NHES Newsletter

• Thank you to our PTA for hosting such a fun-filled & successful Spring Art Festival last week! Student art will still be up for your viewing pleasure during Friday's Spring Concert, all art will be provided to families prior to the end of the school year.
• Thank you to everyone who participated in the battery recycling contest this year, NHES came in 11th place and won $300!! We’ll be using the $$ for new recess equipment.

PLUS...

• Last week we revisited our Shark PRIDE behavior rotations, reminding students about our school-side expectations. Please continue partnering with us by reinforcing expected behaviors, making positive choices & showing kindness towards everyone. If you ever have questions or concerns, please reach out to your student's teacher to work together.
• Our Lost & Found is overflowing, please take a look for any items your student may have misplaced.
• With 7 more weeks of school, students are deep in learning, preparing to matriculate to their next grade level PLUS working towards end-of-year celebrations like Open House. Please be mindful of attendance, supporting your students' on-time arrival, reducing early pick-ups, and attending school every day when they are well!

Get ready for the Newport-Mesa Soccer Classic, a fun and competitive soccer tournament for 3rd-6th graders featuring elementary schools in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach! Does your shark love soccer? Does your shark want to play on a team with friends from school? This is their chance to represent Newport Heights Elementary School!

Important Dates:

1. Sign-up & Payment Due: Monday, April 21st – Registration form attached! Please print + drop off, with payment, at the front office. *Registration forms will also be sent home later this week*
2. Tryouts: Wednesday, April 23rd
3. Practices Begin: Week of April 28th
4. Tournament Dates: May 27th - June 1st

Even if your student isn’t playing, mark your calendars to come out and support our NHES sharks during the Newport-Mesa Soccer Classic!

For even more details, please contact NHES parent liaisons Lee-Anne & Todd Gasparik: lulu0717@gmail.com or (714) 318-7108.

You are invited to our annual Spring Concert celebrating our Special Persons Day with Music & Memories on Friday, April 25th!

Sponsored by Newport Heights Elementary Foundation

A letter to our parents/guardians from our teachers...

Our school is participating in the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments as part of CAASPP - CA Assessment of Student Performance & Progress this month. These assessments are a key part of implementing our Common Core academic standards and preparing all students for success in college and careers.

Our 3rd-6th grade classes will be taking the assessments on the following days:

Language Arts

April 29th - May 2nd

Math

May 6th - 9th

Science – 5th Grade ONLY

May 13th - 14th

You are the most important partner in your student's learning process. Please do all you can to ensure that your student is not absent during the testing periods or days and arrives at school on time each morning. It is highly recommended that your student gets a good night’s sleep and has a healthy breakfast each day.

If you would like more information about Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, please visit the website at http://www.caaspp.org/ to see examples of test questions. Click on Practice and Training tests and log in as a guest. If you have any questions regarding your student’s participation, please contact your teacher.

Next week begins the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California for our incredible K-2nd grade students whose second learned-language is English.

Assessment Dates:

Tuesday-Thursday

April 29th-May 1st

Areas of focus: Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking

If you would like more information, visit NMUSD's ELPAC webpage.

April is Autism Awareness Month! Autism Awareness month aims to educate people about Autism Spectrum Disorder, promote acceptance and understanding, and support those with autism. It highlights the importance of creating inclusive environments where children on the spectrum can thrive. It's important to remember that our children interact with their peers on the autism spectrum daily at our school, whether you are aware of it or not. Let's emphasize the significance of raising awareness and fostering a supportive community at NHES!

Check out these books you may be interested in reading with your student:

• My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete & Ryan Elizabeth Peete
• It's OK to Be Different by Sharon Purtill
• All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph & Danielle Royer
• Uniquely Wired by Julia Cook
• My Friend with Autism by Beverly Bishop
• Nathan's Autism Spectrum Superpowers by Lori Yarborough

These last few weeks of our school year are filled with fun, community, and learning opportunities! Mark your calendars & stay tuned for updates:

APRIL

• Spring Picture Day - Wednesday, April 16th
• PTA Spring Festival - Thursday, April 17th
• Yearbook Cover Contest deadline - Friday, April 18th
• School Office Appreciation Day - Wednesday, April 23rd
• Music & Memories Spring Concert: Special Persons Day - Friday, April 25th
• ELPAC Testing: K-2nd Grades (EL students) - Tuesday, April 29th-Thursday, May 1st
• CAASPP State Testing: 3rd-6th Grades - Weeks of April 28th + May 5th

MAY

• Awards Assembly - Friday, May 2nd
• School Lunch Hero Day - Friday, May 2nd
• VIP Lunch Date - Friday, May 2nd
• Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week - Week of May 5th-9th
• CAASPP State Testing: 3rd-6th Grades - Weeks of April 28th + May 5th
• School Nurse Day - Wednesday, May 7th
• CAASPP State Testing: 5th Grade Science - Week of May 12th
• Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast - Friday, May 16th
• Open House (early out) - Thursday, May 22nd
• Teacher/Staff-for-the-Day - Friday, May 23rd
• Memorial Day: NO SCHOOL - Monday, May 26th
• School Spirit Week - May 27th-30th
• ELPAC Testing: 3rd-6th Grades (EL students) - Tuesday, May 27th-Wednesday, May 28th
• Awards Assembly & Last Flag Deck - Friday, May 30th

JUNE

• Field Day - Wednesday, June 4th
• 6th Grade Promotion - Thursday, June 5th
• LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (regular school day) - Thursday, June 5th

Tuesday

T-shirt Tuesday

Wednesday

Spirit Wear Wednesday

Friday

Shark House Friday

NO FLAG DECK

Music & Memories Spring Concert!

UPCOMING

State Testing begins (3rd-6th grades) - Week of April 28th

ELPAC Testing (K-2nd grades) - Tuesday, April 29th-Thursday, May 1st

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

Heights Happenings: April 2025

Enrollment is open for all NEW student TK-6th grade for the 2025-2026 school year!

*not for currently enrolled students - registration for returning students is in August

*scholarships available

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 + Shark House gear being sold by PTA!

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