Newberg School District - Recent News

CV students re-enact Civil War encampment

stewartc — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:59:43 -0700

Amateur historians from all over Western Oregon and Southwestern Washington descended on Chehalem Valley Middle School Thursday evening to re-enact a Civil War encampment.

Company A of the 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the Northwest took 8th grade social studies students through a series of stations to bring history lessons alive. Students engaged with “soldiers” portraying the attitudes and beliefs of soldiers and civilians in the Civil War era. Students had a first hand look at the technology of the time, dress of the soldiers of the era and camp life. Back in the classroom, students will use their learning experiences in discussion and writing.

The encampment is open to the public on Saturday from 9am – 3pm at Chehalem Valley Middle School, 403 West Foothills Drive, Newberg.

The original Company A of the 19th Indiana Volunteer was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, and mustered in July 29, 1861. The current company is a non-profit organization and a m

New regulations will enforce compulsory attendance law

stewartc — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:03:17 -0700

Newberg School Board unanimously approved a revision to administrative regulations supporting the district’s compulsory attendance policy. Administrative Regulation JEA spells out a series of steps to get chronically absent students back to school. If parents fail to cooperate with the school and their student is still chronically absent, the regulations authorize the Newberg-Dundee Police Department to issue a Compulsory Attendance Citation to the parents.

In related action, the school board passed a resolution requesting the cities of Newberg and Dundee enact a daytime curfew ordinance. A daytime curfew would allow enforcement action be taken directly against students who choose to miss classes. The school board supported a proposed city ordinance that failed to gain support by the Newberg City Council in 2008.

Kindergarten registration opens

stewartc — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:29:13 -0800

Newberg Public Schools are opening registration for incoming kindergarten students on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at all elementary schools. Teachers, transportation and health service personnel will be on hand to answer questions and register students from 3:30 – 6:00 p.m.
To register for kindergarten:

Child must be five years old by September 1, 2010
Bring proof of birth (birth or hospital certificate)
Bring immunization records

More information
Kindergarten programs
Enrollment
School directory
School boundaries

PCC helps Newberg High School expand welding facility

stewartc — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:03:24 -0800

By Kate Chester, Portland Community College
A helping hand from Portland Community College has led to major mechanical and electrical upgrades at Newberg High School’s welding lab.
When more than 300 students signed up this year to take welding classes at Newberg High School – an interest matched by local manufacturers’ need for trained welders – the high school and PCC forged a partnership to meet the demand.
Scott Judy, welding department chair at the PCC Rock Creek Campus, recruited the help of three PCC students to travel to Newberg and install pre-fabricated walls for 20 new welding stations at Newberg High School’s welding lab. This work followed new ventilation hoods built at the Rock Creek Campus, that were recently installed at the high school; the hoods help to alleviate exhaust fumes in the lab.
“This has been a fun project,” said Judy. “Our PCC students got hands-on experience building the needed components and then putting them in, on-site. If we can help to train more future welders, then it’s a win-win – both for educators, like Newberg High School and PCC, and local manufacturers.”

School Board proposing changes to compulsory attendance regulations

stewartc — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:40:28 -0800

The Newberg School Board discussed proposed changed to regulations to implement the district’s policy on compulsory attendance at its regular meeting Monday night. Action on changing the regulation was moved to the March 15 meeting to allow the following changes:

Include language that protects parents from receiving a citation if parents fully comply with the district's efforts to stem their child's truancy
Remove any vagueness in interpretation by inserting definitions to clarify meaning (i.e. chronic absence, chronic absence list, attendance team)
Better describe the chronic absence intervention process

The school board fully agreed with the need to curb attendance and truancy issues with well-defined, consistent steps. “This is a process,” said Jon Franco, Chehalem Valley Middle School Principal. “It’s not about the fine or fees – it’s about the steps inbetween to get kids to school.”

