Newberg High School names new principal

The Newberg School District has named Kyle Laier the new principal at Newberg High School.  Laier currently leads the Clackamas Academy of Industrial Sciences (CAIS), a career-focused high school in Oregon City. He will replace Dave Parker, who will return to his assistant superintendent duties at the end of June. 

Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza made the announcement and introduced Laier at the Tuesday evening school board meeting.

“Our students deserve a spectacular leader and I believe they are getting one,” said LeBlanc-Esparza. “Kyle is a visionary leader with a very strong record of collaboration and building robust, authentic learning experiences for kids. I am excited to see what he will bring to Newberg High School.”

LeBlanc-Esparza says that Laier’s professional experience includes a broad range of local and regional engagement and training in equity, workforce development, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), assessment and leadership.

Laier holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in education from the University of Portland. He began his teaching career at Desert Hot Springs High School in California and later returned to Oregon to teach social studies at Ogden Middle School in Oregon City.

He has spent the last seven years in leadership roles in the Oregon City School District, serving as principal of King Elementary School and CAIS.  While he was principal, King Elementary moved from an Oregon Department of Education rating of “Satisfactory” to “Outstanding” under his leadership and vision. At CAIS, Laier developed an instructional program and intervention process to support all students, increased enrollment, raised funds and developed new partnerships that place the school on track to become a regional center for STEM initiatives aligned with industry needs.

According to Oregon City Superintendent Larry Didway, students and staff at CAIS credit him with building community, deepening partnerships and articulating an exciting vision of the future for CAIS. He describes Laier as trustworthy man of integrity committed to equity and a builder of coalitions, always for the benefit of improving student learning.

Parker is confident that Laier has the energy and instructional expertise to build on the work underway at the 1,400 student high school. “He brings an incredible background in career and technical education which aligns with work we are starting,” said Parker. “We are tremendously excited to have Kyle as the new high school principal.