March 2025: Updates from the principal's desk

Dear JH & HS Tiger Families: 

February was an exciting month at Newton Falls Junior High and High School! As we move into spring, we have many exciting events and opportunities coming up for our students. Here’s a look at some of the great things that happened last month and a preview of what’s to come!

✅ Hall of Fame Induction Night – On February 7, we celebrated our newest inductees into the Newton Falls Athletic Hall of Fame. It was a fantastic evening honoring the achievements of past athletes and their contributions to our school’s rich sports history. Congratulations to our inductees: Arthur J. Prescott, Beth Gillespie, Patti Cooksey, Lisa Pinion, Chris Kyser, and Debbie Kezele.  We also unveiled our Hall of Fame Room in the high school which is now open to the community. Please make sure to stop and check it out when you visit the building! 

✅ The Glass Menagerie Performance – Mr. Szeljack's drama program put on a stunning performance of The Glass Menagerie, showcasing the incredible talent of our student actors and crew. The hard work and dedication of everyone involved truly made this production a success!

✅ State Farm Insurance Grant Winner – Congratulations to Mr. Szeljack, who won a $1,000 grant through State Farm Insurance’s "Crash a Class" Grant program! These funds will support student learning and innovative classroom projects.

✅ Junior Class Visits the State House – Mr. Gross and the junior class had an unforgettable experience touring the Ohio Statehouse. Students had the incredible opportunity to meet Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel while learning about our state's government firsthand.

✅ Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year Nomination – A special congratulations to Mr. Gross, who has been nominated for the Mahoning Valley Educator of the Year Award! His dedication to our students and community is truly inspiring.

✅ Winter Sports Success – Congratulations to our basketball programs who all had a strong winter season, with multiple athletes earning MVAC honors for their outstanding performances and the 8th grade boys' team winning their conference championship! 

✅ Eastwood Mall High School Fashion Show Face Off – Newton Falls showed up in style at the Eastwood Mall's High School Fashion Show Face Off on March 6th, and we’re thrilled to celebrate Makayla and Zoey Arambula for their incredible performance! Makayla rocked the runway as a model, while Zoey brought the Tiger spirit to life as our mascot, competing against 12 other schools—and they brought home 2nd place!  This victory was a true team effort, with points awarded based on school support. Thanks to our amazing Newton Falls crowd, we secured a $2,500 prize! Your energy and enthusiasm made all the difference, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Way to represent, Tigers!

Looking Ahead: 

✅ National Honor Society Induction Ceremony – We will hold our National Honor Society Induction Ceremony on Friday, March 14th, 2025 in the auditorium. 

✅ End of 3rd Grading Period – March 21st marks the end of our 3rd grading period! Report cards will be distributed once we return from Spring Break. 

✅ Spring Break– There will be no school for Spring Break from Monday, March 24th through Friday, March 28th! 

✅ Easter Break– There will be no school on Friday, April 18th and Monday, April 21st for Easter break. 

✅ Senior Class Breakfast, Awards, & Send Off– Parents, mark your calendars for May 13th as this will be our annual Senior Class breakfast, Awards Ceremony, and send off! 

✅ 6th Grade Washington DC Trip– Our 6th Grade will be traveling to the Nation's capital from May 19-21st! 

✅ Physicals / Immunization Clinic– We will be hosting another health physicals/immunization clinic here at the school with One Health Ohio on May 21st for students in need of shots or physicals for sports. Stay tuned for more info coming soon on this opportunity! 

State testing season is upon us! We will provide detailed information about specific dates for each grade level soon, but now is a great time to start reviewing key concepts at home. Please reach out to your child's teacher for more resources to support your child's achievement at home. You can also find out more information on state testing by clicking HERE. 

NF State Testing Windows: 

• ELA-  March 31- April 17

• Sci, Math, S.S -  April 17 - May 9th

We are looking forward to a fantastic spring semester filled with learning, growth, and exciting activities! As always, thank you for your continued support in making Newton Falls a great place for our students.

Yours in Education, 

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

We want to emphasize to all of our Tiger families that if you find yourself lacking resources and are in need of help, please do not hesitate to reach out. If your children clothes, shoes, or you need help with 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 available to take care of our Tiger families!

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