The SKSD MS Mission:  We will foster the academic, social, and emotional growth in every student ensuring all students are on-track for HS graduation and college & career readiness.

In order to better provide students with opportunities for intervention or enrichment while still participating in elective classes, the middle schools in Salem-Keizer have moved to a 7 period day. This work is based on our Middle School Beliefs and Values:

  • All students must have equal access to grade level core classes.
  • Collaboration is important for staff and students.
  • Interventions must be built into the school day.
  • All students need access to PE or an elective.
  • There must be equal access to courses across all schools.
  • Rigor is valued: All students can achieve at high levels.
  • It is important to educate the whole-child.
  • Relationships are critical.
  • Mobility should not impact a student’s education.

Research outlines key factors we can look at during the middle school years to help us identify those students who are at risk of not graduating on time. They are: poor attendance, even mild off-task behavior as early as the 6th grade, F and D’s in core classes (especially in math and/or language arts), very low test scores.

High School Readiness:  MS at-risk indicators

It is vital for the success of our students that we address this during the middle school years.  “This research shows that, under current conditions, the level of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade has a larger impact on their college and career readiness by the time they graduate from high school than anything that happens academically in high school.”   (The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring that All Students Are on Target for College and Career Readiness before High School,  Research from ACT 2008)  Therefore, we must design a system that provides support for ANY student who is not on the path to graduation.

Students who will benefit from intervention will be identified using a combination of grades, attendance rates, test scores, and teacher recommendations. Interventions classes at Straub Middle School will include classes for math intervention, reading intervention, English as a Second Language, and language arts intervention. There may also be intervention classes designed for students who need additional support to improve attendance or behavior.

Our goal at Straub is to ensure that each and every student is ready to not only attend West Salem High School, but ready to access all of the great things West has to offer….  We want to provide the support student’s students need, when they need it and only for as long as they need it.  Thank you for partnering with us to support your child and all of the students at Straub…