Practicum Students

These are the steps Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Partner Institutions, and students can expect during the practicum placement process.

1. Partner Institution Initiates a Placement Request

• Partnering post-secondary schools that have a current Practicum Student Placement Agreement (contract) with our district may submit practicum placement requests.
  • If your school does not yet have an agreement with us, please reach out to the Practicum Placement Office to begin the process.
• All requests must be submitted by a partner institution to the district’s Human Resources Practicum Placement Office.
  • Requests must align with the program’s placement criteria.
  • We are not able to accept individual requests.
  • Please do not contact schools, departments, or potential mentors directly. This includes individuals and current Salem-Keizer employees.
• Once a practicum inquiry has been sent to the district’s Practicum Placement Office, the partnering post-secondary school will sign a contract with Salem-Keizer Public Schools Risk Management.

2. Student Eligibility is Determined

• Prior to confirmation of a practicum placement, all practicum students will need to:
  • Complete and pass the Adult Volunteer Background Application.
  • Read the Salem-Keizer Public Schools Practicum Student Policy Agreement.

    • Sign the first page and email Brenda Dixon a copy of your signed page.

• Practicum placements include, but are not limited to:
  • Full-time practicum
  • Part-time practicum
  • Adding an endorsement
  • Observation - Including pre-requisite program admission requirements 
    • These placements may be allowed to take place as a volunteer and outside of a formal placement confirmation, per direction from the Practicum Placement Office

3. Confirmation of Student Placement

Once a practicum placement has been confirmed, an email notification will be sent to the school or department supervisor, cooperating mentor, office manager, and university coordinator.

All placement decisions are made by the Practicum Placement Office based on input and feedback from Salem-Keizer Public Schools employees and their supervisors. While specific requests from post-secondary institutions may be considered, placements are not guaranteed based on these preferences

Important Reminders:

• No practicum placement should begin without prior written confirmation from the Practicum Placement Office.
• If a practicum student arrives on site without this confirmation, the supervisor or office manager must immediately contact the Practicum Placement Office.

4. Technology & Site Access

Once a practicum placement has been confirmed, we will initiate a helpdesk ticket to provide students with:

• A Salem-Keizer district email address
  • Students - Check your personal email for a message from Salem-Keizer Public Schools with your assigned district email address and login instructions.
• ID badge access to primary assigned practicum site
  • If a cooperating mentor travels to a secondary district location during the day, the practicum student may accompany them. To access a secondary site, the student must buzz in at the main entrance and sign in at the front office.
  • Students - Once you receive your Salem-Keizer email address, your university will provide instructions on how to pick up your district ID badge. A valid photo ID is required for badge pickup.

Key Distribution:

• Practicum students should be issued keys by the office manager, following the same procedures used for substitute staff.

Technology Use Guidelines:

• District devices are not issued to practicum students. Since all district programs are web-based, students may use their personal device.
• Practicum students should never use a district employee’s login credentials or access any system through another person's account.
• In rare cases, and based on availability, a Chromebook may be checked out for in-building use only. This must be coordinated through the site's existing staff / substitute inventory.

Access to District Systems:

• If access to Synergy (grading and attendance) is necessary—typically only applicable to student teachers beyond the observation phase—the Office Manager or Registrar may submit a service request to grant access.

5. End of Placement Wrap-Up

At the end of each placement, the practicum student, cooperating mentor, and Office Manager will receive an automated email as a reminder to turn in any district property to the Office Manager. This includes items such as:

• Keys
• Chromebook, if applicable 
• ID Badge
  • If this is your last practicum placement, your badge will need to be turned into the Office Manager.  
  • If it is not your last placement in the district, you will keep your badge and it will be given access to your next placement location.  

Current Employees Requesting Practicum Placements

If you are a Salem-Keizer employee seeking a practicum placement as part of a post-secondary program, you may be required to request a Career Development Leave.

• Employees must not leave or abandon their assigned work responsibilities in order to fulfill practicum or program requirements.
• A confirmed practicum placement must be secured before beginning any post-secondary program activities that require such placement.

