NEWBERG, Ore. — Despite inactivity in previous years, the Newberg-Dundee School District will retain its Financial Advisory Board, citing major financial decisions expected in the coming school year following the levy’s failure. Two board members sit on the committee, alongside eight community members.
According to Director Jeremy Hayden, the Financial Advisory Board did not meet during the 2025-26 school year, prompting him to question its purpose.
“They had a goal if we passed the levy that they would be utilized,” Hayden said. “I still question: Do we need that board, or do we resurrect it later if we do have a point where we do need it?”
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The Financial Advisory Board is separate from the Budget Committee. It is not required by law and was created in response to the excessive debt incurred in 2024 to promote community involvement and transparency.
“The Financial Advisory Board was very specific to our situation to try to make sure that there wasn’t anything nefarious or a reason to go deeper outside of what we could do as an internal board,” said Director Sol Allen.
The advisory board’s primary function was to determine whether the district needed to conduct a forensic audit in the wake of financial mismanagement, according to Hayden.
In 2024, the board consisted of Directors Hayden and Allen, along with community members Claire Hertz, a former district chief financial officer; Derek Duff, a senior manager of commercial analytics; and Mark Ankeny, a George Fox University professor emeritus. Michelle Morrison, the district’s current chief financial officer; Kat McNeal, a former Newberg-Dundee School District Budget Committee member; and Jared Isaksen, financial director of Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation, also served on the board, alongside Gaye Gerdts and Phillip Von Cleave, a financial operations specialist at Intel Corporation.
“It may be really nice to have these people on standby to run it through rather than have to try to scramble and put together a team again because we disbanded this,” said Director James Wolfer.
Allen questioned whether community involvement was still needed, saying the advisory board had already fulfilled its purpose during its 2024 meetings.
“Without having a clear reason to have that many community members, I’d hate to waste their time with a monthly meeting or whatever it is that doesn’t do much for their perspective to be included,” Allen said. “I think we all enjoy having more involvement from the community than less, but we need to reason.”
Other board members said they wanted to continue the committee and let its members decide whether to keep meeting.
“There are some potentially big decisions coming in the wake of the levy failing,” said Director Andy Byerley. “I think this group, if nothing else, could help us ask good questions as we undertake some of those processes.”
It was not immediately clarified whether the Financial Advisory Board will have vacant seats or whether members of the 2024-25 board will continue in their positions.
Also at the July 14 meeting
Nichols named board chair, Byerley vice chair for 2026-27 school year
Following the vacancy left by former chair Deb Bridges, Aubrey Nichols was nominated and unanimously voted into the board chair position. Andy Byerley was nominated and voted into the vice chair position, with James Wolfer abstaining.
“We will do our very best for you all,” Nichols said after the vote for chair and vice chair.
The board is still in the process of replacing Bridges’ seat after she moved out of her zone in June. With the application window for the seat closed, the board has received two applications for the Zone 2 position. Pending their availability, the applicants will be interviewed at the August 11, 2026, school board meeting, and the board will discuss and vote on the candidates immediately afterward.
Honors diploma requirements shift to accommodate a wider range of career paths
Alongside a standard high school diploma, Newberg High School students can also choose to pursue an honors diploma. The state of Oregon requires a 3.5 GPA to earn an honors diploma, but the Newberg-Dundee School District has historically also required specific advanced credits, including four advanced-level classes in both language arts and math, as well as one advanced class in science.
Advanced-level classes — Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or high-level math or science courses — will remain a requirement for an honors diploma, but students will have more flexibility in which advanced courses they choose.
Under the previous requirements, for example, a student who already knows what career they want to pursue might focus on specific AP classes relevant to that path, taking far more than the six required for honors, but not qualify for the diploma because of which classes they chose.
Students not planning to pursue a college degree offer another example. Programs such as Tiger Manufacturing and other career and technical education (CTE) credits, while currently considered advanced, do not count toward an honors diploma.
Under the new requirements, students would need only six advanced credits and a 3.5 GPA, in addition to the standard diploma requirements, to earn an honors diploma.
Newberg representatives to explore Mountain View Middle School exchange program in Austria
Newberg resident Brandon Slyter presented on behalf of Connect Newberg, a nonprofit that aims to connect Newberg with the cities of Asago, Japan; and Poysdorf, Austria. Chehalem Valley Middle School currently runs an exchange program with Asago, sending students on a 10-day trip and hosting Japanese students in Newberg.
Slyter is leading a delegation from Newberg to Poysdorf in September to scout potential exchange programs for Mountain View Middle School students. Mountain View Middle School does not currently offer an exchange program.
A Rotary Club grant will allow middle school teacher Connor Lambert to join the delegation, a first step toward establishing an exchange program for Mountain View Middle School students.
