The following letter was emailed to all DPISD parents and employees Thursday night, Sept. 5.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
As a lifelong educator, coach, principal, superintendent, and parent, my heart was broken by yesterday’s news that a school shooting took place in Georgia. Apalachee High School is near Atlanta and is 829 miles from Deer Park High School-South Campus. That may seem like a long distance, but our thoughts and prayers draw us closer to the Apalachee students, parents, and school employees who are facing the most difficult of circumstances.
I know that few of us will change our minds or our behavior because we read a letter. So, if these words accomplish anything today, I hope that you will remember this: Our Counseling and Family Services Office has resources available for students in need, and our safety office has a successful program for reporting suspicious or harmful behavior called Anonymous Alerts.
I have included links and contact information at the end of this letter, and I encourage you to take just a few minutes to review them. Of course, you can always contact your child’s school counselor or the District Safety Office if you have specific concerns you’d like to share.
The county sheriff for the Apalachee High School area said, “Hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.” Those powerful words are a reminder that, even on the darkest days, we must focus on what we can do to make a difference in our community. As the leader of your school district, my commitment to you is that we will continue to seek ways to improve safety and provide support and encouragement to our students.
Regards,
Stephen Harrell
Superintendent of Schools
Deer Park ISD Counseling and Family Services
832.668.7143
DPISD Safety Office
832.668.7070
Deer Park ISD Anonymous Alerts