By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
NEWPORT — Presenting scholarships on Graduation Night at Newport High School may be a thing of the past based on a suggestion by Newport School Board Vice Chairman Virginia Irwin.
“I think graduation is about graduation,” she stated at Newport’s June 13th School Board meeting.
Fifteen scholarships and awards were announced and presented at the graduation exercise of the Newport High School Class of 2019 on June 5.
“Some of the scholarships we give at graduation are very small. I think I’m going to get the board to look at its scholarship policy and move them to Class Night,” Irwin said.
She favors establishing a policy by October. “This would be the policy moving forward,” she revealed. “I think scholarships belong at Class Night,” Irwin concluded.
Retiring custodian Raymond Willis was honored by the School Board for his 32 years of service with the presentation of a coaching jacket with Coach Raymond Willis on the sleeve.
“You have guided principal after principal and shepherded our children, you have cared for us,” Irwin said.
“If I was 30 I would do it all over again,” Willis responded.
The board also presented Superintendent of Schools Cindy Gallagher with a set of engraved drinking glasses for her service to the School District. Gallagher will be leaving the District on June 30.
Newport Planner Cody Morrison said 24 students have expressed an interest in the “School to Work” program. “Some are undecided but we’re going to nudge them along,” he added.
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