NHES Newsletter

• Thank you to Foundation for hosting the New Parent Party last week!
• Our sharks had a blast at our first Shark House Meet-Up on Friday...

We love our students, we love representing NHES as staff members, we love our positive engagements with families...we don't love policing parking or monitoring adult behavior! Please partner with us and follow our school procedures, local laws & posted signs to keep our students and families safe:

• when dropping your student off in the valet line during arrival, please do not exit your vehicle -allow staff to help your student out of the car OR prep your student to exit the car independently, if your student has trouble getting out of the car during arrival without your help, please park then walk your student to the gates
• the parking lot is closed during dismissal - the entrance off 15th Street is blocked off, please do not move the cones to enter the parking lot OR park in the loading/unloading zones during dismissal
• the parking lot exit off Santa Ana Avenue is EXIT ONLY, please do not use this as an entrance
• DO NOT PARK in the red zones, especially the zones adjacent to our parking lot entrance & exit - this prohibits our buses from entering & exiting the parking lot
• use crosswalks, DO NOT cross the streets in the middle of the street in front of oncoming traffic
• NHES is a closed campus during the school day - please DO NOT open any gates or doors without a staff member present
• please monitor your students - particularly during dismissal - to ensure they are not running in the parking lot, climbing the trees, or climbing the parking lot poles
• dogs and other animals are not permitted on campus, this includes in the parking lot & front gate area during arrival and dismissal

Thank you for continuously supporting our students at home by teaching and encouraging them to show their Shark PRIDE everywhere, every day. At Newport Heights, we focus on the different character traits of our Shark PRIDE each month. For August, our focus was introducing and refining all of the components. For the month of September, our focus will be on P for Politeness. Throughout the month we will be reinforcing showing politeness and will review with them what it looks like to demonstrate politeness in the classrooms, at the lunch tables, on the playground, at flag deck, and just about everywhere else on campus. We encourage you to continue the conversation about politeness at home, as it is important students are learning to apply these skills to all aspects of their lives. We will be honoring students at September's Awards Assembly for their commitment to showing politeness to others through the "Profound Pride" award.

As the 2025-2026 school year kicks off, we want to stress the importance of instilling positive attendance habits. You can help ensure that students start the year right by encouraging their on-time daily attendance, providing consistent transportation to school, and helping them maintain positive daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
Thank you for partnering with us to help students succeed and make the most out of their educational experience.

For more information about chronic absenteeism, benefits vs. negative affects of student absenteeism (even excused absences), and more visit www.attendanceworks.org

Did you know?

• Students with positive attendance are 25% more likely to read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade than students who are chronically absent.
• Students who are tardy typically can't reset until after recess.
• Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in the first month go on to miss nearly a month of school in the entire school year.

Here at NHES, we love celebrating our community, school spirit & positivity!

T-Shirt Tuesday

Wear positive apparel like a t-shirt with a message of kindness, gratitude, encouragement, or positivity every Tuesday

Spirit Wear Wednesday

Show your Shark PRIDE by wearing NHES spirit wear, school colors (red, blue and/or white), or shark gear

Shark House Friday

Wear your Shark House colored t-shirt on Fridays

Keep an eye out for our Spirit Wear being sold by PTA at Flag Deck!

Check out our monthly calendar for all the happenings at NHES!

Heights Happenings: September 2025

For all your general school information needs, take a look at our NHES Handbook on our school website. You can find daily schedules, policies about absences & tardies, information about school lunches & breakfast, dress code expectations, and more!

Newport Heights Elementary remains committed to being a student-centered, academically challenging, safe and healthy, and positive place for our Sharks to live and learn each and every day by achieving great heights.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, we will be happy to assist you as best as we can!

School Office - 949-515-6970

Terri Clarke, Principal - tclarke@nmusd.us

Angie Miner, Office Manager - aminer@nmusd.us

Jackie Droste, Office Assistant - jdroste@nmusd.us

Elizabeth Aranda, School Community Facilitator - earanda@nmusd.us

#sharkpride

Go SHARKS,

Terri Clarke

Principal

Email: tclarke@nmusd.us
Website: http://newportheights.nmusd.us/
Location: 300 East 15th Street, Newport Beach, CA, USA
Phone: (949) 515-6970