A committee of employees, parents and police representatives came together to layout some safety recommendations for DPISD. The following is a brief video detailing those safety improvements. #teamdp

Fairmont Junior High parents and students, meet your new assistant principal, Stephanie Rainer!  She is a Deer Park High School graduate who has spent her entire 11-year career in DPISD.  She spent her first seven years as a teacher at the Early Childhood Center and subsequently taught third though fifth-grade special education students for two years at Deepwater Elementary.  For the last two years, she has worked as Deer Park Junior High’s special education chairperson.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself.  What’s your story? Where did you grow up?  From what high school did you graduate?  Where did you go to college, and what did you study?

I grew up in Deer Park and attended DPISD schools beginning in first grade.  After graduating from DPHS, I went to Stephen F. Austin State University and earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in special education.  I soon began working on my master’s degree from Concordia University, where I earned my degree in instructional leadership.  I realized early in life that I wanted to be a teacher, and I have been blessed to be able to do a job that I love day in and day out.  I am fortunate to have my incredible husband by my side along the way to go through the trials and tribulations as we do life.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

Growing up in DPISD gave me the opportunity to have many favorite teachers along the way.  Mrs. Pam Nutt was my second-grade teacher and is the reason I am in education today.  She found the strengths of all her students and showed me a love for learning.  Mr. and Mrs. Glock helped guide me through the adventures of junior high.  They prepared me for the road ahead in high school, college, and life.  

What was your favorite class in school, and why?

I loved language arts all throughout school.  You have the opportunity to read, write and think. I still enjoy getting lost in a good book as an adult.  I am a lifelong learner and know that you can never stop learning.

Are you a parent?

My greatest blessings are my two children.  I have a daughter who is nine and a son who is four. They are constantly teaching me something new and lend a hand in helping me become a better mom, person, and educator.  Being a parent has given me a new perspective that I use as an educator.

How many years were you a teacher before you became an administrator?  How did they prepare you for your new role?

I have been in education for 12 years, during which I have served in many leadership capacities.  I have been a member of the Educational Improvement Council, chairperson of the Campus Improvement Council, and participated in the Leadership Academy among other leadership roles on each campus.  I began my career as a Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) teacher at the Early Childhood Center.  During my seven years teaching PPCD, I had the opportunity to learn from some of best.  From there, I moved next door to Deepwater Elementary, where I was the special education department chair for two years.  I believe that change makes us grow, and decided to go to Deer Park Junior High to serve in the same role.  After three years at DPJH, I knew that junior high was where I wanted to be.

You’re now an administrator. As a student, did you ever end up in the principal/assistant principal’s office?  If so, why?  Describe what happened.

I never ended up in the office as a student.  I would have been devastated.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two children.  When we are not carpooling to the next activity, we love to go to the park, throw around a ball, or anything that involves being outside.  When I have the chance for some down time, I love to watch college football or do something crafty.

What do you most look forward to as you begin your first year at your new campus?

I can’t wait for the school year to start. There are many things that I look forward to, but I am excited to build relationships with students, parents, and staff.  Relationships are a crucial part of education.  Education is a shared commitment amongst all parties, and we each plant the seeds in students.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

I believe what Rita Pierson said: “Every child deserves a champion-an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”  I am excited to embark on this new voyage as a FJH Viking and have the opportunity to be a champion.

Bonnette Junior High parents and students, meet your new assistant principal, Chris Viator!  He is a Deer Park High School graduate who began his professional career in 2000 as a social studies teacher and coach at Deepwater Junior High, a position he held until 2013.  At that point, he worked several years as an assistant principal in a neighboring district.  He returned to Deer Park this year to join Team BJH!

First, tell us a little bit about yourself.  What’s your story? Where did you grow up?  From what high school did you graduate?  Where did you go to college, and what did you study?

I moved from Pasadena to Deer Park as a sixth-grader at BJH a long time ago. Later, I graduated from DPHS, the University of Houston at Clear Lake with my bachelor of arts degree, and Lamar University with my master’s.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

My favorite teacher was Norris Weir. He was a Coach and English-language arts teacher. He was my favorite teacher because he was very straight forward, his expectations were clear, and you always knew where you stood with him. He also pushed us to have high expectations for ourselves and one another. This is something that continues to serve me well to this day.

What was your favorite class in school, and why?

PALS. Ms. Passmore was amazing, and we never knew what she was going to do or say next. She had an awesome sense of humor, and she taught me to try not to always take life quite so seriously. It is something I still work on at times…

Are you a parent?

My wife and I have two kids; a girl and a boy. Our daughter is 14 and will be a ninth-grader at North Campus, and our son is eight and will begin third grade.

How many years were you a teacher before you became an administrator?  How did they prepare you for your new role?

I taught and coached for 13 years before going to administration. Teaching and coaching taught me how to build relationships with kids, how to communicate with parents, and the importance of planning and meeting deadlines. This will be my sixth year in administration.

You’re now an administrator. As a student, did you ever end up in the principal/assistant principal’s office?  If so, why?  Describe what happened.

Yes, I ended up in the principal’s office on more than one occasion. I never went to the office for misbehavior in the classroom, disrespect toward a teacher, or refusal to work. I did, however, go to the office due to issues in the hallway with other students and was even called down the day after we won a basketball game. Ms. Connors called me down to discuss how intense/angry I looked on the court and how aggressively I played. I simply explained that I play aggressively and physically and, at all times, I play hard. She agreed but wanted ensure that I was not actually angry and sent me back to class.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

Most of the time, I run my kids around to their activities.

What do you most look forward to as you begin your first year at your new campus?

I most look forward to working with the students, parents, and staff at Bonnette! After all, I attended BJH and have walked these halls and sat in the classrooms where these students are today. I ‘m certain I can assist them in reaching their goals.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

Any down time we have away from school or our kids’ sports is spent camping together as a family.

Deepwater Junior High parents and students, meet your new assistant principal, Donald Thompson! Thompson came to Deer Park ISD in 2016 and worked most recently as a teacher and assistant girls soccer coach.  Before coming to DPISD, he worked in several other districts and was previously an assistant principal in Alvin ISD.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself.  What’s your story? Where did you grow up?  From what high school did you graduate?  Where did you go to college, and what did you study?

I grew up across the bridge in Baytown.  After graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in 1989, I went to college in Missouri at Southwest Baptist University, where I had the opportunity to play football for four years and earn a degree in mathematics with a minor in finance in 1993.  I also earned a master’s degree in education from SBU in 1996.  When I returned to Texas to begin my teaching career, I met my wife while teaching math down the hallway from her mother.  We married in December of 1998.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

I had numerous “favorite” teachers, but one who really stands out to me is Mrs. Hitt, a high school English teacher.  She was kind, fun and inspiring.  Our class really enjoyed learning literature because of her attitude and passion.

What was your favorite class in school, and why?

In elementary school my favorite was reading class, and in fourth grade, my favorite book was Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls!  My favorite class in junior high was physical education! I loved participating in all the fun structured activities (including Country & Western dancing), but even more so I loved running around and playing ball with my buddies!  My favorite class in high school was French because my teacher provided such a fun atmosphere for us to learn about the culture, language and FOOD of the French people.  We had lots of French food throughout the year!

Are you a parent? 
I love being a daddy to girls.  My wife and I have four daughters: one is a senior in high school; one is a junior in high school; and our twins are in seventh grade.

How many years were you a teacher before you became an administrator?  How did they prepare you for your new role?

My first experience teaching was when I taught undergraduate math and statistics courses for three years while I was working on my graduate degree at both the University of Arkansas and Southwest Baptist University. However, I “officially” started in the education field when I began public school teaching in 1996, and this year is my 22^ndyear as either a teacher, coach, or assistant principal.  All the lesson planning, the assessment, the research, the data analysis, the successes, the failures, the wins, and the losses have shaped my philosophy and molded me as an educator. These experiences have prepared me well for my new role as assistant principal of DWJH.

You’re now an administrator. As a student, did you ever end up in the principal/assistant principal’s office?  If so, why?  Describe what happened.

Oh my goodness. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but yes, I did end up in the principal’s office a few times for swats with the paddle.  Let’s see; there were a couple of fights; there was the time my friends and I were goofing around in the restroom in fifth grade; there was the time I was caught cheating on a spelling test in sixth grade.  That’s enough of the bad stuff.  When I got to high school, my trips to the principal’s office were all for great reasons of either academic, leadership or athletic accomplishments.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

My family loves to go tent camping at Texas State Parks.  Our two favorite places are Inks Lake State Park and Garner State Park.  I also enjoy riding my bike, working in the yard, jogging, hanging out with my family, going to church, and playing with my dogs (a yellow lab named Sadie and a chocolate lab name Bailey).

What do you most look forward to as you begin your first year at your new campus?

I hope to build relationships as I get to know the kids and their families at our neighborhood campus.  I’m excited to participate in the many wonderful, successful programs and activities that have been established at DWJH.  I also look forward to encouraging and supporting our faculty and staff as they continue to inspire our students in the classroom, on the field, and in the arts.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

I became a teacher/coach so that I could invest in the lives of kids, make a positive impact on their character, inspire through academics and athletics, build relationships, and show the love of God through my words, actions, and example.  I pray that I can do that daily at DWJH.

Deer Park High School-North Campus parents and students, meet your new principal, Scott Davis!  His will be a familiar name to many families because he was previously principal at Fairmont Elementary, Deepwater Elementary, and Deepwater Junior High.  Davis is also a Deer Park graduate who has spent his entire career in DPISD.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself.  What’s your story? Where did you grow up?  From what high school did you graduate?  Where did you go to college, and what did you study?

My three brothers and I grew up in Deepwater.  I attended DWE and DWJH.  I graduated from DPHS in 1979.  From there, I attended Southwest Texas State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in the fall of 1982. 

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

I had many wonderful teachers throughout my years as a student in Deer Park.  In elementary school, my favorite teacher was Ms. Hartt.  She was my second-grade teacher, and I loved her dearly.  She was still teaching at Parkwood when I returned to teach at DWE.   In junior high school, Dan Salisbury had the most positive impact on my life.  We continue to be personal friends today. During my days in high school, I had many teachers who positively influenced me.  Ray Landers was someone who I will always remember as a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to do my best. 

What was your favorite class in school, and why?

I wasn’t the best of students when it came to academics.  I would have to say my favorite class was seventh-grade Texas History.  Ms. Dalton and Mr. Hurley brought Texas History to life!

Are you a parent?

My wife, Lisa, and I have five children and three granddaughters. Four of our children have graduated from college and our fifth child is a sophomore at Texas Tech University. Our oldest daughter teaches at Deer Park Elementary and has two sweet girls.  Our oldest son lives in Austin and works in the oil and gas industry.  Daughter number three works for the Houston Rockets.  Our fourth daughter is a stay at home mom and has a beautiful two-year-old daughter.

How many years were you a teacher before you became an administrator?  How did they prepare you for your new role?

I taught fifth grade at DWE for five years.  I then moved to Lynchburg Elementary and taught fifth grade for two years.  In 1990, FE opened, and I worked with Peaches McCroskey for 11 years.  I then served as principal at FE for two years before moving to the principal position at DWE.  I was at DWE for six years.  For the past nine years, I have had the honor of being principal at DWJH.  With each of those positions, I have been able to learn from many outstanding educators.  I have loved each stop along the way and have made life-long friends.  I am so excited about “graduating” and moving on to the North Campus. This is a going to be a fantastic year!

You’re now an administrator. As a student, did you ever end up in the principal/assistant principal’s office?  If so, why?  Describe what happened.

In junior high and high school, I was a frequent flyer in the office.  Well, sort of... Mr. Lamb was a wonderful man and was even my Pee Wee baseball coach.  I usually went to the office just to visit.  As a 10^th-grader, I was an office assistant, so I was in the office every single day.  I did get paddled one time.  I cannot recall the exact circumstance, but I got two pops by Mr. Salisbury in the classroom in front of everyone else.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

We have a lake house in Livingston with my brothers, and we try to go there as often as possible.  I also enjoy doing things with my wife, children and grandchildren.

What do you most look forward to as you begin your first year at your new campus?

Even with this being my 36th year in education and 28th as a campus leader, I will still not be able to sleep the night before school starts.  As the principal at the North Campus, we want the students’ first year in high school to be the absolute best one.  We only have our students for one year, so we want to make it a memorable one in a positive way.  Our theme this year is “Standing as ONE!”  We are four eighth-grade classes coming together as one, and we are going to do everything in our power to make the Class of 2022 the greatest class in Deer Park history.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

I truly believe the students should be the center of all we do.  Every decision we make will be based on what is best for our students.  I truly love what I do, and for the past 36 years, I have never looked at what I do as a job.  Teaching is my passion, and I am truly thankful to Mr. White and the School Board for giving me this opportunity. I cannot wait for Aug. 20.