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.

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.

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!

Join Us for Family Engagement Day!

Wildcat families, we hope to see you at Newport High School for Family Engagement Day on [DATE]. It's a full day set aside for you to connect with your student's teachers, learn about the resources available to your family, and start thinking about life after graduation.

Parent-teacher conferences run all day, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, in teachers' classrooms. Come by whenever it fits your schedule. While you're here, you can also sit in on short sessions throughout the day. Autumn Slankard will share our Portrait of a Learner in the cafeteria, and I'll be in the auditorium walking through how our Title funds are used to support students.

Vanessa Moore from GEAR UP will lead FAFSA presentations in Room 208, which are especially useful for families of juniors and seniors.

Don't miss the College and Career Fair in the Main Gym. Representatives from NKU, Thomas More, Gateway, Cincinnati State, UC, UK, U of L, and Kentucky State will be on hand to answer questions and talk with students about their options.

The full schedule is below. We can't wait to see you here!

Go Wildcats,
Nick Wilson, Principal

Spookapalooza Is Creeping Up on Us!

Something spooky is lurking in the Aux Gym... and it's our middle school dance! Join us on Friday, October 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for Spookapalooza, an afternoon of fun, dancing, and plenty of laughs.

Dig out your best costume, because we'll be crowning the winner of our costume contest. Whether you go scary, silly, or totally creative, we want to see it. You can also test your skills in the limbo contest, strike a pose at the photo booth, and join in on some frightfully fun games.

Grab your friends, bring your best dance moves, and get ready for a howling good time. We can't wait to see all of our ghouls and goblins there!

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

Fall Break Is Almost Here!

Wildcat families, a reminder that Fall Break is the week of October 5–9. There is no school for students that week, and classes resume on Monday, October 12.

Our students and staff have worked hard to start the year strong, and this break comes at a good time. I hope your family gets some real time to rest, recharge, and enjoy each other's company, whether that means a trip out of town or a few slow mornings at home.

Please travel safely, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in the building on the 12th, rested and ready to finish the first semester strong.

Have a safe and relaxing Fall Break!

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.

Run with the Wildcats Craft Show: Saturday, October 17

Mark your calendars and bring your shopping list! The Newport Wildcats Track Team is hosting the Run with the Wildcats Craft Show on Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Newport High School, 900 E. 6th Street.

This is a great chance to get a head start on holiday shopping while supporting our student athletes. You'll find handmade crafts, gifts, and one-of-a-kind items from local vendors, all under one roof. Every dollar raised goes directly to our track program, helping cover the costs of equipment, travel, and meet fees so our runners can keep competing and representing Newport with pride.

Our track athletes put in the work every day, and events like this make a real difference in what the program can offer them. Whether you stop by for a few minutes or spend the afternoon browsing, your support means a lot to these students and their coaches.

Interested in being a vendor? Booth space is available for a $50 vendor fee. If you create, craft, or run a small business, we'd love to have you join us. To reserve a spot or ask questions, contact Ryan Wardia at 859-307-3011 or Cheryl Noonchester at 859-866-3780.

We hope to see you there. Come shop local, meet some of our athletes, and help us cheer on the Wildcats!

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.

Volleyball leads things off with back-to-back nights. Our JV and varsity squads travel to Highlands on Monday for a 6:00 and 7:00 match, then come home Tuesday to host Ludlow, same times. Come pack the gym Tuesday and give them a loud home crowd.

Midweek, our middle school and elementary cross country runners compete at Dayton on Wednesday. Thursday, middle school football is back at home to take on Grant County at 6:00.

One heads-up for Friday night: varsity football is on a bye this week, so there's no game. Use the night to rest up, and we'll be back under the lights next week.

Whether you're in the gym, on the course, or in the stands, thanks for showing up for our Wildcats. Go get 'em this week. Wildcat Strong.