Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
Superintendent Dave Parker told the Newberg SD 29J board that an enrollment gap and rising costs require roughly $4.5 million in cuts unless voters approve a local-option levy (the administration’s working rate: $1.20 per $1,000 assessed value); proposed cuts include staffing reductions, program cuts and restoring school days.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
After extended discussion about stewardship and equity, the Newberg SD 29J board amended and approved interdistrict transfer limits for 2026–27, reducing recommended release numbers to zero while retaining hardship and sibling considerations; the motion passed unanimously.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
The district’s science adoption team is piloting NGSS-aligned materials (elementary: McGraw Hill Inspire, Discovery Education; middle school: new international curricula; high school: McGraw Hill and Savvas) through April with teacher feedback and public review before a fall adoption and July purchase.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
CFO Nathan Rodell told the board that Newberg’s pension obligation bond and temporary legislative relief have reduced costs to date but will end in 2028, creating a risk of large employer-rate increases that could add $1.6M–$4.3M to expenses depending on the percentage-point change.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
District presented a transfer report showing 183 transfer requests (97 never-enrolled; 86 enrolled and left), flagged Koa program changes accounting for 20 transfers and asked the board whether to tighten hardship, sibling-release and the 3% cap; board requested motions/options for next meeting.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
District finance staff explained PERS basics and warned that pension-obligation bond relief will expire in 2028, likely raising employer contribution rates materially and creating multi-million-dollar budget pressure.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
Board received boundary committee recommendations as a set of options and voted unanimously to place Resolution 2026-11 — a five-year local option levy at $1.20 per $1,000 assessed value — on the May 19, 2026 ballot to help close a multi‑million-dollar budget gap.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
District presenter Holly told the board the district is embracing AI as a teacher planning and UDL tool, recommends limited classroom use for upper grades, discourages generative AI for elementary students and flagged student privacy and monitoring as priorities.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
The board unanimously approved the 2026–27 board calendar and approved the district’s preferred academic calendar (option 3, starting Aug. 31) after staff reported results from a 406-participant community input process.
Oregon / School Districts / Newberg SD 29J
Teachers from Edwards Elementary urged the Newberg SD 29J board to abandon plans to convert Edwards into a dual-language magnet, saying the change would damage community trust, reduce neighborhood access for South Newberg families and risk the survival of the dual-language model.