School Colors: Black & Yellow

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School Mascot: Cheetahs

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Valley Inquiry Charter School is a kindergarten through fifth-grade public school of 168 students in Salem, Oregon.  As a public charter school, admission is open to any student in the Salem-Keizer School District through a lottery system. Admission is free.  Please click here for more information on how to attend Valley Inquiry.

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Valley Inquiry opened first as Baker Charter School in the Fall of 2005, offering instruction for grades K-2.  Each subsequent school year, an additional grade was added.  In the Fall of 2008, Baker Charter School graduated its first 5th-grade class.  In March 2010, we became the first public elementary school in the Pacific Northwest to be authorized as a Primary Years Program (PYP) International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.  Shortly after, Baker Charter School changed its name to Valley Inquiry to better reflect our school's values and mission.  

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Please click here for more information on our IB PYP program.  

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Vision Statement:

Develop internationally minded, lifelong learners.

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Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide an environment where children of all backgrounds and abilities can share in the joy and discovery of each day; acquire the skills to approach new problems thoughtfully and creatively; develop an appreciation and understanding of other cultures and traditions; and become actively engaged in their communities. 

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• Valley Inquiry focuses on an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning.  This means that students have agency over their learning, with teachers serving more as guides to help them as they inquire into the world around them. 

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• Valley Inquiry emphasizes internationalism, multiculturalism, and global-mindedness.  We embrace diversity as an important construct that helps to shape the world around us.

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• Valley Inquiry creates a solid and challenging curriculum that is enriched by music, Spanish instruction, and the arts.

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• Valley Inquiry is a small, nurturing environment rooted in the IB Attributes that help define us as an IB community.

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