Deer Park Home Link

Did you know that the short-term capital levy will address the necessary road improvements on the 42-acre parcel? If the levy is approved, the district will extend the existing D Street and Aspen Streets to provide access to the new transportation center and existing facilities. Improvements will include utilities, on-street parking, and stormwater facilities, five-foot sidewalks, curbs and street lighting on both sides of the roadway. Learn more here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/landproject

Did you know that if the proposed short-term capital levy is approved, Deer Park’s local education tax rate will still be below the average when compared to the 13 Spokane County school districts? To learn more about the proposed short-term capital levy costs, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/levy2025costs

Did you wonder why the facilities committee recommended a short-term levy instead of a bond? The smaller scope of the projects is far better suited for a capital levy. Unlike a bond that assumes longer-term debt to address larger-scale projects like new schools, a capital levy is a common way Washington schools fund smaller-scale projects like those being proposed. To learn more about the short-term capital levy, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/levy2025

Some Home Link highlights for this week include Mrs. Schafer bringing in her miniature Zebu cows for the Farm Class in Clayton. And over in Mr. Flatter's "Leather and You" class, students got to experience dying leather. What a blast!

#LeatherWork #FarmClass #HomeLink

Did you know that the DP Transportation facility is surrounded on all sides by a train track, Spring Creek, and wetlands? This prohibits the current Transportation facility from being expanded. Currently, the facility parks 36 buses, contains a 6-bay garage, and a covered carport for 4 SUVs. There are about 35 employees who also need to park their vehicles (and share 2 bathrooms). This is all contained in an area that is less than 2 acres. The District is asking the community to consider relocating and rebuilding the transportation facility.

Did you know that by purchasing the 42-acre parcel from the city, and developing the road and associated infrastructure, this ensures Deer Park will have the necessary space to address current and projected facility and program
needs as we are planning for the future? Learn more about the project here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/landproject

At Home Link, learning goes beyond the textbook; in Mr. Moss’s Watercolor, Splash & Paint class, students are exploring watercolor techniques using sprays and salt to create backgrounds before painting a subject on top, a great blend of art and experimentation.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Krug Hanson’s students in Game Hour are enjoying various games and practicing social skills in a safe and fun environment.

#HomeLinkHighlights #DPSD

The short-term capital levy will address many preservation projects at Arcadia Elementary, including replacing the 30-yr old roof, 30-yr old gym HVAC units, 30-yr-old flooring, and installation of safety fencing. To learn more about the proposed Arcadia improvements, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/arcadiaproject

Did you know that the Deer Park School District has demonstrated fiscal responsibility by not asking the community to support additional capital projects financially? The last capital project measure that the community financially supported was the high school bond (which will be paid off this December). The following projects have been accomplished by the District recently through demonstrating fiscal responsibility and savings and WITHOUT asking the community for additional funds: Varsity softball field, Bleachers and pressbox, DPE roof, safety vestibules at all of the schools, DPMS addition, Clayton kitchen, Clayton storage unit, paving, & fence, laptops for students, DPE chiller lines replacement, Security cameras installed, Arcadia, ECEAP & DPE, Home Link/Administration exterior paint, High school soffit paint, Home Link bathroom addition/Admin conference room, High school irrigation pump/smart meter, High school stadium fencing, Bus garage parking lot grading and dust control, Bus garage drivers' room remodel and admin office construction. All of these projects have been accomplished while working diligently to provide daily custodial and grounds maintenance.

In our Home Link program’s Story Crafters class, students are sharpening their descriptive writing by describing a season without ever naming it.
Meanwhile, in Survival Book Club, students are taking their reading off the page, building shelters inspired by the survival classic Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
Enrichment opportunities like these, while parents remain the primary educators, are part of what makes our Home Link program so unique.

#HomeLink #DPSD #EnrichmentInAction

Did you know that today (9/25/25) is "Perfect Square Day?"

A Perfect Square Day is a date where the month, day, and year numbers can all be represented as perfect squares (like 9, 16, 25). For example, September 16, 2025 (9/16/25) is a Perfect Square Day because 9 is 3², 16 is 4², and 2025 is 45². This particular date is also special because the square roots (3, 4, and 5) form the well-known Pythagorean triple (3² + 4² = 5²), making it a particularly noteworthy event for mathematicians.

Do you know when the next perfect square day will be?

From: Your math educators in Deer Park School District

How much will my taxes increase if the levy is passed? The short-term, 4-year capital levy is estimated to cost $1.45/$1,000 assessed value. The current bond, which will be paid off after this year, is assessed at $1.03/$1,000. If approved, tax rates would increase by $0.42/$1,000 over current levels for four years. Learn more here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/levy2025

Did you know that the district will appoint a 10-member, independent Community Levy Oversight Committee to ensure accountability and fiscal transparency throughout the duration of the levy? To learn more about the committee or if you are interested in serving, contact Dr. Allman (alexa.allman@dpsdmail.org). Click here to learn more: https://www.dpsd.org/page/levyoversight

Did you know that the 42-acre parcel, currently owned by the city, was identified as being the last available site within city limits that could reasonably serve to support a future school site? That’s why the Facilities Advisory Committee prioritized it in the short-term capital levy. Learn more about the project here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/landproject

Home Link students are enjoying their enrichment experiences! Nash completed the "Minor Chords Exam" and was celebrated by Ms. Van Wormer,while other students in Ms. Davenport's class participated in a "Pillsbury Bake Off" where they tested out a new recipe!

Many thanks to the Spokesman Review for the article featuring, "‘Our last and best hope’: Deer Park School District asks voters for $14.5M levy to replace aging bus barn, acquire land and other projects." The Deer Park School District will be asking the community to consider a short-term capital levy (4 years) to accomplish projects including district-wide safety and security (phones, intercom, emergency alert system, fencing, etc.), new roof & HVAC system for Arcadia, purchase of the last land available in Deer Park (and completion of the road), and re-building of the transportation facility. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/sep/16/our-last-and-best-hope-deer-park-school-district-a/

Home Link's Outdoor Education program had another successful launch this year. Students enjoy learning about nature, survival, and the environment. Not to mention, they get to see beautiful wildlife, too!

Home Link students, staff, and families joined on September 11 at the flag poles in Deer Park and Clayton. This was a time to remember, learn about the significance of September 11, and flag raising.

Preserving our Past. Planning our Future. Did you know that the Deer Park School District has developed a long-range facilities plan that balances facility preservation and planning with an emphasis on keeping tax rates as low as possible for the community? To learn more about the District's intermediate and long-term plans, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/longrangeplan

Preserving our Past. Planning our Future. The short-term capital levy will address many preservation projects at Arcadia Elementary, including replacing the 30-yr old roof, 30-yr old gym HVAC units, 30-yr-old flooring, and installation of safety fencing. To learn more about the proposed Arcadia improvements, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/arcadiaproject