School board approves two-year strategic/integrated plan “Climbing Together”; first readings on curriculum adoptions presented

The Salem-Keizer School District 24J board on April 8 approved a two-year strategic and integrated plan titled “Climbing Together,” moving the district to a coordinated approach that ties the board’s goals, a theory of action and required state grant uses into one blueprint.

Deputy Superintendent Jonathan Neves and Superintendent Castaneda framed the plan as both the state-required integrated plan and a district strategic plan that aligns resources, initiatives and grant activities around three broad strategies: strengthening foundational conditions, student agency and well-being, and elevating academic excellence. Neves described the plan as a two-year product that consolidates multiple state funding streams, programs and district initiatives into a single set of activities intended to maximize staff time, money and coordination.

The board voted to approve the plan after a motion by Dr. Saria Chhandagiri and a second by Director Harnish. During a voice/hand-raise vote the chair recorded one dissent: Director Hudson registered a “nay.” No abstentions were recorded; the motion carried.

Neves said the district will convert the board-approved blueprint into a more user-friendly public-facing document and that monitoring reports and dashboards will let the public track implementation. Director Saria Chhandagiri urged that the district consider a transparent, public-facing data portal so families and community members can more easily access and interpret progress metrics.

The meeting also included a series of first readings on instructional-materials adoptions. District staff described a multi-year, multi-step adoption cycle and presented teacher committee recommendations for four areas under consideration this year: - World languages (recommendations presented for Japanese, German, heritage Spanish, French and AP Spanish language and culture; Spanish and American Sign Language were deferred for additional work and will return in May or June). - High school social science (committee recommended Teachers Curriculum Institute materials for secondary social science courses). - Elementary science (committee recommended Twig Science after teacher pilots and rubric review). - Middle school science (committee recommended Lab-Aids middle-school materials after pilot work; the committee considered Lab-Aids and Carolina/OpenSci materials).

Neves said each recommendation followed a rubric that emphasized Spanish-language availability, alignment to grade-level state standards, authentic representation of diverse perspectives, supports for academic language and evidence-based instructional practices with assessment and differentiation options. The board did not take an adoption vote at the April meeting; staff said the items will return as action items at a future meeting for final approval.

On the consent calendar the board approved routine items; that motion passed with one opposed (Director Hudson). No other votes or amendments were recorded.