Newport High School Newsletter

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year at Newport High School! We are thrilled to have our Wildcats back and ready to learn. Read on for important updates and reminders to help your family start the year off right.

We're excited to share that NHS is planning a trip to Boston in partnership with EF Explore America, our educational travel partner. To help families learn more, we're hosting a Parent Information Session on Tuesday, September 23rd.

This session will walk you through how the trip will benefit your child, what's included in the experience, and the steps we're taking to keep the trip both affordable and safe.

Please note that registration for this information session is mandatory. To register, simply scan the QR code on the flyer. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing what promises to be an unforgettable experience for our students.

Homecoming is coming up, and we want to see everyone there. This year's dance is set for Friday, October 24 at 7:00 PM in the Newport High School Auxiliary Gym.

To attend, students need to meet three expectations. First, no suspensions after September 8. Second, at least 90% attendance between September 8 and October 23. And third, no more than one F for the first quarter. All three have to be met to get in the door.

The good news is that all of this is within reach. Show up, stay on top of your work, and make good choices over the next several weeks, and you'll be set for a great night. If you have questions about where you stand, check in with your counselor or an administrator.

We have some great news to celebrate. Junior Ethan Koster has been selected for the inaugural cohort of the Civic Leadership Institute, a competitive statewide program that prepares students for future careers in law, government, public policy, and public service.

Ethan is one of only ten juniors chosen for the Institute's McConnell Center Cohort at the University of Louisville. He earned it out of 126 applicants from 37 school districts and 54 schools across Kentucky, so this is a real accomplishment. Over the next few years he'll take part in Saturday sessions, mock trials, policy work, and eventually a senior capstone trip to Washington, D.C. His first session is September 26.

Congratulations, Ethan. We're so proud to have you representing the Wildcats. Go get after it.

Most Valuable Student (MVS) Contest:

The 2026-2027 MVS application is now open. Applications can be found online at https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/MVS.cfm. The application deadline is November 12, 2026 (Counselor Reports due November 19, 2026).

The Elks National Foundation (ENF) awards 500 four-year scholarships based on academics, leadership, and financial need. National awards range from $1,000 per year to $7,500 per year. The national awards will be announced in April 2027. The top three males and top three females among all of the applicants that apply will advance to the District Level of Judging in December. In addition, the Newport Elks Lodge will be giving out local awards between $1,000-$2,000 per school to the highest scoring students.

MVS scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), at a U.S. college or university next school year. Some important applicant details include:

• Current high school seniors (or equivalent) who are citizens of the United States are eligible to apply.

• Applicants do not have to be related to a member of the Elks.

• Male and female students compete separately.

Complete details can be found at https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/MVS.cfm.

Why Family Engagement Day Matters at NHS

We talk a lot about student success at Newport High School, and here's something the research keeps confirming: it happens fastest when families and educators are rowing in the same direction. A student whose family knows what's going on at school, who feels a real connection between home and the classroom, tends to show up more, try harder, and stick with the hard stuff longer. That partnership is the whole point of Family Engagement Day.

On Friday, October 2, we're opening the doors and inviting you in. This isn't a sit-in-the-gym-and-listen kind of event. It's a chance to step into your child's world, see the environment they learn in every day, and talk face to face with the people who teach and support them. Parent-teacher conferences give you a clear read on where your student stands and what will help them keep climbing. The information sessions pull back the curtain on the programs shaping their path, from our Portrait of a Learner and the federal resources that support our school, to hands-on help with FAFSA and college applications, to the mental health and wellness support we offer through 1N5.

Here's the part worth underlining. You don't need a specific reason to come, and you don't need to stay all day. Whether you sit through a full session or just drop in for twenty minutes between other things, your presence sends your student a message that no assignment or announcement can: that their education matters to the people they care about most. That message does real work.

So mark October 2 on your calendar, scan the QR code or click the link here to let us know you're coming, and come be part of it. We can't wait to welcome you in.

Go Wildcats!

