April 24, 2020

Upcoming Events:

All events canceled by order of the governor.

News links of interest:

NHS staying in touch via video—Newberg Graphic

School District outlines plans for near future—Newberg Graphic

Highlights:

While everything is disrupted, I have been so proud of our students and families as they have engaged with a brand new way of learning. I have been so proud of our teachers, creating lessons and connecting via phone and technology. I have been so proud of our special education staff, going the extra mile to support students through individual connection and through their input on grade level and content teams as lessons are developed. I have been so proud of our staff who have been willing to jump in everywhere: serving meals, cleaning and distributing Chromebooks, cleaning buildings, anything.

Crater Student wins National Poster Contest

Ellie Conrad, a fifth grader at Crater Elementary School, was one of over 2000 entries in the National Missing Children's Day Poster Contest. Her poster above was selected as the winner! This is a huge honor. Congratulations Ellie! The award has been delayed, but sometime next school year she and her family will be flown to Washington D.C. to accept the award.

Providing Meals

A huge thank you to every single one of our nutrition services workers, as well as several of our other classified employees who are rotating in to serve meals. We have sixteen food distribution sites up and running, handing out breakfast and lunch meals in grab-and-go bags to any one 18 or younger. We are also delivering meals to students who are unable to access our distribution sites.

Our team is preparing and distributing an average of 1750 meals every day this week!

American Red Cross Blood Drives

The Red Cross Blood Program has held two recent blood drives at NHS. Between March 30th and the April 20th drives, they collected 83 units of blood which will serve 249 patients in need. They also registered 29 new donors over those two days— a great way to give back to those in need, thank you! Special thank you to Seniors Kenna Roth, Claire Novak and Stella Byles for managing registration.

Grant Awarded for Electric Bus

Last fall, we learned of a program through Portland General Electric that would provide the funding for the purchase of one new electric school bus and the charging equipment to operate it. Community member Maureen Rogers worked with Bobbi Jo Richlick, the manager of First Student Transportation services to apply for the grant.

We recently received word that we were awarded one of only four grants given in the state of Oregon! We are excited to be on the leading edge of new technology that is cleaner and better for our environment. The bus should be in operation next school year.

Kindergarten Registration

It is time to register for kindergarten for the 2020-2021 school year. Pick up an enrollment packet in a drive-thru at every elementary school on Tuesday, April 28 from 3:30–6:00 pm, or look for other options including online at this link.

Our Dual Language program is a popular one with limited space. Anyone in Newberg School District, regardless of which school boundary you live in, can apply to be in the lottery system. Those applications are due by May 15. More information is found at the above link.

Resources

When we find resources that might prove helpful to you, we want to share them. Attached to this email you will find a resource page from the Oregon Health Authority for students with special health care needs during this time of COVID-19.

• The Portland Trailblazers and MODA Health have teamed up to create virtual PE lessons designed to keep kids active.
• YouthLine is a confidential, teen-to-teen crisis health line. No problem is too big or too small to text or chat about!
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers may need someone to talk to as well. Reach Out Oregon provides a way to call or chat online about their children who experience emotional, behavioral, or physical health, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or educational issues. The parent "warmline" is availble at 833REACHOR (833-732-2467).
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has developed some coping tips for our stressful current situation.

Edwards Playground

Thanks to the Edwards Volunteer Organization, parents, and community support, phase one of a new playground at Edwards Elementary School was done over Winter Break. We're now taking advantage of the closure to install phase two of the project. It will be great to have a new playground in place when students return to in-person learning!

Joe's Thoughts:

I know this time is very stressful for many of us in the Newberg and Dundee communities. We in the schools have been focusing on changing out an entire system from everything we’ve known— seeing all of your students every day— to trying to connect with each of them remotely and serve their needs from afar. I know none of this is perfect, and that all of you are doing your best. We are also learning to provide all of these supports in whole new ways, and we are still figuring out the best opportunities we have to make it work.

Please know that we will continue to focus on care and connection with students and families first, and then the academic support. We care very much for your student's and your family’s well being, and we want to hear from you if there are ways we can improve our evolving systems to better support all of you. Stay safe and healthy!

Joe