Rachel Alexander

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2020 Census workers begin canvassing in Salem

U.S. Census Bureau workers will canvass areas in green in the coming weeks to verify addresses. (Courtesy/U.S. Census Bureau) It’s not 2020 yet, but the U.S. Census Bureau already has boots on the ground in Salem to prepare for its decennial count. Census workers are canvassing across the U.S. to[Read More…]

With expansion, Waldo Middle School will get rid of portable classrooms and add labs for science

Students celebrate at a groundbreaking ceremony for construction at Waldo Middle School on Aug. 15, 2019 (Courtesy/Salem-Keizer School District) When Waldo Middle School was built in 1957, the school cafeteria was designed to hold 227 students. Today, that population has ballooned to more than 1,000, creating daily challenges like shuffling[Read More…]

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How Salem Reporter took a deep look at your local school board

Reporter Rachel Alexander outside Four Corners Elementary (Fred Joe/Special to Salem Reporter) In my experience, most people think about their local school board on two occasions: when they’re considering a controversial issue (like last year’s changes to school boundaries) and during election season. The rest of the time, the seven[Read More…]

Sprague names Chad Barkes new principal

Chad Barkes (Courtesy/Salem-Keizer School District) One week after former Sprague High School principal Craig Swanson announced his departure, assistant principal Chad Barkes has stepped up to take the job. Barkes, who has been an assistant principal at Sprague since 2015, said he applied after staff in the building reached out[Read More…]

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Salem Hospital plans major expansion with 150 new beds

Salem Hospital (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Salem Hospital is planning a new seven-story, $235 million building expansion that will add 150 beds to its facility by 2022. The project will help the hospital care for an aging population that’s expected to use more medical services, Salem Health Chief Financial[Read More…]

Sprague High School principal stepping down

Craig Swanson (Courtesy/Salem-Keizer School District) Sprague High School Principal Craig Swanson is stepping down weeks before a new school year to take a job as principal at Lebanon High School. “You all have helped build one of the best high schools in the state of Oregon and we continue to[Read More…]