| 1847 - First school house was a small frame building with a wood stove. It was located about a block east of the current Newton square. |
| 1869 - Music was added to the curriculum. |
  | 1871 - A new Central Building for all grades was constructed on the lot bordered by 1st Street and NE 3rd Avenue. High school classes were held on the third floor. |
| 1875 - Members of the first Newton High School graduating class received diplomas: Bertha Fehleisen, George Fehleisen and Emerson Hough.
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| 1879-1881 - Miss C. E. Crane served as Newton superintendent of schools. Crane is the only woman to date who has served in this position. |
| 1881 - The first NHS alumni reunion was held marking the beginning of the NHS Alumni Association. |
| 1897 - A four-room building known as the West School was built for $10,000. It was later named Washington School. |
| 1900 - The Wright home in northeast Newton was purchased for $2,000. In 1901 East School was built on this site. |
| 1902 - Newton fielded its first football team. Reverend Chambers of the Presbyterian Church in Newton was the first coach. Fred Jones, Newton clothing merchant, served as coach of the first Newton track team. |
| 1907 - A custodian at the Central Building requested electric lights be installed “to enable him to see better to clean during winter evenings.” It was granted. |
| 1908 - Construction was completed on the “Old Senior High.” The building was later known as the west building of Central Junior High. It currently is the location of the Newton Public Library. |
| 1910 - W. O. Abram was the first coach officially hired by the Newton School Board. Boys’ basketball also started. |
  | 1911 - Lucy E. Hall, NHS Class of 1897, was named first high school principal.
The first Newtonia was published. |
| 1913 - Girls’ intramural basketball began. |
| 1914 - Debate was added, coached by Sadie Furniss and Lucy Hall. Construction of Lincoln Elementary was completed. |
| 1918 - Central Junior High School was built on the former site of the “Old Central” Building. It opened the following year. |
  | 1922 - Ben Conrad B. C. Berg began his 37-year career as NSD superintendent. The first high school carnival was held. |
| 1924 - Newton school board hired H. A. “Pop” Lynn as a teacher and coach. He taught math, physics, and junior high science over the next four years. |
| 1926 - East School was remodeled. It was also renamed and dedicated to Emerson Hough ’75. NHS won the state basketball championship. |
  | 1928 - H. A. “Pop” Lynn began his legendary career as principal of Newton High School. Following a St. Louis Cardinals’ baseball game with a group of students, Lynn suggested Newton should become the “Cardinals” instead of the “Lil Washers.” Faculty and students both voted to approve the idea. |
| 1930 - The first Art Club was organized. The Newtonia received a first-prize rating. |
| 1940 - The first boys’ golf team competed. Construction began on the athletic field and stadium. It was completed in 1942. |
| 1945 - Homecoming tradition was restored with senior Thalia Arndt reigning as queen. The team defeated Marshalltown for the first time since 1938. |
| 1946 - Coach Peavory began the wrestling program. |
| 1947 - The first NHS tennis team competed. |
| 1950 - A $1,200,000 bond issue was approved for the current senior high school building on S 8th Avenue E. |
| 1953 - The first class graduated from the new high school.
The Maytag Scholarship program was initiated. |
| 1955 - Aurora Heights Elementary was built for $187,655. Thomas Jefferson was completed the following year. |
| 1957 - Two hundred female students formed the first Newton Pep Club. |
  | 1959 - The Fred L. Maytag family gifted their home at 807 S. 6th Avenue W. to
the school district. It housed the Newton Community School District
administrative offices until 2012. |
| 1961 - The new junior high and elementary schools were named for B. C. Berg.
Distributive Education program (DECA) was initiated at NHS. |
| 1963-1964 - The Newton Cardinals won the Boys’ State Basketball Championship two consecutive years. |
| 1966 - The athletic field was officially named H. A. Lynn Field. |
| 1967 - Upon his retirement as NHS principal, H. A. “Pop” Lynn received the only honorary diploma awarded to date. |
| 1975 - Washington Elementary School was razed and the site sold. |
  | 1976 - Sid Dunitz, Class of 51 President of the Newton High School Alumni Association, initiated the all-classes open house on Friday night prior to the traditional Saturday night banquet. It was originally intended as part of his class's 25th reunion celebration. Held at the Newton Elk's Club, the gathering was such a success it was moved the following year to the Newton Inn courtyard. It continues to be a popular and well attended event each reunion weekend. |
| 1980 - The NHS Cardinals defeated Bettendorf at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls to claim the State 4A Football Championship. |
| 1983 - The Central Junior High building was razed and the site sold. |
| 1984 - Gary Kirchhoff began his 20-year career as NHS principal. |
  | 1993 - NHS Victory Bell Tower and plaque were renovated by the alumni association board at the site of the Old Senior High building. The bell rang out to gladly proclaim victory for Newton High. The tower was a gift from NHS classes 1925-1928. |
| 1994 - H. A. “Pop” Lynn died in October at 93 years of age. The NHS Alumni Association established a scholarship fund in his name. |
| 2000 - A new stadium locker room was constructed. |
| 2002 - The expansion of the NHS building was celebrated, especially the new
entrance. Dr. Philip Hintz retired as district superintendent and was
succeeded by Steven McDermott. |
  | 2004 - Principal Gary Kirchhoff retires. |
  | 2004 - Bill Peters Class of '83 became the second NHS graduate to serve as Principal.He was an instrumental part of the formation of NHS Hall of Fame in 2014. Bill retired in 2024 and is still an active member of the Newton Alumni |
  | 2005 - As a tribute to community Red Pride, the Cardinal logo was painted on the Newton water tower.
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  | 2013 - Bob Callaghan hired as Superintendent of the Newton Community
School District. Resigned June 30th 2020 |
  | 2018 - New Facility Built: Berg Middle School built and dedicated December 16th 2018 |
  | 2020 - Tom Messinger, hired as Superintendent for the Newton Community School District. Messinger, the former superintendent of Red Oak Community School District for the past five years, has been offered the position for the 2020-21 school year. |
  | 2023 - NHS Girls Wrestling became sanctioned. Head Coach was Chad Garvis, the girls won the first ever “Newton Girls Cardinal Classic” 3 qualified for Iowa Girls High School State Wrestling Championships.(Seniors) Jessie Hutchinson, Elizabeth Elliot and (Sophomore)Stella Cupples. The first team of NHS Girls Wrestling were: Lily Monjeau, Emma Lopez-Garcia, Jessie Hutchinson, Elizabeth Elliot, Jeralys Casanova-Oquendo, Brilea Moffitt, Brianna Aebischer, Stella Cupples, Abby Chance, Grace Guy, Ashlyn VanManen, Ella Machin, Claire Breuer, and Shelby Sigala. |
  | 2024 - Michael Dale was hired as the NHS Principal. Former Associate Principal - Marshalltown Community School District. |
