Posted April 11, 2020
We now have a dedicated webpage for Coronavirus Updates. Please click on the button for all future updates.
Posted April 8, 2020
Statement from Superintendent Perry Regarding School Closure and High School Guidance
With the preservation of public health as the guiding light, today Governor Brown and the Oregon Department of Education announced that our school doors will not open again for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Like you, we are hurting, but we know this latest guidance comes as another measure to keep us as safe and healthy as we can be.
For the Class of 2020 – we see you. There is no world in which this is fair. We will not give up on finding creative ways to honor you and restore every amount of normalcy that we can. At this time, no decisions have been made about graduation ceremonies or the opportunity for students to reschedule events like proms as we are awaiting further direction regarding social distancing requirements. As soon as we know, we will share that as we know you are anxious for information on the year-end traditions and celebrations.
With this announcement comes important guidance for high school students, particularly our nearly 3,000 high school seniors. There is no change to the number of credits required to graduate. We now consider March 13th as the final day of coursework just for students in the class of 2020, and we will issue a .5 credit as “Pass,” or “Incomplete” for the work completed t o this date. This guidance applies to students set to graduate in June of 2020. For those seniors who don’t have enough credits as of March 13, we will create individualized distance learning schedules to help you earn credits through the end of the school year to stay on track with the Class of 2020. In addition, Essential Skills and Personalized Learning Requirements are suspended.
This guidance issued by ODE aligns with the SKPS Distance Learning Plan in that the district will be moving to a pass, incomplete system in grades 9-12 for the remainder of the closure period.
As we evaluate this guidance, we will communicate additional details directly from your school, and high school seniors will receive individual guidance on next steps.
We will continue to honor distance learning for all of our students in grades K-8, and we will follow a plan to report on progress toward focused standards for Distance Learning. Distance learning begins on Monday, April 13, but please know we do not expect it to look like the school days we had only a handful of weeks ago.
To view the full guidance from the state, please click here.
If you weren’t able to get a Chromebook for your student, you can rent one for free for the remainder of the emergency closure. Just come to any one of our high schools between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. this Friday, April 10.
We will continue to provide free meals between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at all of our 35 sites throughout the duration of the emergency closure, and on Monday, we’ll open Eyre Elementary as an additional location, as well.
We know this is unlike anything we as educators, parents or student s have ever seen before. Since this emergency closure began, our priority has been and will continue to be our high school students. Our educators and administrators are committed to being problem -solvers and partners for our high schoolers so their paths to graduation are not interrupted by this pandemic. We’re grateful to our partners in neighboring districts, at the state and in higher education for taking extraordinary measures to help us provide individualized and unique learning opportunities.
We urge you – please err on the side of caution. Stay home. Stay healthy. Our buildings, fields and playgrounds may be closed, but we are still here to support you. We can’t wait to see all of you again.
Posted March 31, 2020
Update from Superintendent Perry
Dear Salem-Keizer Family,
Since March 12, when our public education world shifted into something we’ve never seen or experienced before, virtually everything we’ve known to be true has changed. The one thing that has remained constant, however, is change. As a perfect example of that, late last night we received new guidance from the Oregon Department of Education. In that direction, we were told that there is a very real potential that our students will not return to school this year. We also got the direction to move from supplemental education to distance learning for all.
Here’s what know to be true:
- Technology is critical for the success of distance learning for all.
- Yesterday, 450 classified educators picked up Chromebooks to support supplemental learning.
- On Thursday and Friday, students can collect Chromebooks from any of our six traditional high schools. See our information about hours here.
- We have a team of educators working to develop our plan for distance learning for all. This not only includes virtual learning opportunities, but also supplemental materials available at our school meal sites. This must be in place by April 13, but our team is working to have a plan in place before then.
- We won’t have our plan ready to move forward today, which is hard for us to share, because we know there are so many questions that need answers.
- One of the biggest questions is around high school graduation. We do not have that guidance from the state yet, but as soon as we get it, we’ll communicate that to you.
Thank you for your patience and your understanding. These last three weeks have not been easy, but we remain committed to doing the best thing for our children.
We will share a message similar to this to our community later today.
Christy
Posted March 27, 2020
All Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) students in need of devices for supplemental learning will be able to rent Chromebooks at no cost from the district for the duration of the emergency school closure.
Devices will be made available at each of the district’s six traditional high schools – McKay, McNary, North Salem, South Salem, Sprague and West Salem – on Thursday, April 2 from noon until 6:30 p.m. and Friday, April 3 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Devices are available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students do not need to be present, but you must provide their student ID or provide their ID number. See more details.
Posted March 24, 2020
Due to school closures, deadlines to apply for Dual Language elementary schools, and for In-district Transfers, have been extended to April 3, 2020.
Posted March 21, 2020
Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) has released the initial phase of supplemental learning materials available online. Resources for supplemental learning are not intended to replace classroom instruction or district-adopted curriculum. No content will be graded and all of these activities are optional.
The materials include supplemental materials based on grade level and include daily activities coupled with “brain breaks” and stress relievers. Materials are also available in Spanish. To access the materials, click here.
SKPS will be following up next with hard-copy materials for students.
Beginning the week of March 30, SKPS will begin targeted outreach to support seniors on their path toward graduation.
Posted March 20, 2020
In accordance with Governor Brown’s directives around social distancing, Salem-Keizer Public Schools buildings will be closed to the public March 23-27. For general inquiries call (503) 399-3000 or email info@salkeiz.k12.or.us.
Meals will continue to be offered at 35 sites districtwide between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those locations are available here.
This is a bilingual message from Superintendent Christy Perry and Elementary Level Director Olga Cobb for our community.
Message from Salem-Keizer Public Schools – March 20, 2020
Posted March 18, 2020
In keeping with the latest direction from Governor Brown, the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) will extend the emergency closure through April 28. That closure could be shortened or extended at the direction of Governor Brown. Students are currently scheduled to return April 29.
“We are in uncharted territory,” said Superintendent Christy Perry. “At no time have our schools, our districts or our public education system been faced with so many uncertainties. We’re grateful for the continued guidance from the state so that we can help be sense makers for our community. We do not have answ
