PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 26, 2021
Perry review prompts board rancor
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
The Salem-Keizer school board meet-
ing got heated Monday, March 15 while
discussing the annual evaluation of Salem-
Keizer Public Schools Superintendent
Christy Perry.
The school board has a contractual obli-
gation to evaluate Perry’s performance on
an annual basis no later than March 15 —
Perry is the lone employee of the board.
The board received information in the
form of Executive Limitation reports, grad-
uation rates, dropout rates and other data
points regarding school progress — data
collection was hindered due to COVID-19
limitations and conditions. The evaluation
summary states that Perry’s performance
for the 2019-20 school year is consistent
with all Executive Limitations and the
Results Policy. While the board com-
mended the Superintendent in the sum-
mary, the summary also stated that Perry
is “has been apprised of concerns and
issues.”
The details of Perry’s evaluation are con-
fi dential, which is why board members did
not discuss specifi cs during the meeting.
However, there were board members that
were outspoken in their support of Perry
— who was named Superintendent of the
Year in the state of Oregon and was one of
four fi nalists for National Superintendent
of the Year.
“I think I speak for a lot of our
Superintendent but voted against the
passing of her evaluation, saying that he
plans to request that the board review its
evaluation process.
While directors Danielle Bethell, Paul
Kyllo and board chair Satya Chandragiri
voted to accept the evaluation summary,
Goss and Marty Heyen voted against it,
meaning that the summary failed.
When it became known that the sum-
mary had failed, Blasi said “Good. It fails,”
which was followed shortly by an expletive
from Blasi.
When asked if the expletive was
directed at Chandragiri — who Blasi has
taken issue with in the past — or was said as
a side comment, Blasi declined to answer.
Heyen told Blasi that her mic was on, to
which Blasi responded “Good. I’m terribly
sorry, but good.”
“I don’t think cussing in a meeting is
appropriate,” Heyen then told Blasi.
After at fi rst being glad that the
board heard her explicit comment, Blasi
apologized.
“My sincere apologies. It showed
that it was on mute. I just continue to be
appalled. I am very, very sorry that you
heard that. But I am just appalled with
this,” Blasi said.
Blasi told the Keizertimes that she was
“mortifi ed” about the incident and also
released a statement about the matter.
“I regret the use of an expletive during
Monday’s school board meeting. I’m not
brainfood
sudoku answers pg A9
sudoku
community and our district when I say
thank you for the work that you did during
the evaluation period, which did really
cover some tough times,” board member
Sheronne Blasi said. “I just am always so
impressed with your focus on the students
and their families and your focus on equity
… We are so blessed in this community to
have you at the helm of this district.”
“Superintendent Perry is the best
superintendent I have ever worked for,”
board member Kathy Goss added. “Being
the best superintendent I have ever had
does not mean we always agree, because as
you know, sometimes we don’t. But that’s
just a perspective diff erence. That doesn’t
change for two seconds what I think of
your ability, your drive and your represen-
tation for not just our kids, but our entire
city. I admire you a great deal.”
Both Blasi and Goss, however, took
issues with what was in the evaluation.
Blasi told the Keizertimes after the meet-
ing that she voted no on passing the eval-
uation summary because the evaluation
“doesn’t accurately refl ect (Perry’s) perfor-
mance.” Blasi also shared her frustrations
with the board not acknowledging Perry’s
award recognition over the past year.
“Christy’s awards have never been
discussed and have never been acknowl-
edged and I don’t appreciate that from
board leadership,” Blasi said.
Director Jesse Lippold Peonne
also stated his approval of Perry as a
Enter digits 1-9 into blank spaces. Every row must contain
one of each digit. So must every column, & every 3x3 square.
maze by Jonathan Graf of Keizer
BRIAN & APRIL McVAY
503.510.6827 - Call or Text anytime
As lifelong residents, we are your
Keizer neighbor. We know this
market and we are here to help!
Enjoying real estate since 1998
3975 River Rd N • Suite 3 • Keizer
Oregon Licensed
Real Estate Brokers
proud that I let my emotions get the best
of me, after witnessing the continued, pub-
lic and private disrespect of our superin-
tendent by members of our school board.
The issue being discussed at this point in
the meeting was the superintendent’s eval-
uation, that four of us voted no on because
it does not convey the superintendent’s
performance in a fair manner. The Salem-
Keizer community is blessed to have at the
helm the Oregon Superintendent of the
Year, who was also one of four fi nalists for
the National Superintendent of the Year.
Under her leadership, the district has tack-
led the issue of inequity for our students
of families of color, our LGBTQ students,
and our students living in poverty,” the
statement read.
After the expletive, Perry addressed the
board with obvious frustration.
“It has been the toughest leadership
of a lifetime, and it is made tougher when
we don’t have a high functioning board,”
Perry said.
“I am just so frustrated by this public
display on behalf of our kids,” Perry added
moments later while getting choked up.
Even though it didn’t pass, the summary
was received by Perry and met timeline
requirements.
“I will be meeting with board leadership
to discuss (the) options moving forward. I
will choose not to do that in public,” SKPS
attorney Paul Dakopolos said. “We will
have to discuss the board’s next steps.”