Newberg elementary schools are accepting applications for full day kindergarten for the 2010-11 school year. The full-day kindergarten program provides quality learning time by lengthening the time students spend in school each day. Students spend more time exploring reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and art with highly qualified teachers. Music and physical education is introduced by classroom specialists.

“It is more enriching due to the expanded coursework, PE and music. It is a good transition for first grade as well,” said one parent in a recent survey of kindergarten parents. “It feels like a good introduction to real school without being too difficult or structured.”

Full day kindergarten is a tuition-based program located in schools based on interest and available space. Half day kindergarten programs are offered at all schools at no charge.

Information and application forms are online and in elementary school offices.

Small School placement? Signing up for classes? Small school principals are encouraging parents of 8th grade students to attend presentations on the transition to high school next week. Small school placement, new graduation requirements and the process to transition middle school students to high school process top the agenda. Similar presentations for students and staff members will take place at each middle school in February.

Presentations for middle school parents are scheduled on February 9 at 1 p.m. at Mountain View Middle School and on February 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Chehalem Valley Middle School.

Want to know more about each small school? Sign up to receive weekly news from Blue, Green, SILVER and Yellow Schools at http://listserv.newberg.k12.or.us/mailman/listinfo

Students used coffee cans, rubber bands, mouse traps, jar lids, pieces of wood, cardboard and string to design and build a vehicle that would climb a hill better than any of their classmates. The annual engineering design project wrapped up the first semester in Trish Beckius’ high school physics class. Students competed in pool rounds to determine what vehicles would advance to the competitive rounds. Opponents faced off on either end of a hill. Their vehicle had to climb the hill, cross the crest and prevent their opponent from crossing in the opposite direction. The winner is proclaimed “King of the Hill.”
Fifty-four vehicles competed to be King of the Hill between three participating physics classes. The team of Hannah Fair and Aaron Sprunger, both Yellow School students, claimed the title in period five. This team faced the stiffest competition according to Beckius. Anna Thomas, Yellow School, and Emily Scrabeck, Green School (pictured here) were named King of the Hill in period six. Green School students Brian and Craig Cheney earned the King of the Hill title in period seven.

Newberg is ranked in the top tier of public high school across the country by U.S. News & World Report. Of the 21,786 public high schools examined by U.S. News and its partner in the project, School Evaluation Services, 1,750 were recognized for considerably outperforming their state's standards. These top schools were placed into gold, silver, bronze, or honorable mention categories.

Newberg earned a bronze ranking. Thirty-one Oregon schools received a silver (nine schools) or bronze (24 schools) ranking. Newberg was the only Yamhill County school ranked.