PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, DECEMBER 03, 2021
DISTRICT,
Continued from page A1
the data each month because “the dis-
trict is under a lot of stress, a lot of work, a
lot of pressure.”
"We made the decision to not have
the data shared monthly because we are
focused on the District's Key Performance
Indicators to measure success and though
discipline data is very important, we want
to focus on other disparities such as the
lack of college preparation opportuni-
ties among students of color,” Avila told
the Keizertimes on Wednesday, Dec.
1. "The discipline data informs us that
students continue to struggle integrat-
ing back among each other with stresses
that disrupt their learning. We'll continue
to review the discipline data in meetings
where we can do deeper dives to under-
stand with greater context."
At the Nov. 16 Salem-Keizer school
and
suspensions
had all drastically
decreased. There
were only 1,006
suspensions in the
fi rst two months of
school — down 55%
from 2019 — for an
average of 25 sus-
pensions in the dis-
trict per day.
In the 10 school
days
immedi-
ately
following
that release, how-
ever, there were
313 in-school sus-
pensions and 190
SKPS Assistant Superintendent
out-of-school sus-
pensions, totaling
503 suspensions.
The per day aver-
board work session, district offi cials pre-
sented discipline data that included total age of fi ghts, physical assaults and expul-
suspensions, expulsions, and fi ghting vio- sions increased only slightly.
Udosenata and other district offi cials
lations in the district from Sept. 1 to Nov.
5. Compared to the same timeframe in said on the phone call Tuesday that a few
2019, expulsions, insubordinate violations major incidents at schools last week most
A pattern that I've seen
in my time as a building
leader is that, especial-
ly around the holidays,
we'll see a spike or in-
crease in problem be-
haviors in school.
— ITON UDOSENATA
likely contributed to the spike. Gweneth
Bruey-Finck, the director of secondary
curriculum and instruction, added that
another cause was “we also got to a period
in time where a lot of that progressive
series of disciplines reached the suspen-
sion level.”
“It's really concerning when students
are excluded from the educational envi-
ronment, that's never the outcome that we
want,” said Bruey-Finck. “However, I think
it's also important to know that behind
that one data point is a huge amount of
hours of support and counsel and men-
torship and conversations and redirection
and tier one interventions.”
Udosenata said the district will con-
tinue to update parents on incidents or
behavioral patterns in schools, which
“mitigates the need to have frequent
updates like this on a monthly basis in
public board meetings.”
“It's of paramount importance to us
that we're keeping our kids in class and
not suspending kids. But we do also have
a system of accountability that includes
suspensions,” said Udosenata.
Keizer tree lights up on Tuesday, Dec. 7
Two lucky children will be chosen to assist Santa Claus as he fl ips the switch
that lights up Keizer’s Christmas tree on Tuesday, Dec. 7.
This is a free community event put on by the Keizer Chamber of Commerce in
partnership with Keizer Fire District and City of Keizer.
The annual lighting ceremony is at Walery Plaza, named for Keizer resident
Dave Walery, aff ectionately known as Mr. Christmas due to his volunteer work
over many years maintaining and installing the decorations that line River Road
during the holidays as well as his work with the permanent tree.
Walery Plaza is located where River Road and Cherry Avenue meet. If you’re
driving along River Road and can’t fi nd it, just look for the tall tree with the nearby
large crowd.
Children 12 years and younger are selected for the honor by a drawing and
sign-ups will start at 6 p.m. There is a sign-up table at the event; children simply
need to put their name and age on the form.
Two names will be drawn and they will be asked to join Santa in fl ipping the
switch that lights the Holiday Tree.
Santa is expected to arrive in Keizer around 6:15 p.m., hitching a ride to Walery
Plaza in a fi re truck courtesy of his friends at the Keizer Fire District. The actual
fl ipping of the switch of the tree lights is expected to happen shortly after that.
The Whiteaker Middle School choir will provide the carol singing.
Parking will be available at the Keizer Elks Lodge.
NEWS TIPS?
If it's happening in Keizer, or to someone from Keizer — WE WANT TO KNOW.
kt@keizertimes.com
The Keizer tree lighting ceremony will begin at 6 p.m.
o
o
b os
bo pen
hap
FILE PHOTO, Keizertimes
When They Do, Call Us
503.884.9681