News

This is Classified School Employees Appreciation Week. Thank you to all of our dedicated support staff, who make learning possible for students.

Classified employees work with students, educators, parents, volunteers, business partners and community members.

Classified employees support the smooth operation of offices, the safety and maintenance of buildings and property, and the safe transportation, healthy nutrition and direct instruction of students.

Classified employees are educational assistants, office support specialists, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, food servers, translators and more.

Thank you, classified employees, for your work on behalf of GAPS students!

There is a need for skilled workers in our local industries and around the country. Employers are seeking trained workers, and they are working with schools to help build skills that students can build on in college or take directly to the workforce.

If Ballot Measure 22-165 is approved by voters, renovations are planned for all middle schools to add instructional space for career technical, or vocational technical, education.

Both high schools would also get new CTE space. The first phase of the replacement at West Albany High School includes new classrooms, and South Albany High School would get new classrooms and a new multipurpose room/gym.

This video shows the type of programs the schools are considering for expansion.

Find more information about Ballot Measure 22-165.

Transportation Supervisor Russell Buttram posted the following reminder about bus safety rules.

Except for highways divided by paved median strips or barriers, drivers in all lanes of traffic must stop and remain stopped while red lights flash.

Read more information.

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If Ballot Measure 22-165 is approved by voters, all schools will see facility improvements.

Projects are planned to meet the following priorities:

• Make critical facility upgrades
• Make energy improvements
• Address security, safety, seismic needs
• Rebuild/remodel schools to offer vocational technical classes
• Relieve school overcrowding

See the project list for information about projects planned for each school.

The teachers at Albany Options School are continually working to improve and develop their teaching strategies to better serve our students through professional development. One of the themes of the teacher professional development this year is equity of learning. The teachers have been learning about better strategies for struggling students and our diverse populations.

Specialists have been coming to meet with the teachers during professional development times and share strategies that every teacher can use in every class to ensure every student is learning, engaged, and being supported.

On Wednesday, March 1st, Lisa Harlan from the Salem-Keizer School District presented to the staff to share strategies to help our English Language Learners (ELL) population. Harlan is a former principal from the Corvallis School District, has worked for the Oregon Department of Education with the School Improvement Grant department, and is currently the Director of Elementary Education for the Salem-Keizer School District. Harlan has extensive experience with ELL teaching strategies, and was able to share her expertise with the teaching staff.

Additional specialists are scheduled to present to the staff on topics including Special Education and Diverse Populations.