Deer Park and Riverside Schools are partnering with the Spokane Regional Health District to offer FREE H1N1 (swine) flu vaccinations at a special walk-in clinic to be held on Monday, November 30, at Riverside High School in the multi-purpose room/cafeteria from 3:30– 7 pm.  This clinic is open to anyone who meets the criteria below.

The H1N1 (swine) flu is especially likely to infect children, and it can be a very serious illness. Certain groups of people are more likely to have severe complications or more likely to catch the virus. The first batches of this vaccine will be given to these groups of people.

Who can get the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine at this clinic?

• Healthy people ages 2-24, who are not pregnant
• Healthy adults up to age 49 who are health care workers
• Healthy people up to age 49 who care for an infant under the age of 6 months old

Because the virus has been spreading in the Spokane area, we urge you to pay particular attention to your child’s health, monitoring for influenza symptoms.  Symptoms of H1N1 illness, which are similar to seasonal flu symptoms, include rapid onset of fever with cough and/or sore throat. Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting. If your child has the symptoms mentioned above and develops difficulty breathing, chest pain, bluish skin, has seizures, is unable to keep fluids down, or is less responsive than normal, seek medical care immediately.  Please click the "Read More..." link below to get additional information about N1H1 and vaccine availability.

Wonderful Veteran's Day assemblies were held throughout the District on November 10, but two special flag presentations highlighted the day.

United States Air Force Sergeant Gerald Martin, currently serving in Iraq and a Deer Park School District parent of two daughters, sent flags flown in Iraq to be presented to our schools.  There was a special ceremony where his daughters, Natasha and Tatiana, along with principals Bonnie Bantis and Michele Miller accepted these flags.

The District thanks Sergeant Martin for his thoughtful gesture and for his service to our country; we also want to take this opportunity to thank all of our veterans.  Your service to our country is truly appreciated.

While the Nov. 3 election will not be certified until Nov. 24, Jeff Whittle has been elected to the Deer Park School Board!

As of vote counting on November 9, Mr. Whittle has 1462 votes.  Lyle Crecelius has 868 votes.  This election was for Director District No. 1 to serve out the remainder of the seat held by David Franklin, who passed away in July. Mr. Crecelius, who earlier served as a board director from District No. 2, was appointed to fill the seat in September.

In Director Districts No. 2 and No. 3, Lisa Jordan and Joanne Greer were unopposed in their election.

Mr. Whittle will take his seat during the December board meeting, where Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Greer will take an oath for another four year term.

Thank you to all voted in the election!

Deer Park High School is sending both its girls' and boys' cross country teams to State!!

On Friday, October 30, the girls' team earned their third straight trip to the state cross country meet by winning the District 7 championship.  Led by senior Jessica Duenich and coached by Wes Player, the Lady Stags beat GNL champion Cheney who finished second.  

Coach Scott Daratha's boys' team finished third in the boys' district race and qualified for state for the first time in 33 years!  Senior Reggie Peone has led the Stags this year.  With a large contingent of returning runners, the team hopes to make a state trip an annual happening.

The state cross country meet will take place on November 7 in Pasco at Sun Willows Golf Course.

Good Luck Deer Park runners!!

The wonderful Missoula Children's Theatre is back in Deer Park!

Annually, the Missoula Children's Theatre works with students at Arcadia for a week and then puts on a show at the end of the week.

This year's production is "The Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" loosely (very loosely they say!) on the novel by Daniel DeFoe.

The show will be held in the Arcadia gym on Saturday, October 24 at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.  Family admission is $10 or $3 for single admission.  

Each year this production is truly outstanding; please come and see this year's show.

The first cases of seasonal and H1N1 flu have been reported in our school district and we are very thankful to parents of sick children for letting us know and for keeping their kids home from school.

We urge you to pay particular attention to your child's health, monitoring for influenza symptoms. Symptoms of H1N1 illness, which are similar to seasonal flu symptoms, include rapid onset of fever with cough and/or sore throat.  Some people may also have diarrhea and vomiting.  If your child or any family member experiences these symptoms, stay home until symptoms have diminished and they have been free of fever (less then 100°F, without using fever reducing medication) for at least 24 hours or as directed by your health care provider.

People are being encouraged to treat flu symptoms at home to avoid spreading the illness in health care settings. If your child has symptoms mentioned above and develops difficulty breathing, chest pain, bluish skin; develops seizures, is unable to keep fluids down or is less responsive than normal, seek medical care immediately.  

H1N1 has caused an increased concern for children and infants who have high-risk medical conditions and neurodevelopmental conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, heart conditions, seizure disorders, long-term respiratory (asthma) and lung conditions (cystic fibrosis), premature infants and others.  If your child has any of these conditions that may put him/her at increased risk, we encourage you to contact your child's health care provider to discuss the risks to your child's health and his/her school attendance. Special care should be taken to protect these children from catching H1N1, and it is recommended that they be among the first to receive a vaccine once it becomes available.  The H1N1 vaccine is also recommended for all people ages 6 months to 24 years of age.

The Health District has scheduled three free community H1N1 vaccination clinics for people in priority groups:

• October 24 -- at the Central Spokane YMCA - from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
• November 7 -- at the Spokane Valley YMCA - from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• November 14 -- at the North Spokane YMCA - from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

SRHD is planning to distribute the H1N1 vaccine (whether it is the nasal spray or shot version) to area medical facilities soon, and it is recommended that you contact your child's health care provider to see if they will offer these.  When we have more information regarding vaccination clinics, we will post it on this website.

To protect yourself and your family against H1N1 influenza, as well as seasonal influenza, and to help prevent the spread of disease, teach your children to:

• Wash their hands often.
• Cough or sneeze into their sleeve/elbow not into their hands.
• Cover their nose and mouth when sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose.
• Promptly dispose of used tissues and wash hands with soap and water.
• Not share food, utensils or beverages with others.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.