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Information Night

The Valley Inquiry Middle School planning committee will be hosting an Information Night on Monday, July 30th from 6-7 pm at Broadway Commons, located at 1300 Broadway Street NE, in Room 304 (the Mexico Room), just north of downtown Salem. 

Members of the Valley Inquiry Middle School planning committee will be on hand to provide information, answer questions, and provide forms for people to express interest in sending their child to the school and sign up for our mailing list.

Support Valley Inquiry Middle School

We are excited to have this opportunity to create a new public middle school—but to achieve success we will need your help.  Building a new school will require a lot of work, and to be granted a charter from the Salem-Keizer School District we need to generate strong community support.  


You can help us build the school and demonstrate community support by filling out our online form or writing a letter expressing your support for the school and offering your assistance in making it a success. We will need everything from volunteers and service learning sites to financial assistance and supplies, and anything that you can offer would be appreciated.

Letters of support can be mailed to:

Valley Inquiry Middle School
P.O. Box 7846
Salem, OR  97303-0184

Frequently Asked Questions About VIMS

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the proposed Valley Inquiry Middle School (VIMS).

When do you hope to open?

We hope to open in the fall of 2013.  However, in order to open on this timeframe VIMS must receive a charter from the Salem-Keizer School District and also line up the funding needed to pay startup costs, including books, equipment, and furniture.  VIMS had hoped a federal charter school grant would cover these costs.  However, Oregon has not received a federal charter school grant, which may delay opening of the school.

What size do you expect classes to be, and how big will the school be?

We plan to have about 56 students per grade, with classes of about 28 students.  There will be about 170 students total.  This will offer a small school environment conducive to learning and student growth.

How will students be admitted?

Admission to charter schools is by lottery.  Students are randomly selected from among all those who submit applications.

When will you be sending information out about the lottery?

The lottery will be held as soon as the school has firm plans to open after receiving a charter and lining up the resources needed to open its doors.  This could be as early as late spring or early summer of 2013.  Information packets will be sent to all those on the mailing list once the lottery is scheduled.

Will Valley Inquiry Charter School students have to enter the lottery to enter the middle school?

If VIMS receives a federal charter school grant, it will have to be a separate entity from Valley Inquiry Charter School and will require a separate lottery; VICS students would not receive automatic entrance into the school. If VIMS finds another source of funding to cover startup costs, it would likely be an extension of the elementary program and students would be able to continue on into middle school without going through the lottery. However, because VICS only has 28 students per class, at least half of the VIMS slots would be available to other students.

Will transportation be offered to the school?

Parents will be responsible for getting their children to the school.  Buses will not be offered, but the school may provide assistance in setting up carpools.

What languages will be offered?

English will be the primary language of instruction, and all students will also be offered Spanish.

Will band and art be offered?

Yes, music and visual arts are key parts of the IB experience.

How will VIMS handle sports?

Although VIMS will not offer sports, students will be able to play sports at their neighborhood schools.

Is International Baccalaureate only appropriate for high-end students?

While IB is a rigorous learning experience designed to challenge and engage students, students at all levels and abilities can thrive in an IB school.

Is there a disadvantage to students coming into the IB Middle Years Programme who didn’t go through the Primary Years Programme?

Students who did not go through the Primary Years Programme may need some introduction to the Middle Years Programme but will still be able to thrive in the program.

How will students go from the IB Middle Years Programme into the Diploma Programme if they don’t live in the South Salem High territory?

Students who complete the IB Middle Years Programme at VIMS and want to go into the Diploma Programme at South Salem High can request an in-district transfer if they live outside the South territory. 

Learn about the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Valley Inquiry Middle School will be an International Baccalaureate school that will bridge the gap between the IB Primary Years Programme at Valley Inquiry Charter School and the Diploma Programme at South Salem High. To learn more about the IB Middle Years Programme that Valley Inquiry Middle School will use, view this presentation.

Express your interest in enrolling

In order to demonstrate support for Valley Inquiry Middle School in the community, the planning committee is creating a list of students interested in attending the school.

To sign up for the Valley Inquiry Middle School mailing list and declare your interest in enrolling your child in the school, please fill out our brief online survey. Please fill out one survey for each child you are interested in enrolling.

Taking this survey in no way commits you to enrolling your child in VIMS. Enrollment in VIMS will be determined by a lottery that will be conducted before the school opens. VIMS will send lottery application materials to all families who fill out an intent to enroll form.

Information Night

The Valley Inquiry Middle School planning committee will be hosting an Information Night on Thursday, May 17th from 6-8 pm at Broadway Commons, located at 1300 Broadway Street NE, in Room 304 (the Mexico Room), just north of downtown Salem.

Members of the Valley Inquiry Middle School planning committee will be on hand to provide information, answer questions, and provide intent to enroll forms for people to express interest in sending their child to the school and sign up for our mailing list.