Newport High School (NHS) is a public high school in Bellevue, Washington. It serves students in grades 9–12 in the southern part of the Bellevue School District, including the neighborhoods of Eastgate, Factoria, Newport Hills, Newport Shores, Somerset, The Summit, and Sunset. As of the 2022–23 school year, the principal is Dion Yahoudy. The mascot is the Knight, and the school colors are scarlet and gold.
History
Newport High School was built in 1963 and opened in the fall of 1964 to accommodate Bellevue's growing population. Prior to construction, students in the Eastgate, Somerset and Newport Hills neighborhoods went to Sammamish High School and Bellevue High School. The first graduating class was of 1966.
From 2005 to 2008, the school went through a major construction project. A new three story building replaced the original classrooms, library, and offices. The original buildings remained in use during construction of the new building. The project included extensive remodeling of the gyms and locker rooms. In early 2007, students and teachers moved into the new building. The old buildings were demolished to replace a baseball field and a softball field displaced by the new building. The project cost $54 million.
Student demonstration
On November 19, 2021, at 10:50 AM, a student-led protest involving hundreds of students unfolded over the school administration's perceived failure to respond to a physical abuse/sexual harassment allegation. No students or staff members were physically injured. Due to the "substantial" disruption to the education process, which the district considered far exceeding the parameters of its policies concerning the freedom of assembly, the school administration ordered a school-wide lockdown, and law enforcement were called to the site. Multiple student leaders involved with the demonstration were temporarily expelled.
Demographics
In the 2017–18 school year, the total student enrollment was 1,772. The demographics are: 1% Black/African American, 6% Hispanic, 8% Multi-Ethnic, 48% Asian and 36% White. 35% of students speak a first language other than English. 6% of students receive ELL service, and 13% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch.
Achievements
Newport High School has been ranked in the Top 100 List of Best High Schools by Newsweek Magazine as measured by the number of AP tests taken divided by the number of seniors in the school, ranking 37th as of 2006, 31st as of 2008, 34th in 2009. It was ranked 118 in 2014. Newport was also selected as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2003 by the United States Department of Education. In 2005 Newport High School's World History program was recognized as exemplary in the College Board's Report To The Nation based on its top-ranking pass rate on the national AP World History exam. Another achievement includes the DECA (Distributive Education Classes of America) program, which is a competition offered through Newport's Marketing Classes.
Technology
During the 2004–2005 school year, the Bellevue School District made a push to buy Smart Boards for all classrooms, accompanied by Dell projectors which are mounted onto the ceiling. In the 2016-17 school year the Bellevue School District decided to hand out Lenovo Yoga laptops known as the One-to-One Technology program. This includes teaching with Microsoft OneNote.
Some of the technology related courses include the NHS Cisco academy, including CCNP classes, and Advanced Placement Computer Science.
One technical class is the advanced video production program. The production studio has a professional level green room, studio cameras, Apple computers for editing, and a fully equipped audio room. The program also has access to cinema grade cameras, however, students in the program are yet to be allowed access.
Students
Newport High School hosts a variety of clubs, including language/culture clubs in Spanish and Chinese, as well as a branch of the National Honor Society, Gay-Straight Alliance, Debate, Junior Statesmen of America, DECA, Key Club, a community-service organization called ACE, a robotics club, a math club, a snowboarding club called Snow Riders, a sports debating club called Sports Debate Club, a Jewish club, a dancing club called Cover & Choreography, a speech and debate club and Forensics team, and a Spirit Squads like Cheer, Drill, and Color Guard.