Deer Park School District

Deer Park School District is seeking applications from residents of the District interested in being appointed to committees to write the “for” and “against” statements for the Spokane, Stevens and Pend Oreille County Local Voters’ Pamphlets related to the District’s capital levy ballot measure to be considered at the November 4, 2025 election. Interested residents should send their name, address, email address, phone number and committee name (or which position they represent) to Alexa Allman, Superintendent, Deer Park School District, 428 N. Main Ave., Deer Park, WA 99006-0490 or via email at alexa.allman@dpsdmail.org by July 7, 2025. The Board will take action on the appointments at its July 14, 2025 meeting. Contact information for individuals appointed by the Board may be listed in the local voters’ pamphlets. For more information, please reference the Spokane County “Local Voters’ Pamphlet – Administrative Rules for Jurisdictions” available at www.spokanecounty.gov/313/Candidates-Campaigns.

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!

Deer Park School District would like to recognize and congratulate Ms. Erica Guhlke-Whitmore! Ms. Guhlke-Whitmore was nominated by her District 5 Agricultural Education Colleagues and recognized for her outstanding service to Agricultural Education. She was selected as the Washington state winner! Her nomination was forwarded to the National Association of Agricultural Educators as Washington's representative in Region 1. 2025 NAAE Outstanding Service Award The NAAE Outstanding Service Award recognizes experienced agricultural educators who have made significant contributions to agricultural education by supporting teachers and students on the local, state, region, and/or national level. These humble leaders have spent their careers energized by the responsibility of shaping the future one student at a time. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the ten (10) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching. At the national level, NAAE members must at least be in their twentieth (20th) year of teaching agriculture at the time they apply to NAAE. Way to go Ms. Guhlke-Whitmore! We are proud of you and your service to others!

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!

DPSD School Board was pleased to give Mr. Mitch Hill the "Above and Beyond Award" at the school board meeting last evening! Mr. Hill was recognized for his willingness to always be helpful to others, being the first on call to help, and goes the extra mile to get the job done. He is a beloved custodian at Deer Park Elementary School, where he is always willing to help staff and students and does so with a smile and positivity. Whenever there is a need, Mr. Hill is the first to volunteer to help and drop what he's doing, including extra jobs, and work overtime. DPSD is lucky to have Mr. Hill on the Stags team! Congratulations Mitch!

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.

Congratulations to the DPHS class of 2025!

Summer is upon us! The last day of school is June 11th with early release as follows: Elementary + Arcadia - 10:30 a.m., Middle School - 10:25 a.m., and High School 10:10 a.m.. Offices open again on August 13th, with the first day back for students on August 27th. Kindergarten students start on September 2nd, and Home Link starts on September 8th. We hope you have a fantastic summer break, and we are all looking forward to a great 2025-26 school year!

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/

Today, we celebrated a big milestone for our preschoolers as they graduated and prepared to take their next step into kindergarten. Their field day was filled with fun, laughter, and excitement. We can’t wait to see them continue to learn and shine in the years to come. Congratulations to our preschool graduates! #PreschoolGraduation #FieldDayFun #FutureKindergarteners

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.

'Tis the reason for the season! Congratulations to our 2025 graduates (all 188 of them!) Our youngest learners congratulated DPHS graduates today as they walked through the halls. The graduates visited DPE, Arcadia, and DPMS. Pick up the special senior edition of the Tribune (Bob Mart, Pickett Fence, or Yokes)! Many thanks to the educators, families, and the community for supporting this fantastic class! We are so proud of you! #InspireExcellence

Congratulations to DPHS track at State! MEDAL WINNERS: Darrin McCanna/Tommy Allison: 5th place 2A/3A/4A combined Unified Shotput Sophia Phillips, Neveah Gonzales, Darrin McCanna, Keith Schick: 7th place 2A/3A/4A combined Unified SMR 800 relay. Darrin McCanna/Tommy Allison: 2nd place 2A/3A/4A combined Unified 100m Dash Myah Desalles: 9th place 2A Girls Triple Jump Mattison Wainwright: 13th place 2A Girls High Jump Jacey Boesel: 11th place 2A Girls Long Jump Sophia Phillips, Brooklyn Coe, Frankie Allison, Darrin McCanna: 11th place Unified 2A/3A/4A combined 4x100 Relay

Please take a moment to review Dr. Allman's June 2025 DPSD update. https://5il.co/3hn1m

Today, our 7th graders were out in the community taking part in the Seventh (grade) Spikes Spring Service Project (4S Project)! They’re making a real difference through hands-on service and showing what it means to be thoughtful, engaged citizens. We’re so proud of their hard work and heart! #4SProject #CommunityService #InspireExcellence

Congratulations to our 2025 Retirees! We had the honor, a few weeks ago, to celebrate and recognize the staff members who are retiring this year. As part of our tradition, each retiree who has served our district for over five years is presented with a golden apple - a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, and the deep appreciation we hold for their commitment. We are truly grateful to all those who have dedicated themselves to the education, safety, and care of our students. Your hard work has left a lasting impact, and we thank each of you for your passion, commitment, and service. Thank you, Lauren Inman, Kevin Kernan, Scott Carlson, Adeline Tooley, Dawn Geyer, Kathy Sanborn, Lisa Carnes, Kim Ruyrok, Esther Collin, Joyce Henning, and Renee Attridge! We wish you all the very best as you embark on new and exciting adventures in the next chapter of your lives.

Congratulations to DPHS senior Katie Nelson. She was selected as the Fire Department Student of the Year. Katie was able to ride in the fire truck with a full escort to school! Way to go Katie!