Save the date! Early Education Expo

SAVE THE DATE! 2022-2023 EARLY EDUCATION EXPO! January 19th, 2023 6:30-8:00 pm Join us virtually! Join us virtually to learn about our Pre-K and Kindergarten options! You will have the opportunity to submit questions and meet our staff.  More info to come in January!

Wednesday, Dec 21 2022

Exciting News About Salem Public Schools

Salem community, We want to share some exciting news that will impact future generations of Salem Public Schools. Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 21st, 2022, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is recommending that the City of Salem be invited into the Eligibility Period for a new facility at the Salem High School site.  We expect the MSBA Board to vote to accept this recommendation which will launch Salem into a comprehensive planning process for school construction over the next five to seven years. This anticipated support of the MSBA will provide the City of Salem with reimbursement for many costs associated with this project. Salem has long advocated for this critical capital project, and now, as we look to advance our current school facilities master plan, it is imperative that this project takes place.  The Salem community, including our teachers, staff, students, and their families, have long contended with a building that has neither met their needs nor offered the best possible learning environment.  This new facility presents a tremendous opportunity for us to unite as a community to design learning spaces that match our educational goals. We will engage in citywide conversations about grade configurations, instructional philosophy, and 21st-century learning. There will be multiple ways that students, staff, families, and elected officials can be involved. Please stay tuned! Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr.  Superintendent, Salem Public Schools Kim Driscoll  Mayor, City of Salem  

