NEWBERG, Ore. — The Newberg-Dundee School Board of Directors voted unanimously at its June 9, 2026, meeting to waive Policy DBDB, which requires an ending fund balance of at least 7% of the general fund, citing current budget concerns. Chief Financial Officer Nathan Roedal said the current fund balance from the 2025-2026 school year will be approximately $659,408, or 1.1% of the general fund, as of the April 30 financial report.
Policy DBDB requires that 5% of the general fund be held as an Unappropriated General Fund Balance, unavailable for expenditures during the current budgeted school year. An additional 2% is designated as an Appropriated Contingency Reserve, which the board may authorize for use during the school year upon approval.
For the 2025-2026 school year, the combined reserve and fund balance of 7% outlined in Policy DBDB would total approximately $4.2 million. The approved 2025-2026 budget estimated an Ending Fund Balance of $1 million.
Superintendent Dave Parker said the policy was also waived last year.
The meeting agenda cited “the financial position of NDPS, the systemic funding proposed at this time by the state legislature, and the NDPS adopted budget” as cause for the waiver.
Bridges Steps Down as Board Chair
Deb Bridges served her last meeting as board chair, stepping down following a relocation that placed her outside the zone she represented. Her four-year term runs through 2027, and the board will appoint a new member from Zone 2 to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Under Policy BBE, the board opened the Zone 2 position for applications on June 23, 2026, with a deadline of July 13, 2026 — a 20-day window. Applicants must be registered voters in Oregon, must have resided within Zone 2 for at least one year immediately preceding the appointment, and may not be employees of the school district.
Zone 2 is the largest geographical zone in the district and covers the northwestern portion of the Newberg school district, from N Morton St. to the south up beyond NE North Valley Road to the north, following OR 240 to the west. See the full description of the zone’s location at the NDSD website.
Applications may be submitted to the Newberg School District Administration Office at 714 E. Sixth St. or by email to the superintendent’s office.
Following the application deadline, the board will review submitted materials and may interview candidates at a public meeting before making an appointment. The appointed board member will serve the remainder of Bridges’s term, expiring June 30, 2027.
Middle School Students Reflect On Japan Exchange Program
Students from Chehalem Valley Middle School shared their experiences from a 10-day exchange program with Wadayama Middle School in Asago City, Japan. While in Japan, students visited three schools and participated in two homestays, with several highlighting the close bonds formed with host families.
Participants learned about Japanese culture through visits to cultural sites — including the Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial site — interactions with students at the schools they visited, and time with host families, many of whom spoke little English. Students also took part in after-school activities, including soft tennis, kendo, volleyball, basketball, and baseball.
On July 31, 2026, students from Wadayama Middle School will arrive in Newberg to begin their U.S. homestay. They will visit City Hall and downtown Newberg on Aug. 3 before traveling to the coast, Newport, the Oregon Zoo, Mount Hood, and other destinations.
School-Based Health Center Provides Update
Jeri Turgesen presented an update on the school-based health center at Newberg High School, highlighting the program’s efficiency and support for students. During the 2025-2026 school year, the center conducted 1,099 medical visits, 266 of which involved students enrolled in Newberg-Dundee Public Schools. The center offers medical and mental health services, including individual and family counseling.
The health center also operates several additional programs, including a middle and high school mentorship program and a nicotine prevention program that serves as an alternative to suspension.
A change in Oregon law effective July 1, 2026, now requires all school-based health centers to provide condoms and at least one other form of birth control. Newberg’s center is working with Providence Medical Center to achieve compliance by that date.
Nhs Trap Team Approved To Travel To National Championship
The Newberg-Dundee School Board approved a request to send five Newberg High School trap team members to Mason, Michigan, to compete in the 2026 National High School Trap Shooting Championship, July 8-13, 2026. The trip will be student-funded, according to the Extended Field Trip Request Form submitted to the board.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for June 23, 2026.