There's a lot happening at NHS after the final bell, and there's something for just about everyone. Whether you want extra help with homework, a creative outlet, a new skill, or just a fun way to stay active, our after-school clubs are a great way to get involved and meet people who share your interests.

Here's what's on the schedule:

Study Tables meets Tuesday through Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 with Ms. Tasha, offering homework help and a quiet place to focus. Cosmetology Club runs Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 with Ms. Tasha for anyone interested in hair, nails, and beauty basics. YLD meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 with Ms. Amy and focuses on youth leadership. Drama Club gathers Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 with Ms. Parr for acting and performance. Variety Club meets Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 with Ms. Katrina and covers life skills like cooking and sewing. Pickleball is Fridays at 3:15 with Ms. Parr. And our Outdoor Adventure Club has a kayaking trip coming up on September 12 with Mrs. Kennedy.

Getting involved is one of the best parts of high school, and it looks great on a college application too. Interested in any of these? Just talk to the club sponsor to sign up. Times are subject to change, and we'll keep adding new clubs and events throughout

We are thrilled to share that Newport High School has officially launched a Pep Club, and we could not be more excited about it.

A huge thank you goes to Ms. Hudson, who brought this idea straight to administration and got the whole thing off the ground. Great things happen when our staff step up with a vision, and this is exactly that kind of moment.

Our students kicked things off this past Friday at Purple Park right after school. They made signs, fired up the grill for hot dogs, danced, laughed, and filled the afternoon with the kind of school spirit that reminds you why this place is special. It was a great time, and you could feel the energy building.

That energy carried right into the football game against Paris, where the Pep Club showed up loud and proud. Our students brought the noise, and they represented NHS the way we love to see.

This is only the beginning. The Pep Club feels like the start of something great here at Newport, and we cannot wait to see where our students take it from here.

Thank you again, Ms. Hudson.

Newport High School has a Wildly Important Goal that every family can help us reach. We want student attendance at 93.4 percent, which means our Wildcats are here and ready to learn nearly every single day. Hitting that number starts with a few simple habits around excuse notes, so here is how the system works. Every absence and every tardy needs a note. To keep that manageable, each family gets five parent notes for the school year to use however you see fit, no reason required, to excuse any absence or tardy. The one thing to remember is the deadline. A parent note or other valid excuse has to reach the school within five school days of the event. If it doesn't, that event is marked unexcused, and your parent notes are then applied to it automatically until they run out.

Anything past that needs documentation, like a doctor or dentist note, a note from the court clerk or court designated worker, or an obituary or funeral card for the death of a family member. We know life happens, and this system is built to give families flexibility while keeping our attendance strong, because showing up is where learning starts. That goal of 93.4 percent is not just a number on a wall. It is what we mean when we say "Here Every Day, the Wildcat Way," and we get there one day and one Wildcat at a time. If you ever have a question about a note or an absence, just call the front office and we will walk you through it.

$2,500 Scholarship, No Essay Required

If you've ever skipped a scholarship because it wanted a five-page essay and a perfect GPA, this one's different. Cirkled In is offering the "No Sweat" Scholarship, a $2,500 award you can use for any educational need, and the whole application takes about two minutes.

The name isn't a joke. There's no essay, no minimum GPA, and no income requirements. It's open to all high school students, grades 9 through 12. You just create a free profile and click apply. That's it.

Here's how it works. Head to cirkledin.com and sign up for free, then go to cirkledin.com/scholarships and hit "Apply Now." The deadline is September 30, 2026, and winners will be notified by November 15, 2026.

Cirkled In is a platform built to help you showcase your skills and achievements to colleges and employers, find your best-fit school, land internships, and win scholarships. So even beyond this award, setting up a profile puts you in front of opportunities.

Two minutes for a shot at $2,500 is a good trade. Apply here: https://www.cirkledin.com/scholarships

Every day is a fresh chance for your student to learn something new, laugh with a friend, and take one more step forward, and it all starts with showing up. When our Wildcats are here day after day, great things happen. They stay connected to their teachers, they keep their momentum going, and they get the full Newport High experience we work so hard to give them.

