Happy New Year Deer Park families!
We're excited to extend an invitation to parents of kids of ALL ages. On Wednesday, January 25th, 2023 Deer Park School District will partner with staff from Spokane Regional Health and Northeast Educational Service District 101, to host a Family Forum. Presenters will provide families with information about keeping our kids and community healthy and safe. In three, 25-minute sessions we'll cover topics of interest expressed by our Deer Park community - we look forward to having you join us! Knowing that child care can be a barrier to attendance for many families, Deer Park staff will provide safe and structured activities for school-age children while parents listen to the presentations.
- When: Wednesday, January 25
- Where: Deer Park High School Theater
- What time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm (check-in begins in the DPHS commons at 5:30 pm - snacks and refreshments provided from 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm)
Staff from Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) will begin at 6:00 pm with the first of three short presentations. In their daily work at SRHD, Misty Challinor and Wendy Brizendine see first-hand the frightening impact of opioid addiction and, most recently, the incredible danger associated with Fentanyl - a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Misty and Wendy will share facts about the danger associated with the increasing prevalence of Fentanyl, the ways this powerful opioid is being packaged for and marketed to children, and how parents can have age-appropriate conversations with their children. It’s a vitally important and very timely message every parent needs to hear.
At 6:25 pm, Steve Schreiner, an Educational Technology Specialist from our regional Educational Service District will share important information for parents about social media use and Internet safety. It's no secret that kids often engage in some glaringly obvious oversharing about themselves while online. That said, kids (and their parents) are generally unaware of just how much is being shared behind the scenes when using social media apps. Steve will provide insights about some common pitfalls associated with using certain social media applications and he will also share recommendations for how you can increase your child’s safety by “avoiding the overshare” that can put children at risk.
Finally, it’s no secret that Deer Park is growing! At 6:50 pm, Deer Park's Superintendent, Travis Hanson, will wrap-up the evening by providing an update on the work of the district's Facilities Advisory Committee and the DPSD's plans for responding to the unprecedented growth Deer Park is experiencing. While the growth in Deer Park is exciting, that growth comes with the need to plan for updates and additions to school facilities, ensuring that Deer Park School District will continue to offer safe, secure, and modern educational environments for kids in this community for years to come!
Again, Deer Park staff will provide structured childcare for families needing assistance with their school-age children during the presentations. We ask that you please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly: RSVP HERE
Questions? Please feel free to contact Deer Park’s Asst. Superintendent, Dr. Alexa Allman, at alexa.allman@dpsd.org.