Moving Newberg High School Forward - message from Principal Kyle Laier

August 29th, 2016
Dear Newberg Nation,
I am excited and grateful to be entering my first year as principal at Newberg High School. I look forward to working with stakeholders to create a school that ensures ALL students graduate ready for college and career. This year, we will be working intentionally with staff and stakeholders to develop a foundation that moves our high school towards becoming the best in the state. Please take a moment to review some of the efforts we will be making during the 2016-17 school year:

In the 2015-16 Student Survey, only 48% of NHS students reported feeling the staff cared about them. From my interactions last spring, I know this is not reflective of the quality of staff at NHS. At the same time, many of my conversations with students last spring reflect the results of the survey and make it painfully clear we need to do a better job connecting with our students, understanding their experience and supporting their needs while motivating them to reach their full potential. All of our improvement efforts will be focused on ensuring our students know we care and believe they are capable of achieving academic, career and life success.

We are re-launching the advisory program. While on campus this past spring, students made it clear that the advisory program was not equitable. Some students were receiving a great advisory experience and others were not. A team of teachers, counselors and administrators worked hard this summer to review, revise and re-launch an improved advisory program. All students will have a new advisory this fall and all teachers will deliver a well designed program that provides students with college and career planning, academic advisement and community building activities found in effective high school advisory programs around the country.

We are working hard to make improvements to school safety now and throughout the year. At this time, I want parents to know we have increased the number of campus supervisors and will be providing them with additional training. We have installed a new door system that will ensure all visitors enter through the main entrance and check in at the office. Please remember that the visitor parking lot and main entrance is on the north side of the building. Students will have additional access points to all buildings before the school day and between classes, but will need to check in at the north or south end entrances to gain access when class is in session.

We are collaborating to improve teaching and learning. The staff at NHS will be working hard in teams during late arrival days to improve curriculum, strategies and interventions to support the academic success of ALL students. In addition, we have added a flexible learning center to this year’s services to help students in need of additional support and credit recovery.

We will do a better job communicating this school year. From the parent survey, we know that our communication needs to improve and we have made some changes and commitments for this year. Office staff was rearranged to ensure our Attendance Office is able to field both English and Spanish speaking parent calls. Our staff will respond to emails from parents within 48 hours during the school week. Teachers will be sure grades are updated every two weeks to provide students and parents consistent information on the student’s progress.

I am excited to have our students back this September and look forward to working with parents throughout the year. I will be sending out a communication after school starts about some opportunities to meet with me in order to provide feedback on the past and vision a better future for NHS.
Take Care,
Kyle Laier
Principal