Three Salem-Keizer Public Schools Secondary Schools Honored as AVID Schoolwide Sites of Distinction

Claggett Creek and Stephens Middle Schools and McNary High School have been designated Sites of Distinction by Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). This honor is awarded to a small subset of AVID school campuses that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their students. This distinction:

• Illustrates a commitment to equity and opportunity for all students on a campus.
• Acknowledges rigorous academic opportunities for all students throughout the campus.
• Shows a commitment to superb instructional practices across the school.

“School leadership and teachers throughout the school work hard for this prestigious distinction,” said Barb Bamford, district AVID coordinator. “When AVID is schoolwide, students in every class benefit from AVID routines and strategies that teachers use to help them be college and career ready.”

Bamford also shared each one of our middle and high schools have AVID classes. More than 400 educators across the district have engaged in AVID professional learning and are committed to preparing students for their lives beyond high school.

Students take courses of rigor and apply learned skills like critical thinking, inquiry, collaboration and self-advocacy to all their classes. Eighty percent of McNary’s seniors met college entrance requirements in order to qualify for this distinction.

“Becoming an AVID Site of Distinction represents significant focus and effort over a sustained period on time on the part of the school staff and AVID site team leaders,” said Matt Biondi, director of middle schools. “Congratulations to all three of these schools for this great accomplishment!”