Tuesday, Dec 20 2022

Salem Public Schools Weekly Newsletter

Salem Public Schools Weekly Update Salem Public Schools Weekly Update for School Year 2022-2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Open this email in a browser     A Note From the Superintendent December 16, 2022 Families and caregivers, As we begin the winter season, we have seen a significant rise in illness across the Salem Public Schools. Many students and staff have been absent from school due to COVID, strong strains of the flu, and/or respiratory illnesses. This has resulted in daily adjustments to staffing and programming to ensure appropriate supervision of our students. We appreciate everyone's flexibility as we navigate through the winter months. All schools except for Carlton have an extra week of winter vacation, and we hope this will help keep our case numbers down. Information about the flu, COVID-19, and RSV can be found on the district health and wellness page . It remains important that members of our community stay home when they are not feeling well and of course, follow health protocols provided by the state . We strongly encourage everyone to get their flu shot (see useful resources here ) and their most updated COVID shot/booster at their doctor's office or local pharmacies (see useful resources here ). As a reminder, next week is our last week before the start of the winter break following a full-day dismissal on December 23rd. Have a great weekend, Steve And the winner is…… At Salem Public Schools, we are recognizing one staff member a week who exemplifies our core values of celebrating differences, facilitating collaboration, fostering innovation, creating equity and access, growing all students, and upholding high standards for all. We are surprising a deserving SPS team member with a rock star trophy. This week's rockstar is Mr. Ben Hedstrom, paraprofessional at Bates Elementary School. He has a true passion to work with students and support them socially, emotionally and academically. His thoughtful and patient approach in helping students has made a profound impact on all of the Bates community. Bates is lucky to have a true rockstar in Mr.  Hedstrom !  2022 Teacher of the Year, Marta Garcia, visits the White House It is well known that the White House goes all out to decorate for the holidays. Our very own Marta Garcia was invited to join in on the celebration. First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, decorated the State Dining Room of the White House with self-portrait ornaments made by students from around the country. Ms. García, along with other teachers of the year, visited the White House last weekend to witness the beautiful artwork created by our very own Glaukel, Arianna, Mell, Wenslley, Khadiatou, Julio, Jorgelis, and Victor from Witchcraft Heights Elementary School. They not only represented their school, district, and state with their talent and creativity, but also their countries of origin! Congratulations to all of them! Salem Police Department Shares Warning for Parents/Caregivers On Thursday, December 1st, detectives assigned to the SPD Criminal Investigation Division served an arrest and search warrant, resulting in the seizure of  significant  amounts of marijuana, THC products, psychedelic mushrooms, US currency, and drug  paraphernalia.  Many edible THC products were  contained in packaging resembling candy with bright colors and cartoon-like  characters. Some were even labeled as “Skittles” and “Starbuds” and looked almost identical to what  would be found in any variety store.  Individuals, students, parents, and schools should be aware that products containing marijuana or  THC may be packaged in ways that could pass as normal candy or other foods. Technology Recycling The School Committee has authorized the SPS IT Department to recycle some outdated and non-working technology. If anyone in the community is interested in the following items in as-is condition, please email Marc LeBlanc ( mleblanc@salemk12.org ). These items will be recycled after December 29th. iMacs (2012 or earlier) Projectors (non-functional) Smartboards Chromebooks (non-working with parts removed) Laserjet printers (non-working) A Holiday Recipe Hanukkah begins this Sunday, December 18th, and is celebrated until December 26th. We hope all members of our community that celebrate have a Happy Hanukkah! In honor of this holiday, we would like to share this recipe for classic potato latkes! Latkes are crisp potato pancakes that are a specialty of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah.  City to Celebrate Hanukkah Celebration The City of Salem will hold two public celebrations of the Hanukkah season on Dec. 21 and Dec. 24, with the lighting of the menorah as well as traditional holiday latkes and sufganiyot. The entire North Shore community is invited to both events. The first event will be on Dec. 21 at noon at Lappin Park at the intersection of Essex and Washington streets. The second event will take place on Dec. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the same location. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and Rabbi Yossi Lipsker of the Chabad of the North Shore will host the 10th annual event.  In the event of poor weather, the lighting will be moved inside the City Hall Annex Offices at 98 Washington Street. A Tasty Success A taste test was held at Bates on Friday (12/9) with Project Bread to try a potential new lunch menu item, chicken cheese steak! The recipe was developed by our own Salem chef, Margarita.  This recipe is an adaptation of a legendary Philly staple. Students voted if they loved it, liked it or tried it. The feedback from students was mainly that they loved it! As a result of such amazing feedback from students It will be featured on our menus soon. The recipe starts with Margarita’s Sazon de Abuela to season the chicken, peppers, and onions and pair that with melty cheese and a bright cilantro spread to give this All-American classic an international kiss. Margarita also uses this versatile spice blend on everything from stewed beans to  roasted veggies. Try the "Sazon de Abuela" marinade recipe at home to make a delicious meal even better! I Have a Dream Essay Contest In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Salem State University and the Salem Human Rights Coalition are inviting Salem Public School students to participate in an essay writing contest! Submit your one page essay on Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Monday, December 19! A winner from elementary, middle school, and high school will be notified and invited to the SSU annual MLK convocation and luncheon with the (to be announced) keynote speaker on January 23, 2023. Interested in visiting our sister city, Ota Japan? Please see the letter and informational flier here for details on this exciting opportunity. SCHOOL CLOSURES OR DELAYS DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER As winter approaches, we want to remind staff and families to be sure we have current contact information to reach you in the event that we have a cancellation or delay. Notifications will go out through ParentSquare via automated phone call, text, and email. It will also be posted on our website as well as social media and local TV channels. We do not have the option of remote instruction in the event of a closure. Salem's Own Toys for Tots  The MCJROTC cadets are hosting a Toys 4 Tots drive to provide gifts for Salem families in need this Christmas. There are donation boxes located by the SHS main entrance, as one at the SHS JROTC Command Post, and the main entrances at Collins Middle School and Witchcraft Heights Elementary School. Any new, unwrapped toys (for newborns up to age 12) would be greatly appreciated.  Help get these kids in need something to open Christmas morning. Please get the word out so we can make this toy drive a success! This toy drive will end December 19th. If any family would like this support, please contact your student's school with a total number of children, ages and gender. The Virtual Backpack Welcome to the Virtual Backpack. This is a space where we will place items that in the past may have been a flyer in your student's backpack from friends and partners to SPS. Download the ParentSquare app today! A reminder that ParentSquare is the district platform for communication. You will receive communication from the district, your school, and your student's classroom all in one space. You can communicate 1-to-1 with teachers, sign up for parent-teacher conferences, and more. This is how our school and teachers communicate with families districtwide. Please be sure you are receiving messages from ParentSquare. If need support downloading the app or receiving messages, please contact your school's front office. You can visit www.parentsquare.com for more information. Find tech support for Chromebooks, Aspen, ParentSquare and more click here Salem Public Schools Where Belonging Leads to Opportunity 29 Highland Ave. Salem, MA 01970  

