West Salem High School’s winning EMT team at from the 2022 SkillsUSA national competition, from left: Natalie Stauffer, Madison Wilch, Lt. Jennifer Stanislaw, Advisor, Alexis Williams (Courtesy/Salem-Keizer School District) Local students are shining a little brighter this summer after taking home gold medals in a national competition. West Salem High[Read More…]
SCHOOLS
Salem high schools will keep “Gender Queer” on shelves following grandparent challenge
The graphic novel memoir “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobebe will remain in three Salem-Keizer high school libraries following a challenge by grandparents. Three Salem high schools will keep copies of the graphic novel “Gender Queer” in their libraries after a district committee voted unanimously against a parent’s request to remove[Read More…]
Salem-Keizer board discusses banning concealed weapons on school grounds
The Salem Keizer School Board is considering prohibiting concealed weapons on school grounds after a recent change in state law, with an initial discussion showing a political divide on the topic. During a work session Tuesday evening, Board Chair Osvaldo Avila cited Oregon Senate Bill 554 which passed in 2021[Read More…]
Salem teachers win back pay in complaint over full-time work calculations during pandemic
Dozens of Salem teachers will receive back pay for their work over the past two years after the Salem-Keizer Education Association prevailed in an unfair labor practice complaint. Administrative law judge Jennifer Kaufman ruled in May that the Salem-Keizer School District failed to bargain in good faith with the teacher[Read More…]
Assessing threats key to Salem’s school shooting prevention
Salem’s police chief says an existing local system to assess threats to students – not stationing officers inside schools – is key to keeping students safe from mass shootings. Police Chief Trevor Womack and other law enforcement and district leaders spoke to Salem Reporter about security protocols following the mass[Read More…]
Hundreds of North students protest inaction on school shootings
Nevaeh Bullard was in her U.S. government class at North Salem High School Friday afternoon when police received a call about a man with a gun outside the school. Bullard, 17, and her classmates went into a lockdown, barricading doors and listening to a police scanner in hopes of getting[Read More…]
Educators raise concerns about fights, assaults in Salem middle schools
Salem schools are continuing to see high numbers of fights and aggressive behavior from students, prompting concerns from educators. The problem is especially pronounced in the district’s middle schools, which have recorded 755 fights and 244 assaults this school year through the end of April. About one in four district[Read More…]
Hundreds more Salem kids to get a chance for bilingual Spanish-English classes in fall
About 250 more elementary school students will be able to attend class in both Spanish and English starting next fall as Salem-Keizer School District leaders begin a significant expansion of the district’s dual language program. Four elementary schools – Chavez, Four Corners, Keizer and Washington – will have dual language[Read More…]
Salem-Keizer budget calls for more teachers to help students learn English, manage behavior
Salem-Keizer School District leaders want to add more teachers to the district’s programs serving non-native English speakers and shift more educators to address students’ behavioral problems, according to a proposed budget for the 2022-23 school year. The $1.4 billion draft budget, published Tuesday evening, largely maintains current district services and[Read More…]
Children’s book on racism to remain in Salem-Keizer libraries following parent challenge
A children’s book about the history of racism and antiracist activism in the U.S. will remain in Salem-Keizer School District elementary school libraries following a challenge by a parent. A district review committee voted 8-1 last week to retain “Stamped (For Kids)” by Ibrahim X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds in[Read More…]
