February 2024

Dear JH & HS Tiger Families: 

It's been a very busy time of year for our Tigers as we near the end of basketball season and are almost to the mid-point of our 3rd grading period. It's hard to believe that in a few short months, we will be preparing for graduation and end of year celebrations! 

We have the The JH/HS PTO dance for students in grades 6-8 which will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 6:00 - 8:30 with coronation starting at 6:30 for 8th Grade students. Tickets have been on sale throughout the week and can be purchased at the door as well. The PTO has been working hard on preparations for this event and we know our Junior High students will have a fantastic time!

We are thrilled to announce that Senior art student JJ Maffitt's artwork has been selected for the prestigious National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition in Richmond, Virginia. JJ's talent and dedication are truly commendable, and we are proud to see our students shine on a national stage! We are also incredibly proud of William Medved who was recently named as a 24-25 Ohio Key Club Lt. Governor Candidate. We have been working hard this school year to reestablish our Key Club in conjunction with Newton Falls Kiwanis Club and we are excited for the reinvigoration of this important student-led activity.

Our Junior High Student Council is organizing a Valentine's Day Box competition, starting from Wednesday, February 7th, and concluding on February 14th. Students can showcase their creativity and spread love throughout our school community. Prizes will be awarded for various categories, so please encourage your child to participate and showcase their artistic skills! 

Please mark your calendars for Friday, February 9th, at 9:30 AM in the High School Auditorium. Kent State representatives will be hosting an informational meeting about College Credit Plus opportunities for the next school year. Parents are welcome to attend this session or opt for the informational meeting on Thursday, February 15th, at 6:00 PM in the High School Auditorium. It's never too early to start planning for college expenses and Kent State Trumbull Campus will be hosting FAFSA sessions to assist students and their families in completing their FAFSA for the 2024-2025 school year. The last session will be held on Wednesday, February 21st, from 3:00-5:00 PM. This session is free of charge. To register, please call 330-675-8977.  To see a flow chart of our anticipated CCP offerings for next year, please click HERE. 

Congratulations to Senior Dani Drake for breaking the school record in girls' basketball for 3 point field goals in a game on 2/4/24. Dani's remarkable achievement highlights her skill and dedication to the sport! We would also like to give a huge shout out to our 7th grade basketball team, led by Coach Jones, who finished their regular season of game play undefeated 16-0. Both the 7th and 8th grade teams play tournaments today. Good luck Tigers! 

Additionally, our Varsity Basketball team recently held "Honor Our Past Night" on 2/3, where they celebrated members of the 1977-78 Sectional Championship team. It was a nostalgic and heartwarming event, with alumni traveling from all over the country to attend, from Las Vegas to Florida and New York. We appreciate the Varsity Basketball program's dedication to honoring our past teams and alumni! 

Parent/Teacher conferences will be from 3-8 PM district-wide on February 15th. Students will have no school that day as this is a professional development day for staff. Interim grades will be posted by the evening of 2/15 and can be accessed via Progressbook Parent Portal the following Wednesday. Scheduling for parent/teacher conferences will begin today, February 7th. You can contact Mrs. Howard at 330.872.5121 x 1008 to schedule for high school students and Mrs. Bever at 330.872.5121 x 1019 to schedule for junior high students. Scheduling for conferences will conclude on 2/14 to allow our teachers time to prepare. 

Looking ahead to March, the PBIS team will be taking students on a field trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on March 20th. This is a reward incentive for students who earned 4 or more character cards during Quarter 2, students who have earned Student of the Month this school year, or students who had perfect attendance during Quarter 2. We are looking forward to this fun trip and the opportunity to provide our JH/HS students with a memorable experience! 

Lastly, we want to emphasize to all of our Tiger families that if you find yourself lacking resources and are in need of help, especially as the cold months and holidays come upon us, please do not hesitate to reach out. If your children need coats, clothes, better shoes, or you need help with groceries and food, we are here to help. There's zero judgment--it takes a village to raise a child and we at Newton Falls Junior High and High School are part of your village. Please email rankinr@nfschools.org if you ever need additional support and we will utilize all our resources to take care of our Tiger families!

We are committed to creating a partnership between our school and our Tiger families so that every child can be successful and achieve their highest potential. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you need anything or have questions/concerns. Thank you!

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Rankin, Principal & Mr. Bauman, Assistant Principal 

Have a question? Please email Mrs. Rankin at rankinr@nfschools.org or Mr. Bauman at baumanr@nfschools.org!