Newberg School District Board Of Directors Meeting
The meeting commenced with the call to order for the January 13, 2026 session, noting one director attending online. The consent agenda was approved after acknowledging several donations received by various clubs and the resource room, including contributions from the Newberg Rotary Foundation, The Fisers, Laura Oette, and Ian Mcdana. A significant portion of the meeting involved a boundary update presentation addressing declining enrollment, the financial instability resulting from the 2024 financial crisis, and the structural problems inherent in the current elementary school configuration leading to unstable class sizes. Discussions included modeling scenarios if no action is taken, which projected class sizes exceeding 30 or resulting in undesirable blending of classes. The committee reviewed various restructuring scenarios, such as K4/56/78 models, K2/35/Dual Language magnet models, and a K6/78 model, noting that every option involves trade-offs, particularly regarding transportation and neighborhood integrity. The collective recommendation from the boundary committee, developed using an Atlas protocol emphasizing shared facts and community input, suggested a comprehensive approach combining multiple changes to move towards financial stability, which was estimated to yield about half of the required financial stabilization (over $2 million). Finally, perspectives from parent and teacher representatives on the boundary committee process were solicited.