy on the five-member board will be filled through an application and selection process per Washington State Law. The remaining School Board members will review materials and will conduct an interview with the applicants in an open public meeting. All citizens are invited to nominate candidates for the position, provided that the nominees will be eligible registered voters who reside in the Director district. Deer Park residents who are interested in the vacant seat must submit a letter of interest and resume to: Alexa Allman, alexa.allman@dpsdmail.org or 509-464-5507. Applications are due by July 15, 2026, at 4:00 pm.

A letter of interest must include answers to the following questions:
1. What experiences, talents, skills, and/or knowledge do you bring to the School Board that you would like to highlight?
2. Given what you know of the community of Deer Park and the Deer Park School District, what do you believe one or two of the Board’s primary priorities should be for the next couple of years?

Materials should be delivered to:
Alexa Allman
Deer Park School District
PO Box 490
Deer Park, WA 99006

For more information or to verify your residency in the Deer Park School District, please contact Joanne Greer, joanne.greer@dpsdmail.org or 509-464-5517.

Rain couldn’t dampen DPE's spirit for field day! 🌧️❌

Even with a little wet weather, Field Day 2026 was an absolute blast! From the classic parachute in the gym and high-energy indoor bowling to epic tug-o-war battles and rock climbing, our students brought the energy. We even braved the elements for some messy outdoor water games before cooling off with popsicles inside! 🍧✨

Huge shoutout to our amazing staff and volunteers for pivoting so fast and making today unforgettable. Our kids definitely proved that a little rain just makes the memories sweeter!

#FieldDay #ElementarySchool #SchoolSpirit #RainOrShine #MakingMemories #BestDayEver

Summer is here! The last day of school is this Wednesday, June 10th!
Pickup times vary with each school -
Elementary & Arcadia: 10:30 AM | Middle & High School: 10:10 AM
Bus pickup to follow shortly.
The first day of school for the 2026 - 27 school year is August 26th.
Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe summer break. See you back in August!

Students at Deer Park Elementary earned a Bubble Party as a school-wide PBIS reward! Everyone had so much fun, students and staff included. Many thanks to PTO for providing the sno-cones! What a great day!

Deer Park Preschool’s new playground is officially open!
After a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony today, staff had the chance to test it out and have some fun before the preschoolers, who will get to enjoy it starting Monday.
What an exciting addition for our students and school community!

#DeerParkSchools #ECEAP #NewPlayground

Many thanks to Deer Park Elementary School's PTO for hosting a fun Donuts with Grownups event! We love that our community gathers at the school for children!

Our kindergarten classrooms have been full of excitement lately. Students have been studying the development and life cycle of chickens, and this week, the lesson came to life as 6 baby chicks successfully hatched.
This hands-on experience provides a great front-row seat to the wonders of biology. How cool is it that our students get to witness this firsthand?!

#DeerParkElementary #LifeCycle #BabyChicks

Summer EBT Program/Sun Bucks
States can provide $40 per summer month per child to families with eligible school-age children for them to buy groceries, similar to how USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are used.

If you didn’t fill out a free or reduced lunch form this year because school meals are already free, you could be missing out on the new Summer EBT Program! Students who qualify for Free or Reduced school meals at Deer Park Elementary, Arcadia Elementary, Deer Park Middle School, and Deer Park High School are eligible to receive $120 for summer groceries.

To qualify for Summer EBT, families must complete the Free and Reduced Price Meals application.

Questions?
Call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230
Applications are available at any school office or you can request to have one sent home with your student.

How do we ensure ALL DPSD students are ready and successful for college, career, and life? 🎓Educators, leaders, community members, and even a recent graduate came together to answer that exact question.

Using community feedback, research, and our district’s strategic priorities, this team worked collaboratively to define the skills and characteristics our students need to be ready for their future.

We want all DPSD students to be:
- Confident, independent, and self-reliant
- Critical thinkers & problem solvers
- Personally and socially accountable
- Effective communicators
- Flexible and adaptable
- Contributing members to society and the community

We’re grateful for the voices, perspectives, and passion that made this work possible. This is how strong communities build strong future-ready students in Deer Park. 💙

#DPSD #ProfileOfAGraduate #FutureReady #CommunityDriven

Yesterday evening was full of fun at Deer Park Elementary during our ‘Spring Into Reading’ Family Engagement Night. We love seeing our students and families come together to celebrate learning and literacy!

#FamilyEngagement #DeerParkElementary #SpringIntoReading

We are proud to recognize three outstanding Deer Park Elementary staff members who were recently honored by the Board of Directors for going truly Above and Beyond for students, Wendy Bennett-Hill, Shelley Pajimola, & Shelly McLean. 💙

Whether it’s offering extra care and emotional support, being present and engaged with students out on the playground during recess, or providing meaningful instructional support in the classroom—each of these individuals consistently shows what it means to put students first.

Their compassion, dedication, and commitment to student success do not go unnoticed. Thank you for making a difference every single day and for helping create a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment for all learners. 🌟

#AboveAndBeyond #DeerParkPride #StudentFirst

Deer Park Schools are very fortunate to have assistant principals at our schools to support our children! This is made possible becuase our community supported our EP&O (Educational Programs and Operations Levy). Through this support, our local funds allow the District to provide support for students beyond the basic state allocation (which funds "basic education"). Ms. Maxfield received a 'shout out' from a staff member who recognizes her hard work, "she really shines when things get in a pinch. [She] jumps right in full speed ahead !! Not only does Haley continue to have an open door to anyone who needs to talk, but she handles students who need breaks, parents who need updates, handles pre-school calls, greets everyone that she sees with a smile and a hello, and still takes time to visit with all." Thank you, Ms. Maxfield, for your dedication and support of our children. DPSD would also like to thank the Deer Park community for your ongoing support of our schools - the funding for educational programs and operations beyond the state's allocation is made possible by your ongoing support of our levy.

Friendship/Valentine’s Day = KINDNESS day at our schools! 💘Students across the District celebrated and had so much fun! Shoutout to our students for encouraging others, including everyone, and spreading joy with thoughtful notes and helping hands. 🌟

Staff and students at Deer Park Elementary School had a fun and exciting Friday! Not only did they celebrate the 100th day of school (do you recognize the staff and students?), but they also celebrated students who demonstrated kindness. February is the month for showing kindness across the District. Way to go, Rangers!