That is why we are excited about our goal this year to reach 93.4 percent attendance together. It is a goal we know our families can help us hit, and every single day counts toward it. Get your Wildcat here, cheer them on, and let us take care of the rest. Here every day, the Wildcat way.

We want to talk with you about something that quietly shapes almost everything else at school: attendance. It's easy to think of a missed day here or there as no big deal, but the research is pretty clear that those days add up faster than most of us expect, and they matter more than we tend to realize.

Consider a few things we've learned. Missing just two days a month, which barely feels like a pattern, works out to about 18 days a year. That's the line researchers call chronic absence, and it's enough to pull a student's grades down. Attendance in the very first weeks of school often predicts how the whole year will go. And by the middle grades, how often a student shows up becomes one of the strongest signals of whether they'll graduate. The good news buried in all of that is the flip side: when attendance goes up, so do grades and the odds of walking across that stage.

None of this is about blame. We know mornings are hard, and we know that sometimes what keeps a student home has nothing to do with wanting to be here. Transportation falls through. Someone gets sick. Life happens. What we're asking is that we work on this together. Talk with your student about why being here matters. Reach out to us early when something is getting in the way, before a few absences turn into a habit. And when you're not sure how to handle a situation, let us be part of solving it.

Our goal this year is a 93.4% attendance rate across the building, and we genuinely believe we can hit it with your help. Every day a Wildcat is here is a day that counts. Thanks for partnering with us to make sure our students are here every day, the Wildcat way.

The Wildcat Market is open and ready to welcome Newport families. It's a free shopping market available to all Newport students and their families, where you can pick up food, fresh produce, clothing for children and adults, hygiene products, household items, and other everyday necessities. Everything is provided at no cost thanks to generous donations and community partnerships. If you like Plato's Closet or Goodwill, you'll love the Wildcat Market, and new items arrive every month. The Market is open on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, so you can shop twice a month. This year's shopping dates run from August 27th all the way through May 27th, with the only closure on October 8th. For the full 2026-2027 schedule and more information, find us on Facebook. One district, one community, stronger together.

Newport Independent Schools wants families to know about two rights they have under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). First, you can request information about any state or district testing policy, including what a given assessment covers, why students take it, how much instructional time it uses, and when and how results are shared. Second, you have the right to ask about the professional qualifications of your child's teacher and any paraeducator who works with your child. That includes whether they meet Kentucky's certification and licensing requirements, whether they are teaching under an emergency or provisional status, and their college major, degree, and field of certification. To request testing information, contact Autumn Slankard, District Assessment Coordinator, at 859-292-3092 or autumn.slankard@newport.kyschools.us. For educator qualifications, contact Dr. Melissa Hemmerle, Director of Federal Programs, at 859-292-3092 or melissa.hemmerle@newport.kyschools.us. When you reach out, please include your child's name, school, grade, and the specific information you want. Translation, interpretation, and accessible formats are available on request.

Wildcats, we've got a full slate ahead and plenty of chances to show up for our teams. Here's how the week shapes up.

Things get rolling Tuesday when our JV and varsity volleyball squads travel to Bellevue for a 6:00 and 7:00 match. Thursday is a busy one, all of it at Dayton: our varsity volleyball team competes in the River City Classic with matches against Dayton at 4:30 and Heritage at 5:30, while middle school football takes the field at 6:00.

Then we close the week at home. Friday night, varsity football hosts Sayre for Week 6 at 7:30. Come out, bring your energy, and pack the stands. There's nothing like a Friday night under the lights, and our guys play better when they can hear you.

Monday and Wednesday are quiet on the schedule, so use those evenings to rest up, get ahead on schoolwork, and get ready to travel and cheer the rest of the week.

Win or lose, we compete together. Go Wildcats, and we'll see you there. Wildcat Strong.