Friday, Dec 16 2022

Salem Public Schools Weekly Newsletter

Salem Public Schools Weekly Update Salem Public Schools Weekly Update for School Year 2022-2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Open this email in a browser     A Note From the Superintendent December 9, 2022 SPS caregivers, We are looking for input on our school calendars for the upcoming school year. As you may know, SPS has different calendars for high schools and innovation schools. Each year, the superintendent makes a recommendation to the School Committee at the end of January or the beginning of February. The Committee reviews the recommendation and ultimately votes to accept the calendars or a version of the calendars presented. I know that our families and staff have many thoughts about the optimal school schedule, and I am interested in hearing your perspective on what currently works and what changes you might want to see moving forward. As a reminder, we are required to have 180 days of school, and we must observe any state or federal holiday. As always, we are appreciative of your input and will be sure to consider it as we make an initial recommendation to the School Committee. Please use this form to share your comments. Enjoy your weekend. I hear that some snow flurries may be on the way! Steve And the winner is…… At Salem Public Schools, we are recognizing one staff member a week who exemplifies our core values of celebrating differences, facilitating collaboration, fostering innovation, creating equity and access, growing all students, and upholding high standards for all. We are surprising a deserving SPS team member with a rock star trophy. This week's rockstar is Romario Berneche, Collins Middle School Restorative Justice Coordinator.  In his first year at Collins, Mr. Berneche has quickly become a go-to person for students and staff. As the Restorative Justice Coordinator, he is continuously helping students resolve conflicts, facilitating community circles in classrooms, providing staff with guidance and feedback, and highly visible throughout Collins to help support the school. We appreciate the positive energy, calm approach, and optimistic attitude that Mr. Berneche brings to Collins every day and he continues to a be a rockstar, difference-maker at the school! Thank you Mr. Berneche for all you do! City to Celebrate Hanukkah Celebration The City of Salem will hold two public celebrations of the Hanukkah season on Dec. 21 and Dec. 24, with the lighting of the menorah as well as traditional holiday latkes and sufganiyot. The entire North Shore community is invited to both events. The first event will be on Dec. 21 at noon at Lappin Park at the intersection of Essex and Washington streets. The second event will take place on Dec. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the same location. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and Rabbi Yossi Lipsker of the Chabad of the North Shore will host the 10th annual event.  In the event of poor weather, the lighting will be moved inside the City Hall Annex Offices at 98 Washington Street. Salem Education Foundation Funds 18 Grants for Schools Salem Education Foundation has awarded almost $25,000 in 18 grants to local teachers for creative  projects that will benefit over 2200 Salem children this year. Sixteen of the grants will go to district  teachers and were awarded at the December 5 School Committee meeting. Grants cover arts, STEM, literacy, social studies and leadership projects, and health and wellness. They range from a scientific study of a simulated disease outbreak to a band performance at Carnegie Hall, from a pottery wheel to a huge Special Olympics across the Salem district that involves 300 children. Last year’s successful kindergarten scavenger hunt that introduced families to almost 50 businesses and institutions across the city will continue for a second year. A partnership with Appleton Farms will introduce 250 fifth graders to farming processes and environmental impacts. Congratulations to teachers Beth Beaulieu, Megan Bowen, Briana Bain-McNulty, Ben Chertok, Emily Flaherty, Michelle Flewelling (2), Frank James, Alexandra Kirky, Lori Mendoza, Brenda Perez-Goodrum, Donna Ramsden, Amy Selvaggio, Jennifer Toler, Beth White, Pierce Woodward, Jon Workman, Liz Yoder. Salem Education Foundation is a non-profit local group run by parents and other citizens. Since its inception in 1994, SEF has provided approximately one million dollars to Salem schools. For more information about Salem Education Foundation, go to  salemeducationfoundation.org . Food and Nutrition Update Hello from Salem Food and Nutrition services! This month as part of the Farm to School Harvest of the month program, our featured Harvest for the month of December is Carrots! Carrots will be featured on our menus throughout this month. Fact sheets about carrots have been distributed throughout our schools to promote learning about the nutritional value of carrots. “Cinnamon Roasted Carrot Fries” will be served as a side on our menu later this month, and here is the recipe we will be using. Try making it at home! Don’t forget SPS students receive FREE breakfast all year long! For parents with busy schedules, it can be hard to ensure that kids eat a healthy breakfast before they go to school in the morning, but that can leave kids feeling hungry when they arrive at school. That’s where our grab & go breakfast can come in! Grab & go breakfas ts  are packaged in individual bags for students to take as they enter the school building and are  easy-to-eat breakfast foods .   Studies show that eating breakfast can raise test scores while improving classroom attentiveness and behavior. Each meal served at breakfast in our schools meets government nutritional guidelines and standards. Schools are required to provide a breakfast meal that Includes fruit, whole-grain rich items, and low-fat or fat-free milk. Check your child's menu to see the variety of nutritious choices available at school breakfast!  https://salemfoodservice.wixsite.com/spsk12menus/spsbreakfastmenus Click here to find the dates of all the SPS winter music concerts I Have a Dream Essay Contest In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Salem State University and the Salem Human Rights Coalition are inviting Salem Public School students to participate in an essay writing contest! Submit your one page essay on Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Monday, December 19! A winner from elementary, middle school, and high school will be notified and invited to the SSU annual MLK convocation and luncheon with the (to be announced) keynote speaker on January 23, 2023. Interested in visiting our sister city, Ota Japan? Please see the letter and informational flier here for details on this exciting opportunity. SCHOOL CLOSURES OR DELAYS DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER As winter approaches, we want to remind staff and families to be sure we have current contact information to reach you in the event that we have a cancellation or delay. Notifications will go out through ParentSquare via automated phone call, text, and email. It will also be posted on our website as well as social media and local TV channels. We do not have the option of remote instruction in the event of a closure. Salem's Own Toys for Tots  The MCJROTC cadets are hosting a Toys 4 Tots drive to provide gifts for Salem families in need this Christmas. There are donation boxes located by the SHS main entrance, as one at the SHS JROTC Command Post, and the main entrances at Collins Middle School and Witchcraft Heights Elementary School. Any new, unwrapped toys (for newborns up to age 12) would be greatly appreciated.  Help get these kids in need something to open Christmas morning. Please get the word out so we can make this toy drive a success! This toy drive will end December 19th. If any family would like this support, please contact your student's school with a total number of children, ages and gender. The Virtual Backpack Welcome to the Virtual Backpack. This is a space where we will place items that in the past may have been a flyer in your student's backpack from friends and partners to SPS. Salem Little League Registration Liga pequeña de Salem Inscripción Primavera 2023 Download the ParentSquare app today! A reminder that ParentSquare is the district platform for communication. You will receive communication from the district, your school, and your student's classroom all in one space. You can communicate 1-to-1 with teachers, sign up for parent-teacher conferences, and more. This is how our school and teachers communicate with families districtwide. Please be sure you are receiving messages from ParentSquare. If need support downloading the app or receiving messages, please contact your school's front office. You can visit www.parentsquare.com for more information. Find tech support for Chromebooks, Aspen, ParentSquare and more click here Salem Public Schools Where Belonging Leads to Opportunity 29 Highland Ave. Salem, MA 01970  

