What's New?
From the Desk of Mr. Drouhard
Dear Amity Families,
Part of my weekend routine is to wake up on Saturday morning and go for a run. I enjoy plugging in my headphones and listening to podcasts as I work out. I find it as a way that I can improve myself physically and mentally at the same time. If you’ve never listened to a podcast before, it's very similar to a taped radio talk show. I listen to a wide variety of podcasts ranging from sports to economics to leadership. It truly helps the miles go by on my run!
Recently I was approached by two aspiring reporters, Autumn Caldwell and Emerson Osborne, about being a guest on their Podcast Show, Living and Learning in Second Grade. I was flattered to finally be part of the podcast community myself! This podcast is an after school extension of Mrs. Walsh’s class, as she is working to develop knowledge and skills for her students in producing podcasts. Autumn and Emerson wrote and asked all the questions in the podcast. I could tell they had practiced each question from their poise and timing. They did a fabulous job of thinking on their feet and following up on my responses. This isn't easy to do, especially when you know it is being taped! I am always impressed by what our students can achieve, even at a young age! I had a nice time talking with Autumn and Emerson!
If you care to listen to our conversation, here is the link to the podcast:
Take Care,
Josh
AP Corner: Notes from the Assistant Principal on additional happenings around Amity
Kindness Week was a hit! It was a great reminder of the importance of holding empathy in our hearts and kindness in our actions and words. This week, I had the pleasure of being a judge for our Amity Talent Show. We definitely have some amazing students! Dancing, singing, comedic acts, and magic acts, our kids can do it all! The courage that our students displayed in getting up to perform in front of others was inspiring. Although not all students who tried out made the cut for this year's performance, they are all winners in my book!
In kindness,
Michelle Ellis
Kindergarten Registration
Online registration for kindergarten will begin on March 1st for the 2022-2023 school year. Please remember our Board Policy when planning to register for kindergarten.
“A child is eligible for entrance into kindergarten if s/he attains the age of five (5) on or before August 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance.”
No School: February 21st and 22nd
There will be no school on Monday, February 21st due to Presidents Day. There will also not be school on Tuesday, February 22nd, as teachers will be in professional development.
Lighthouse Community Church Outreach Meal
What: Community Outreach Free Meal and groceries
Where: Community Lighthouse Church of God
4305 Sycamore Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45236
When: Thursday, February 24
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Who: ANYONE is welcome- no registration needed. All are welcome to stop by for a free meal. Groceries: 1 bag per family while supplies last
February Lunch Menu
Due to supply issues, lunch menu options change frequently based on availability. The most up-to-date menu is below, however, please continue to check the Deer Park Food Services website for the latest information.
Looking Ahead
Please mark these important dates on your calendar!
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President's Day (NO SCHOOL): Monday, February 21
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Teacher Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL): Tuesday, February 22
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Board of Education Work Session: Tuesday, March 8 | 4:30 p.m.
In Case You Missed It
Champions Summer Camp
Spring Conferences: March 3rd and 4th
Spring parent teacher conferences will be held March 3rd and 4th. Conferences are a great time to connect with your child’s teacher to check on their academic and personal growth this year. Conferences will be held Thursday, March 3rd from 1:00-8:00 PM and Friday, March 4th from 8:00-3:00 PM. Below is the link to sign up for conferences. We look forward to seeing you on one of these days!
Deer Park Soccer League
Registration for the Deer Park Soccer League is open. Deer Park Soccer has age groups for everyone starting as young as 4-year-olds who turn 5 this year. You can find more information and register your child at the link below!
Booster Seat Reminder
Please see the attached document regarding booster seat reminders for children under the age of 8 or 4 feet 9 inches. As a reminder, children under these measurements are required by state law to use a booster seat. See the flyer for more information.
Please Help Reduce Tardies To School
I recognize that as the school year rolls on, our ability to get our students up in the morning becomes harder. We need to renew our efforts in the morning to get our students up and out the door. School starts at 8:00, and our teachers are starting the educational process at that time daily. While it may not feel significant to be a couple minutes late, if done daily it will add up to a lot of educational minutes! Thank you for your help!
Champions Program At Amity
Champions offers before and after school programs at Amity Elementary to help working parents. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Recess During Cold Weather
With a return to colder temperatures, please remember to send your child to school with appropriate outdoor attire for recess. We will be going outside whenever the “feels like” temperature is 25 degrees or above. This gives our students time to burn some energy and allows for a time that our students can take a socially distanced mask break. Our recesses are 30 minutes so it is important that our students be comfortable while they are outside.
Attendance
Please remember to call our attendance line (513-891-2414) or email Betty Jung (jung.b@dpccsd.org), our attendance secretary, by 9AM if your student is going to be out.
This is especially important with the number of people that are either required to quarantine by the health department, or quarantining on their own accord. We need to be aware of these situations outside of school so that we can appropriately mark the attendance and provide guidance from the district if necessary.
Thanks for all your help!
School Nurse
Moving forward, all student COVID-19 cases occurring outside of school hours (evenings/weekends) should be submitted in one of the following ways:
A district nurse or administrator will reach out within 24 hours of the reported case to collect further details.
Deer Park PTO
Become a PTO Member! The PTO needs you to share your ideas, volunteer at events, plan fundraisers, and so much more! Use the link to become a member and stay up to date on all the PTO information.
Staying Connected
There are multiple ways to stay connected to Amity Elementary School.
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Newsletter: All parents who have completed FinalForms should receive Amity Weekly Newsletters. If you are not currently receiving them, please register for the e-mail communication. To register, simply go to https://www.deerparkcityschools.org/ and click on the button on the bottom of the page that says “Subscribe to District News”.
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Twitter: Follow Deer Park Schools for the most up-to-date news and happenings at @DeerParkSchools or @DeerParkAmity
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Facebook: Follow us at Deer Park Community City Schools.
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Inspiring & Empowering Lifelong Success
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