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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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.…
Three years ago, a transgender high school student approached leaders at the Salem-Keizer School District and told them they needed to do better. Julian, a nonbinary student who is now a senior, said the lack of consistent school or district policies led to teachers incorrectly…
Karina Carrasco Patino, a first-grader at Swegle Elementary, lines up a goal during soccer camp on Wednesday, March 17 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Aubrey Garcia’s face erupted in a grin as she ran toward her coach. The first grader at Swegle Elementary School jumped and high-fived…
A science classroom in at McKay High School (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) When the end of lunch bell rings at McKay High School, Ranae Quiring starts making the rounds. The principal of Salem’s largest high school said she usually has a few tables of students who…