Salem-Keizer students to get 2 more days off this year due to absences, staffing shortages

Alia Beard Rau, Salem Statesman Journal
·1 min read
Youth activists Tabitha A., 18, waters the flowers that Latinos Unidos Siempre planned in May, at the Salem-Keizer School district building in Salem, Ore. on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.
Youth activists Tabitha A., 18, waters the flowers that Latinos Unidos Siempre planned in May, at the Salem-Keizer School district building in Salem, Ore. on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools is canceling classes for two more days this year to address teacher absences due to illness and staffing shortages.

Students will not have school on Feb. 18 or May 20, Superintendent Christy Perry told the school board Tuesday night. The district had already canceled classes for Jan. 14.

The district calls them "non-student contact days," meaning students will not have class or online. It will serve as a staff work day. Employees may work from home, but schools and departments will be open to work on site.

Students will not have to make up the lost instruction time.

The school board in its meeting Tuesday also got an update from district officials on the staffing shortage. Here's a look at the numbers:

  • Substitutes each day, on average: 540.

  • More than 800 staff members absent each day over the past two weeks, about twice as many as is typical.

  • 30-40 non-teachers are subbing in classrooms each week, including program assistants, instructional mentors and other specialists.

  • Teachers are taking turns giving up prep periods to cover for others.

The district is also making busing changes due to absences and staffing issues. Perry said 65 runs at 25 schools have been consolidated through at least Feb. 18, and impacted families have been notified.

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New COVID-19 protocols

The district also announced protocol changes for sports and extracurricular activities.

A maximum of four spectators per participant will be allowed for high school athletics and two spectators per participant for middle school athletics.

Music events will be limited to 50% of the venue's capacity.

Face covering and distancing protocols will continue.

Alia Beard Rau is the senior news editor for the Salem Statesman Journal. Reach her at arau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @aliarau.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer students to get 2 more days off as teacher absences rise