Wishing our Deer Park family, friends, and community a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!
Congratulations to our Transportation Department for two (2) years of outstanding school bus inspection results. Many thanks to our mechanics for their great work! We appreciate you! From OSPI & Washington State Patrol: On behalf of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington State Patrol, we want to congratulate you, your administration, and your transportation team whose diligent and tireless efforts protect the safety of Washington’s students on our school buses. The recent Washington State Patrol annual school bus inspection illustrates your school district’s exceptional results. For the past two years, your district has met the strict inspection criteria to receive this Letter of Achievement. Your diligent efforts in providing students with safe transportation to and from school, as well as to extracurricular activities, are truly commendable.
Did you know that educators demonstrate commitment to their professional practice that supports student learning outside of the school year? Dedicated educators attended professional learning to enhance their professional practice at Whitworth University. Way to go, educators!
On Monday, June 23, 2025, the School Board reviewed the community's feedback based on the Facilities Advisory Committee's recommendations (https://www.dpsd.org/o/dpsd/page/facilities-advisory-committee). The Facilities Advisory Committee recommended that the Board consider 4 projects: Arcadia Roof Replacement, HVAC Repairs, Flooring and Site Safety (Estimated Cost $1.8M), Districtwide Safety, Security, and Communication Improvements (Estimated Cost $300K), Land Purchase and Road Development for Current and Future Needs (Estimated Cost $5M), and Replace and Relocate the 90-yr-old Transportation Center (Estimated Cost $7.5M). After reviewing the feedback from the community, the Board passed a resolution to place a short-term, four-year capital levy for $14.6M on the November 2025 ballot to address the four projects. (https://www.dpsd.org/page/levy2025. )
See the survey results and more information here: https://5il.co/3kdpv
More information coming soon!
Who Oversees Financial Accountability for School Districts?
1. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
OSPI sets the rules for school finances.
Regular financial reports from all districts.
Public data on district budgets, expenditures, and funding sources.
2. Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO)
Conducts regular audits of every school district.
Audits look at:
How money is spent.
Whether laws and rules are followed.
Whether financial records are accurate.
Audit results are public and posted online.
You are welcome!
Facilities Advisory Committee
Tuesday, June 25
6:00 pm
School District Administration Office
https://www.dpsd.org/o/dpsd/page/facilities-advisory-committee
DPHS served 116 students from 2nd grade to 12th grade for the annual volleyball camp. The students had a great time, and many thanks to the volleyball coaching staff!
Did you know? Per RCW 28A.150.260, in Washington State, funding per student does not directly follow each individual student to the specific school they attend because the state's K–12 funding system is based on a district-level allocation model, not a per-school or per-student voucher system.
Here is more information:
In Washington State, schools are primarily funded through a combination of state taxes, local property taxes, and federal funds. Here's a high-level breakdown:
State Funding: The state government allocates money for education from taxes collected statewide. This funding is distributed to school districts based on various factors, including student enrollment and specific educational needs.
Local Funding: Local school districts also receive money from property taxes paid by homeowners and businesses within the district boundaries. These funds are used to supplement state allocations and can vary based on local property values and tax rates.
Federal Funding: Schools receive additional support from the federal government through programs like Title I (which supports schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families), special education grants, and other federal initiatives aimed at enhancing educational opportunities.
Other Sources: Some schools may also receive funding through grants, donations, and specific local levies approved by voters to fund particular programs or facility improvements.
To learn about DPSD's budget: https://5il.co/2vdf5
To view DPSD's financial documents and records (all public), visit: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/.../school-apportionment/safs-report
Learn about WA state school funding: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/policy-funding and https://www.waschoolfunding.org/
Overall, the funding landscape ensures that resources are allocated to support educational programs, facilities, and services necessary for student learning and development across the state.
Did you know that public school systems are held to high accountability measures to ensure transparency, responsibility, and that public funds are spent wisely? Districts are held accountable through annual public audits (State Auditor's Office), School Board oversight, state reporting requirements (OSPI), public access and transparency, and performance measures (OSPI).
To learn about DPSD's budget: https://5il.co/2vdf5
To view DPSD's financial documents and records (all public), visit: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/policy-funding/school-apportionment/safs-report
Learn about WA state school funding: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/policy-funding and https://www.waschoolfunding.org/
We want to hear from you! Before moving forward with the recommended capital levy, the School Board wants to hear from its families, staff, and community regarding the committee’s priority projects. The district has created a survey that allows stakeholders to provide input. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts to help the School Board ensure that the committee’s recommendation aligns with our community’s priorities. Please take a moment to fill out our survey below. Please complete by June 20th. Survey here: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/168300841/welcome
For more information, click here: https://www.dpsd.org/page/levy2025
Facilities Advisory Committee: https://www.dpsd.org/o/dpsd/page/facilities-advisory-committee
The state’s school funding formula doesn't provide resources for large capital costs. While resources are provided through limited funds for general care and upkeep, districts must rely on capital levies and bonds to address larger renovations and new construction needs.
As we honor and remember those who have served, please remember there will be no school on Monday, May 26, 2025.
What an incredible STEAM Night community event! Students and families experienced fun, hands-on learning. Students were able to experience the arts, including drama and music, world languages, math, science, Ag science, industrial arts, and marketing! Many thanks to the educators for their creativity, excellence, and innovation in creating such a remarkable event. #inspireexcellence
As we celebrate and honor the excellence of our educators, we hope you will feel inspired by our Dear, Deer Park video. Educators: You matter and you make a difference. Thanks for inspiring excellence! Thank you for all you do! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSHx0tacRHk
#inspireexcellence
Many thanks to ALL of our educators for their dedication, patience, and determination to ensure students feel a sense of belonging and grow & engage academically! We appreciate YOU! Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week!
Many thanks to Mayor Verzal for inviting and including the Deer Park School District in the City's Community Parks and Open Space planning process! Although this process is focused on the city's needs, it was inspiring for business leaders (including the Chamber of Commerce) and the City to highly consider the needs of our kids and families! What a great group of representatives from the community. We are excited to see where this planning process takes our community and how we can continue to partner and work together as a cohesive team.
DPHS Baseball update: H3H is back- we once again fight mental health!
Come spend the day with us!
On Sunday, April 27th, DPHS Baseball is hosting the 2nd Annual H3H Marathon Day of Baseball at the DPHS Baseball Field.
We are proud to be one of the only high school baseball program in Washington to take this on—and we couldn’t be more thrilled!
Why This Event Matters:
This day is about much more than baseball. We are coming together to raise mental health awareness, especially for student-athletes. One of the day’s highlights will be a powerful presentation by Kimber Erickson of KELLENCARES, a local foundation dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health.
Mental Health Talk: 12:00 PM in the theatre
Open to all—parents, players, and community members are encouraged to attend
What to Expect:
Baseball games all day
Music & a live emcee to keep the energy high
Silent auction- we could use more items :)
Delicious food
Tons of fun activities for the whole family!
We'll see you on April 27th!
🌟 Thank you to our incredible Deer Park School District community! 🌟
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all community members, board members, staff, and administrators for their dedicated work on our strategic plan. Together, we've reviewed progress, analyzed data, and gathered invaluable feedback from staff, students, and our community. Your thoughts and insights are shaping a vision and long-term plan that will guide us towards even greater excellence.
Deer Park Inspires Excellence! 🦌💫
#DeerParkSchools #CommunityEngagement #StrategicPlanning #Excellence
Thank you bus drivers for ensuring our students make it to school and home each day safely! We appreciate you! Celebrating national bus driver day on Tuesday, April 22, 2025! #thankabusdriver
