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 could not be more excited to have our students back in the building. From the moment those doors opened, Newport High School came alive again, and there's just nothing like it. Seeing so many familiar smiling faces walk back through our halls reminded us exactly why we love this place, and welcoming all of our new students to the Wildcat family made the week even sweeter. If you're new to NHS, know this: you belong here, and we're thrilled you're with us.

Here's what stood out most. Our students and staff did an outstanding job adjusting to new bell schedules, new expectations, and new procedures. That's no small thing. Change takes patience and effort, and everyone rose to the occasion with a great attitude. Walking the building this week, you could feel the energy and the readiness to make this a special year. And it will be. We're confident about that.

Our goal at Newport High School is simple but powerful. We want to keep getting better each and every day through consistency, clarity, and care for every single student and staff member who walks through our doors. Those three things guide everything we do, and week one showed us just how much we're capable of when we lean into them together.

Thank you to our students, our families, and our incredible staff for such a strong start. This is going to be an excellent year, Wildcats, and we're just getting started.

Go Wildcats!

Here's some good news to start the year off right. Thanks to our partnership with GEAR UP Kentucky, our Class of 2027 Wildcats have a real shot at some serious help paying for college, and the best part is that you don't have to compete for it.

That's right. This isn't the kind of scholarship where thousands of students are fighting over a handful of awards. If you meet the requirements, the money is yours. You complete, you receive. It's that simple.

So what are we talking about? Any 2027 GUK graduate who enrolls at a Kentucky college, university, or technical college earns a first-year scholarship of $750. Then, if you head back for a second consecutive year, another $600 lands in your corner. That's real money toward whatever comes next for you, whether that's a four-year degree, a technical certification, or something in between.

Qualifying takes just four steps. You need to graduate from a GEAR UP Kentucky high school, which you're already doing right here at Newport. You'll want to take part in at least one documented GUK activity, complete both the FAFSA and the GEAR UP Kentucky Senior Survey, and then enroll at a Kentucky college, university, or technical college. Knock those out and the scholarship is guaranteed.

This is exactly the kind of opportunity we love seeing for our students, and we don't want a single senior to miss out on it. If you have questions or want to make sure you're checking every box, talk to your GEAR UP advisor. They're ready to walk you through it and help you claim what's yours.

Go get it, Wildcats. Your next step just got a whole lot easier.

NaviGo Scholars: Real Career Pathways for Wildcats

Here's an opportunity worth putting in front of your student. NaviGo Scholars connects local businesses with motivated high schoolers who want to explore real career fields and build workforce skills before they ever graduate. Selected students get hands-on learning, time inside actual workplaces, and personalized coaching from a NaviGo Coach who supports their college and career planning along the way. Applications are open now through September 2, so this is the window to jump in.

There are more than a dozen Scholars Groups to choose from, spanning just about every interest area you can think of. A few highlights: the Balluff Industrial Sensing & Automation group is brand new this year and a great fit for students drawn to robotics, electrical engineering, and sensors. SHP Design, also new, gives juniors and seniors an inside look at architecture, interior design, and mechanical engineering. Beyond those, students can explore groups in Artificial Intelligence at NKU, Automotive Careers at the BMW Store, Cyber Defense with US Bank, Advanced Manufacturing with Toyota, Skilled Trades, Law Careers, Mental Health Careers, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, and more. Some run in the fall, some in the spring, and some across the full year, so there's flexibility to match a student's schedule.

A couple of details to know. Most groups meet about twice a month, often splitting time between the company's site and a Gateway campus, and the whole program kicks off with a celebration on Sunday, September 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. that selected scholars, families, and sponsors are all encouraged to attend.

Students can learn more and apply at navigoprep.com/navigo-scholars, and questions can go to navigo@learning-grove.org. If your Wildcat has been wondering what a career in a field actually looks like day to day, this is a chance to find out from the people who live it.

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.

As we head into the new year, here is one small dress code habit we are asking every Wildcat to build. During the school day, students should not wear anything on their heads. That means hoods stay down, and hats, caps, beanies, bonnets, du-rags, and other head coverings stay in backpacks or lockers once the day begins. It is a simple expectation, but an important one. Being able to see our students' faces helps us keep the building safe, helps teachers connect with kids during class, and keeps everyone present and engaged.

The only exceptions are head coverings worn for an approved medical or religious reason, and we are always glad to work with any family in that situation. If that applies to your student, just reach out to the front office so we can note it and make sure your child is set for the year. You can help at home by reminding your student to come to school ready to leave the hood down and the hat off. Little reminders now save everyone the awkward hallway conversation later, and they help us start the year on the same page. As always, thanks for partnering with us on this one.

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.

The LIHEAP Summer Subsidy Program will accept applications August 3 through September 11, 2026, to help eligible Kentucky households offset cooling costs with a one-time electric benefit. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted.

Interested households should contact their local NKCAC-Neighborhood Center to determine eligibility and complete the application process. To find the office serving your county, visit www.nkcac.org or call 859-581-6607.

To qualify, households must meet eligibility requirements, including having a household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Benefits are paid directly to the household's electric provider.

Please note:

• A disconnect notice, past-due bill, or eviction notice is not required to apply.

• Receiving assistance during previous LIHEAP components does not affect eligibility for this program.

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.

This week is a great one to jump in. Volleyball hosts Williamstown on Thursday night, and then football kicks off the home slate under the lights on Friday, August 21 against Ludlow at 7 p.m. Our cross country runners are out early Saturday morning competing at Williamstown, and our volleyball squad rounds out the week at the Ludlow Classic. That's a full weekend of Wildcat action, and every one of these athletes plays a little harder when they hear a crowd behind them.

Coming out to a game is one of the simplest ways to show these kids they matter. Bring your family, bring a neighbor, wear your red, and make some noise. Whether it's a Friday night on the football field or a Tuesday match in the gym, our teams want to look up and see Newport showing up.

So mark your calendars and keep an eye out for our weekly schedule so you always know where the Wildcats are playing. Let's fill those stands and make this a fall to remember.

Go Wildcats!

Newport High School is hosting a Back to School Softball Camp with the Newport Ladycats, and it's a great chance for players to sharpen their skills before the new season gets going. Starting August 20th at Newport Vets (26 Caroline Dr, Newport, KY 41071), the camp is open to all players in grades 7 through 12, no matter where they are in their development. Players will work on the fundamentals that matter most, including hitting, fielding, throwing, base running, and game situations, all while building the confidence and teamwork that carry over to every part of the game. Best of all, the camp is completely free. It just takes commitment and effort. If your athlete is ready to grow as a player and start the season strong, contact Coach Turner at kenneth.turner@newport.kyschools.us to register today.