The Next Chapter for our Early College/Roberts High School Communities

On June 26, Salem-Keizer Public Schools announced that the current Principal of Alternative Education High Schools, Brad Shreve had been selected as the next principal of McNary High School.

This transition in leadership for creates a vacancy at Roberts and Early College high schools. We are excited to welcome Chad Barkes as the next principal to lead alternative education programs in Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

Below, Principal Barkes shares a message with the our Alternative Education communities:

Dear Early College and Roberts High School Students and Families,

My name is Chad Barkes, and I am thrilled today to announce my privilege to be joining our alternative education team as the new principal of both Roberts and Early College high schools.

Here in Salem-Keizer, our alternative high schools are deeply connected to our core values of holding students at the center. Every student has the power to choose their path and work toward success. As a school administrator for the past 11 years at Sprague High School. I believe in building strong and positive school cultures, seeing people as people, while fostering leadership and inclusion opportunities for all students and advocating for the needs of our staff.

I am grateful to be building upon a strong foundation of alternative education that has grown in our district in the past several years and I look forward to serving at both Roberts and Early College high schools and learning about the systems, programs, and unique school communities to maximize the experience of every student.

I look forward to welcoming all of our students and families back this fall as we embark on this new journey together.

Chad Barkes

Principal Barkes will begin working with the Alternative Education Administrative teams this summer and looks forward to welcoming all students and families back for an incredible 2026-27 school year in the fall.