Newberg men's basketball team in state quarterfinals Thursday

stewartc — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:17:10 -0800

The Newberg Mens' basketball team defeated Centennial High School Saturday night and will play the top ranked Jesuit Crusaders this Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at the Rose Garden in Portland. Jesuit is the only top-ten team that the mens' team did not play in the regular season. Jesuit is rated #1 in state. Newberg is rated #7.

If the Tigers win Thursday, Newberg would play either McKay or Lincoln on Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. In the event of a loss, Newberg would play at 9:00 a.m. Friday morning versus McKay or Lincoln. Friday is a grading day for teachers and school is not in session for students.

Information about the 6A Basketball State Championships.

Fining parents? Board considers last resort to get children to attend school

stewartc — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:59:25 -0800

On Monday night the Newberg School Board will discuss a proposed change to the administrative regulations that carry out the district’s compulsory attendance policy (JEA: Compulsory Attendance.) The proposed change would implement a series of six steps that could end in a citation issued to parents by the police for failing to send their student to school.

What is the problem?
Efforts by the City of Newberg to pass a Daily Curfew Ordinance failed last year. Our schools continue to experience problems with chronic truancy. The proposed regulations focus on elementary, middle and high school students who are not attending school regularly and whose parents refuse to cooperate with local schools in getting their child to school. Some elementary students have missed up to 42 days of school in a single school year. In some cases, principals are driving to the homes of students and taking students to school. In search of another tool to deal with this problem, a principal familiar with positive changes in truancy, collaborated with local authorities to draft a procedure for Newberg.

What is the process the district will follow?
Oregon law considers eight unexcused one-half day absences in a month in which school is in session as irregular attendance. In the proposed change, citing parents is the last step in a process that could take as long as 60-120 days. Here are the steps in the new process:

Michael Allen Harrison headlines NHS Hope 4 Haiti benefit concert

stewartc — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:48:16 -0800

Newberg High School students are sponsoring a "Hope 4 Haiti" benefit concert on Tuesday, March 16th at 7:30 p.m. in the NHS auditorium. Staff and students, including Mezzo Devotion, the NHS Jazz Band and the Strings Ensemble will perform. Special guest Michael Allen Harrison will headline the event. Tickets are $10 and you can pre-order them by calling 503-554-4420. All proceeds and additional donations will go to Medical Teams International for Haiti relief.

Learn more about Medical Teams International work in Haiti.

NHS artist selected for national exhibit

stewartc — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:06:57 -0800

Creative ceramic creations by two high school seniors have been selected for a national exhibit on display at the National Art Education Association conference in mid April. Kori Werner, Green School, and Jamie McClellen, Silver School, are students in Terry Sprando’s advanced ceramic class in Blue School.

The decorative and often whimsical peep plugs function as a plug for a kiln peephole that allows the artist to
view the inside of the kiln during firing. Jamie’s “Puffer Fish” is actually an intricately embellished whistle made with two types of clay. “Moon”” was inspired by Kori’s interest in celestial objects and features a batik glazing technique.

Skutt Ceramics, makers of ceramic kilns, are sponsoring the Peep Plug Show. Kori and Jamie’s work was selected from K-12 entries nationwide and will be judged by art teachers attending the national NAEA conference. The winning entry becomes part of the Skutt permanent collection that will travels to future art education conferences. The winning student’s school will receive a new kiln.

Jamie and Kori are in their third year of ceramics classes at Newberg High School and both intend to pursue their interest in ceramics at the collegiate level. View Jamie and Kori’s entry at the online photo gallery of the 2010 top entries.

Elementary students making empty bowls for Haiti

stewartc — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:08:57 -0800

Joan Austin Elementary School students are learning to make clay bowls as part of the George Fox University “Empty Bowls” event to aid relief efforts in Haiti. Joan Austin teacher Heather Nelson shows groups of 3rd through 5th grade students to smooth coils of clay into bowls that will be sold at a GFU dinner event in mid-April. Donors purchase an empty bowl and they’re fed a meal, hopefully raising thousands of dollars for Haitian earthquake victims. The Joan Austin Elementary student’s work will join bowls made by George Fox University staff, students and artists who have already made over 1,500 bowls.