Dear Members of the Salem-Keizer School Board,
I am writing to ask you to preserve and strengthen Candalaria Elementary as you consider changes to the district’s
elementary schools.
I recognize that the Board faces extraordinarily difficult decisions. Declining enrollment and financial pressures
require Salem-Keizer to adapt, and I support the district’s efforts to find a responsible and sustainable path
forward. Many Candalaria families feel the same way: we understand that change is necessary, and we want to be
partners in that process.
But these decisions should not be based on finances alone. They are also educational decisions. Building condition,
enrollment, capacity, and cost matter—but educational outcomes, student belonging, inclusion, family
engagement, and the quality of the learning environment deserve equal consideration.
By those measures, Candalaria is working.
Student belonging is one of Salem-Keizer’s core priorities, and Candalaria is exceptionally successful at creating it.
In the most recent Panorama Survey, 77% of Candalaria students reported a favorable sense of belonging—14
percentage points above the district average and above the national 90th percentile. Just as importantly, students
across demographic groups reported similarly strong levels of belonging.
Candalaria’s status as a Unified School is central to that success. Our school intentionally creates opportunities for
students of different abilities to learn, participate, play, and belong together. Inclusion is not simply something
Candalaria talks about; our children experience it as part of everyday school life.
That culture is reinforced by extraordinary family engagement. Parents consistently volunteer in classrooms,
support teachers, participate in field trips, organize activities, and invest their time and resources in the school.
Students see a community of adults demonstrating every day that their education matters.
The result is an education that is both academically strong and remarkably rich. Candalaria students consistently
perform above district averages while also having access to a vibrant and varied range of opportunities in art,
reading, mathematics, athletics, culture, performance, service, and extracurricular activities. These experiences
give children different ways to participate, discover their strengths, and find a place where they belong.
These things are not separate from education. They are part of education. Strong academics, belonging, inclusion,
engaged families, dedicated teachers, and meaningful opportunities reinforce one another.
Candalaria can also be part of the solution. If changing enrollment requires the school to grow, our engaged
families, established programs, dedicated staff, and Unified School culture can help welcome and support
additional students and families.
We understand that difficult financial choices must be made. But when deciding the future of a school, the
question should not only be, “What does this building cost?” It should also be, “What educational value is being
created here, and what would be lost if we dismantled it?”
Please do not dismantle a school that is producing the outcomes Salem-Keizer says it wants for its students.
Preserve Candalaria, build upon what is working, welcome new students into it, and allow this community to be
part of the district’s path forward.
Thank you for your service to our students and for your thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Candalaria Parent/Community Member]
I am writing to ask you to preserve and strengthen Candalaria Elementary as you consider changes to the district’s
elementary schools.
I recognize that the Board faces extraordinarily difficult decisions. Declining enrollment and financial pressures
require Salem-Keizer to adapt, and I support the district’s efforts to find a responsible and sustainable path
forward. Many Candalaria families feel the same way: we understand that change is necessary, and we want to be
partners in that process.
But these decisions should not be based on finances alone. They are also educational decisions. Building condition,
enrollment, capacity, and cost matter—but educational outcomes, student belonging, inclusion, family
engagement, and the quality of the learning environment deserve equal consideration.
By those measures, Candalaria is working.
Student belonging is one of Salem-Keizer’s core priorities, and Candalaria is exceptionally successful at creating it.
In the most recent Panorama Survey, 77% of Candalaria students reported a favorable sense of belonging—14
percentage points above the district average and above the national 90th percentile. Just as importantly, students
across demographic groups reported similarly strong levels of belonging.
Candalaria’s status as a Unified School is central to that success. Our school intentionally creates opportunities for
students of different abilities to learn, participate, play, and belong together. Inclusion is not simply something
Candalaria talks about; our children experience it as part of everyday school life.
That culture is reinforced by extraordinary family engagement. Parents consistently volunteer in classrooms,
support teachers, participate in field trips, organize activities, and invest their time and resources in the school.
Students see a community of adults demonstrating every day that their education matters.
The result is an education that is both academically strong and remarkably rich. Candalaria students consistently
perform above district averages while also having access to a vibrant and varied range of opportunities in art,
reading, mathematics, athletics, culture, performance, service, and extracurricular activities. These experiences
give children different ways to participate, discover their strengths, and find a place where they belong.
These things are not separate from education. They are part of education. Strong academics, belonging, inclusion,
engaged families, dedicated teachers, and meaningful opportunities reinforce one another.
Candalaria can also be part of the solution. If changing enrollment requires the school to grow, our engaged
families, established programs, dedicated staff, and Unified School culture can help welcome and support
additional students and families.
We understand that difficult financial choices must be made. But when deciding the future of a school, the
question should not only be, “What does this building cost?” It should also be, “What educational value is being
created here, and what would be lost if we dismantled it?”
Please do not dismantle a school that is producing the outcomes Salem-Keizer says it wants for its students.
Preserve Candalaria, build upon what is working, welcome new students into it, and allow this community to be
part of the district’s path forward.
Thank you for your service to our students and for your thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Candalaria Parent/Community Member]
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