Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic  

Services slated for Saturday in Bauman Auditorium at George Fox University

Community members from many corners of Newberg and Dundee are mourning the death of longtime educator Don Staples, who died at his home Feb. 28 at the age of 54.

Staples had been diagnosed with cancer and was on medical leave from his position as director of assessment for the Newberg School District.

"There is no greater teacher than the man who leads by his example, and that is what Don Staples did every day of his life," Joan Austin Elementary School Principal Terry McElligott said. "His spirit will remain present in the many lives that he touched. Don would say that he was lucky to be our friend, but those of us that truly knew him knew that his friendship was one of life's cherished gifts."  

A release from the school district notes that Staples attended Mabel Rush Elementary School as a child and graduated from Newberg High School as valedictorian before studying education at George Fox University.

After working for 12 years in the Yamhill-Carlton School District, Staples returned to Mabel Rush in 1999 to serve as an assistant principal and academic intervention teacher. Staples later taught math at Chehalem Valley Middle School but transitioned back into administration as an assessment coordinator before taking over as director. In that role, Staples developed the district's elementary standards-based report card and introduced universal assessments (MAP and FAST) to help to target instruction and support for students.

He was awarded the district's Crystal Apple as Outstanding Middle School Teacher in 2008 and again in 2015 as an administrator.

"Don has been such an influential voice in our district," Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza said. "He could always be counted on to take on some really challenging changes with calm, reflective, servant leadership. He has lived his life in the service of his community."

Staples began serving as a back-up public address announcer at George Fox women's basketball games in 1996 before taking over the role full time in 1999, eventually earning the school's Volunteer of the Year Award in 2012.

Staples especially enjoyed serving at the school district's fifth grade outdoor school and in addition to being a longtime member of Newberg Friends Church, spent many of his summers leading youth at the Twin Rocks Friends Camp in Rockaway Beach. According to the district release, the Staples name appears in many places at the camp.

In a testament to his stature in the community, services for Staples will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in GFU's Bauman Auditorium. The school district has also created a blog at www.sites.google.com/newberg.k12.or.us/rememberingdon/home where people can share stories about Staples.

"The community and school district of Newberg has lost a champion, a partner who lived the essence of his faith," district communications director Claudia Stewart wrote in the district's release. "He embodied the golden rule of do unto others as you would want done unto you."