We’re excited to inform families that Deer Park School District will no longer publish school supply lists for students in grades K-8. Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, Deer Park Elementary, Arcadia, and Deer Park Middle School will equip students with basic school supplies. Aside from a backpack/book bag, a lunch box, and any other personal items a student may need, it’s our goal to eliminate the expectation that families purchase basic school supplies before the start of the school year. Staff in DPSD have discussed making this plan a reality for the past couple of years, and given the difficulty so many families have experienced over the past year and a half, the 2021-22 school year seemed to provide a perfect opportunity to move forward.
While our schools will provide all the basic day-to-day supplies previously published on supply lists (i.e. – paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, glue/glue sticks, scissors…) there may still be instances where a project or activity requires particular materials or supplies. In those cases, individual teachers will reach out to parents/guardians to communicate that specific need. Similarly, at the high school level, course needs are often very specific and teacher-centric, and as such teachers at DPHS will continue to share required supplies and materials via their course syllabus, which are distributed to students at the beginning of each semester.
We’re thrilled about the opportunity to lighten the load for families in Deer Park and ensure that every student is equipped with what’s necessary for learning each day. We worked closely with staff in each school to build a complete list of supplies and materials and we’re looking forward to making “back-to-school” a little simpler, a little less stressful, and a little less expensive for our families!
If you have any specific questions about materials or supplies, please reach out to the main office of the building your child attends starting on Aug. 18, when school offices open to prepare for the upcoming school year.