Employees Interested in Serving as a Cooperating Mentor

If you're a Salem-Keizer employee interested in serving as a cooperating teacher or mentor, you are encouraged to complete the Cooperating Mentor Interest Survey, distributed by the Practicum Placement Office.

• All cooperating mentors must meet applicable licensing and experience requirements as determined by the relevant licensing body.
• Prior to the confirmation of a placement, cooperating mentors must complete the Cooperating Mentor Training, available in the Academy for Teaching and Learning.
  • This training is a one-time requirement and remains valid for the duration of employment with Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools offers teacher candidates a variety of hands-on learning experiences, including but not limited to:

• Full-time
• Part-time
• Adding an endorsement
• Observation hours, including those required for program admission
  • These placements could be considered for volunteer experiences and may occur outside of a formal placement agreement, based on guidance from the Practicum Placement Office.

Please complete the following steps to begin the practicum placement process:

1. Submit an Adult Volunteer Background Application
   • When completing the application, select “Practicum Student” as your Volunteer Role and choose “Human Resources” as the location (please do not select a specific school).
   • You’ll receive an email confirming your application has been submitted, and a second email once it has been approved.
   • If your application is not approved, you will receive a letter by U.S. mail.
2. Read and sign your Practicum Student Policy Agreement
   • Please read Salem-Keizer Public Schools Practicum Student Policy Agreement.
   • Sign the first page and email Brenda Dixon a copy of your signed page.
3. Get your district ID badge
   A district-issued ID badge is required before starting your placement. Once your placement is confirmed, your University Supervisor will receive instructions on how and where badges will be issued.

If you need help with your district email or have other tech issues, call the Service Desk at 503-399-5555 or dial extension 555555 from any district phone.

Tip: Register for Self-Service Password Reset so you can reset or change your password if you forget it.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools has several technology learning resources for district practicum students.
Once your placement is confirmed and your district email has been created you will have access to these tools.

Explore our Technology Learning Resources

Interested in working in Salem-Keizer Public Schools? Visit our job opportunities webpage or explore substitute teaching opportunities and apply today!

• Licensed Substitute Teachers - Open to those who hold an Oregon Teaching License
• Restricted Substitute Teachers - Open to those who hold a bachelor's degree or higher
• District Substitute Teachers - Open to those with at least: 
  • One year of instructional assistant experience, OR
  • 30 college semester credits, OR
  • 45 college term credits

November 1, 2024

Placement requests due for Winter 2025 (approximately January-March / January-June)

February 17, 2025

Placement requests due for Spring 2025 (approximately April-June)

May 1, 2025

Placement requests due for Fall 2025-26 school year (approximately August / September-December)

Please keep in mind that Cooperating Mentors are not contacted over summer, winter, or spring breaks. Every effort will be made for fall placements to be confirmed prior to staff leaving for summer break. 

Note: These instructions are for university representatives submitting practicum placement requests for education programs. You must enter a separate request for each student placement.

Step 1: Request an Invitation Code

• Go to the Practicum Student Placement System.
• Click "Request Invitation Code" to get access.
• Check your email for the invitation code.

Step 2: Log In and Enter Program Details

• Use your code to log in to the system.
• Go to the Programs tab at the top of the home screen.
• Click + Add Program to enter your course’s name and description.
• In your description, include specific information (e.g. hours/days, work samples required, EdTPA, etc.).

Step 3: Add Student Information

• Click the Home tab to go back to the main screen.
• Click + Add Student and fill in the practicum student’s information.

Step 4: Submit a Placement Request

• Next to that student’s name, click + Add Request.
• Fill in all placement details in the new window.
  • Be specific about start and end dates. Don’t combine them for different placements.
• Use the Additional Information box for special requests.
• Click Save in the bottom left corner.

Additional Information

• Forgot your password? Email Brenda Dixon.
• Once approved, follow the Practicum Placement Process for next steps.
• If you're visiting Salem-Keizer Public Schools to observe or meet students, submit an Adult Volunteer/Background Application.
• Approved background checks are valid for 5 years.