Rachel Alexander
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
Campus safety worker uses Connect 4 to help students at Leslie, South open up
Cesar Villareal sometimes challenges students to games and focuses on building connections instead of lecturing. He's among the Salem educators nominated this year for a Crystal Apple Award.
West Salem High School hosts live fire training for high school students
Eleven juniors and seniors in West's fire science program will be able to graduate high school with a firefighter certification after the first fire training exercise in the school's burn tower on Friday.
Michelle Muth works overtime to make her library a safe place for kids
At Wright Elementary School, kids flock to the library during recess and clamor over a diverse selection of books. The school’s library media assistant, Michelle Muth, is nominated for a Crystal Apple award this year.
UPDATED: Salem-Keizer School Board approves superintendent contract, new curriculum
If the school board approves a new three-year contract for Superintendent Andrea Castañeda, her pay raises would be the same percentage district teachers receive under the contract currently being negotiated.If the school board approves a new three-year contract for Superintendent Andrea Castañeda, her pay raises would be the same percentage district teachers receive under the contract currently being negotiated.
In Salem speech, top U.S. business lobby group lays out data on tariff harm in Oregon
Reversing or carving out exemptions to tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump are a top focus of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an executive told Salem business leaders in a presentation Monday.
Salem-Keizer add school board email addresses to website after pushback
Questions from Salem Reporter and community members prompted the Salem-Keizer School District to list individual school board emails on its website in addition to a generic “contact the school board” form.
Salem Reporter answers your questions about city tax levy and what comes next
Ballots are out now for the May 20 election, including a Salem property tax levy. Here are the questions you asked about the measure and what happens if it passes or fails.
Schools would get more help with student behavior under Salem-Keizer budget proposal
A budget proposal from Superintendent Andrea Castañeda would add 66 employees to the Salem-Keizer School District at a time when other districts are making cuts, mostly to address "overdue" needs in behavior and special education.
McKay’s activity director keeps Salem’s largest school humming
Teacher Jenise Flower has a knack for engaging students, whether it's drawing connections with history or helping student leaders plan a dizzying array of events. She's among the nominees for a Crystal Apple award this year.
Regal closing Salem’s Cinebarre, but owners plan to reopen after renovation
Salem Center’s owners have secured an independent operator to run the seven-screen movie theater downtown. They plan to remodel it to include recliner seats and modern projectors.