Salem-Keizer Public Schools

👋 Meet Luis Oliva Barrientos from Chavez Elementary School, a 2024 Crystal Apple Honoree! 🍎  Luis not only serves students as a bilingual Instruction Assistant, helping them reach their academic goals, but also on the field as the school’s soccer coach. Through this work, he guides students on consistent expectations and accountability, while building lasting relationships. Luis is proud of the inclusion of all types of cultures and proud of the safe space it provides for students to reach their social, emotional, and academic goals at Chavez. He is proud to be a Chavez Charger! Come back each week this summer as we introduce our community to our 2024 Crystal Apple honorees.

👋 Meet Keelana Meyer from South Salem High School, a 2024 Crystal Apple Honoree! 🍎  From once thinking she would never work in education, Keelana has now served Salem-Keizer students for more than five years, a path she attributes to the teachers who went above and beyond for her both inside and out of the classroom. Students, parents and colleagues describe her as dependable, dedicated and an overall advocate for the success of all students in the school’s many Career and Technical Education Programs. Keelana loves being able to support the CTE teachers with all of the behind the scenes tasks to support students. Come back each week this summer as we introduce our community to our 2024 Crystal Apple honorees.

👋 Meet Kellie Menghini from McKay High School, a 2024 Crystal Apple Honoree! 🍎 She describes her work as “rewarding” because it allows her to use her skills for a purpose higher than herself and in service of others. She credits McKay students (both past and present) for inspiring her.  Kellie's colleagues noted that she has mentored countless new-to-McKay staff, facilitated professional development for McKay and others in the region and continues to open her classroom to visitors who are seeking inspiration.   Come back each week this summer as we introduce our community to our 2024 Crystal Apple honorees.

Congratulations are due for our bus driver Safety Exercise team!  The team recently competed against bus drivers from across the state on June 1, 2024. A lot of work went into supporting the Safety Exercise team that competed. In the lead-up to the event, many Saturdays were given up to practice, and volunteers were needed to judge the events on the day of.   Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this team successful!

🎉 The Oregon Symphony in Salem recently named Cole Haole-Valenzuela, Director of Choirs at West Salem High School, as the 2023-24 Music Educator of the Year. 🎶 The West Salem High Choir also won the 6A State Championship in 2024!! Bravo 🏆

Class of 2024 graduation ceremonies start this week! 🎓🎉 CC:Media will broadcast all Salem-Keizer Public Schools ceremonies on channels 21, 22, 23, and on its YouTube channel. The first one, for the Community Transition Program, airs live this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. #SKPSGrad24 #WeAreSalemKeizer

Here are your 2024 Crystal Apple Award honorees! 🎉 What a special night celebrating an amazing group of educators. Congratulations to the honorees and all 97 nominees from the 25th annual Crystal Apple Award! 🏆 

🌟 We celebrated twenty-two amazing students this week at the 28th Annual Turnaround Achievement Awards at the Keizer Civic Center! 🌟 Working with their dedicated teachers, these middle and high school students from Salem and Keizer were honored for their incredible progress in "turning around" their academics and behavior. Big thanks to Valor Mentoring for making this event possible. Congratulations to all the students! 🎉 #WeAreSalemKeizer

Crystal Maciel, Community Resource Specialist with Salem-Keizer Public Schools, does such an amazing job supporting staff throughout the district to ensure students are on the right track for graduation. Whether it be meeting with graduation coaches, migrant specialists, counselors, CSOC's, or social workers, Crystal is there to provide whatever resource is needed for that extra layer of support for her students and their families. She helps in advocating for the best graduation plan to ensure a student's academic success as well as being a liaison when there is a language barrier. She has shown true compassion when it comes to the students and families she works with. Crystal's advocacy for students at SKPS is admirable and I am proud to work along side her and witness first-hand the great worth ethic she puts in every single day for our students. Submitted by Lorena Maciel Ochoa

Congrats to teacher Stacy Kilgroe and her students on West Salem High School's FBLA team on their state championship win! 🏆 This program hones leadership and business skills, preparing the next generation of innovators for success. Best of luck at nationals this summer! Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA)