Return Honesty, Integrity to the School Board

Over the last few weeks, the Newberg Graphic has been printing letters to the editor that overwhelmingly support changes to Newberg’s school board. The letter writers include retired educators and administrators, parents and grandparents, and community leaders, all who recognize the harm being done to Newberg’s kids by the current board’s decisions. 

While we appreciate the work of the Newberg Graphic, we wanted these letters to reach the widest audience possible. So we reached out to many of the writers, asking if we could republish their words. Every writer said yes. 

First up is Terry McElligott, a long-time employee of Newberg Schools, who served in a number of capacities, from classroom teacher to principal to working in the district office, guiding curriculum adoption. 

Here’s what she had to say: 

Return honesty, integrity to the school board

To the editor:

In the voters pamphlet and at the public candidate forum, incumbent school board members stated that “Newberg School District has a full staff of teachers.” Really? Here is what the candidates failed to share with you:

– Fifteen teachers employed by Newberg School District have no record of having a license in the Teacher Standard and Practice Commission, the Oregon agency that tracks the license and qualifications of each teacher employed in the state.

– Seventeen licensed teachers are on emergency, restricted, conditional assignments or reciprocal licenses, meaning they are not highly qualified for their positions.

– Mountain View Middle School and Edwards Elementary are each short one counselor. Edwards borrowed counselors for most of the year and just recently hired its own.

– Science and humanities classes at Chehalem Valley Middle School have been taught by an array of rotating substitutes throughout the entire year.

– Seven educational assistant positions remain open and unfilled for the current school year affecting the education of students at Chehalem Valley, Joan Austin, Newberg High School, Crater, Edwards and Dundee.

– Two psychologists working with vulnerable students are telecommuting from out of state over Zoom and three speech language pathologists also work with students over Zoom.

As a principal who led both Joan Austin Elementary School and Mountain View Middle School, this is neither a “full staff of teachers” or moving us toward “having the best public school in the state of Oregon,” as stated by the incumbent candidates.

Questions parents should ask the district leadership and school administrators:

– What is the staffing situation at my child’s school and how does it directly affect my child’s education?

– What proactive hiring strategies has the superintendent outlined and put in place during this spring and summer to ensure licensed employees will be teaching in-building and in-person? This is critical for special education students working with psychologists and speech teachers.

– Are Individual Education Plans (IEPs) being followed and are students receiving all minutes and services outlined in the plan? This is a legal and binding agreement among parents, school administrators and district administrators. What is the recourse if this plan is not followed?

– What is the Professional Development Plan with workshop sessions at regular intervals throughout the school year for all licensed teachers and administrators to improve instructional strategies together to drive academic improvement?

It is time to have school board members who are invested in students and parents. When your ballot arrives in the mail, five candidates with a vested interest in public education will listen to all constituents and demand a strategic plan to serve all students. Vote for Deb Bridges, Jeremy Hayden, Nancy Woodward, James Wolfer and Sol Allen.

Honesty, transparency and leadership are on the ballot. Your vote can bring back integrity and academic focus to the Newberg School District.

Terry McElligott, Newberg