Friday, Dec 09 2022

Thanksgiving Message from Dr. Stephen Zrike

SPS Community, We want to wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday!  We are grateful for the talents and countless contributions of our students, staff, and caregivers.  It is a privilege to work together to serve our city's future by creating a sense of belonging where every child is seen and heard.  Enjoy the opportunity to celebrate your valued traditions, and please find the time to rest, relax, and watch the Patriots win tomorrow evening!  Stay safe, and we look forward to seeing everyone on Monday, November 28th.   With gratitude, Steve

Wednesday, Nov 23 2022

Salem Public Schools Weekly Newsletter

The Salem Public Schools newsletter is available. Come join the Parent Advisory Council! Details about how to sign up are inside. See how we celebrated National School Lunch Week and find out when our next vaccination clinic is. https://www.smore.com/vbrpz

Friday, Oct 21 2022

Salem Public Schools Weekly Newsletter

The Salem Public Schools weekly newsletter is available. Welcome back to our youngest learners! Learn about our new entrances when visiting central office staff, dates and times for back-to-school nights at each school, and info about the Salem Literary Festival https://www.smore.com/azhsv

Friday, Sep 09 2022

22-23 Back to School Video!

The moment you have been waiting for! The 2022-2023 ​back-to-school video. Are you ready? LET'S GO!

Sunday, Aug 28 2022

Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!

August 22, 2022 Dear Salem families, We are thrilled to welcome all of you to the 2022-23 school year in the Salem Public Schools!  We are excited about the opportunities that this new school year will bring - the introduction and expansion of high-demand programs, multiple curriculum updates, facility upgrades, and the continued dedication of our highly professional staff.  We are committed to finding more opportunities for our students to share their voices and ideas to shape their educational experience.  It is my sincerest hope that we can put most of COVID behind us and prepare for a year with fewer interruptions for our students. We want to capitalize on the joy, enthusiasm, and talents that our students bring with them to school each day.  As we enter the upcoming school year, we are guided by our three core values of  belonging, equity and opportunity .  More specifically: Belonging:  We believe all members of our community are valued and that our relationships are built on empathy and respect.                                Equity:  We believe in promoting social justice to ensure an inclusive school community where all members are empowered and engaged.                                Opportunity:  We believe all students should receive a personalized experience to achieve academic success, find joy in their learning, and have multiple choices for their post-secondary plans.            In advancing these values, our focus for the school year is to nurture our students to become independent learners who can achieve at grade level or higher. Independent learners can think, write, analyze and problem solve when presented with cognitively challenging materials.  They also possess the confidence to tackle new tasks presented to them. In order to achieve this end, our staff is committed to creating learning spaces that are built on trust and respect such that students can feel safe taking risks, expressing their perspectives, and showcasing their many talents.     As a reminder, the first day of school for students in  Grades 1-12 is Tuesday, Aug. 30th (except Carlton School, which begins on Monday, Aug. 29th), and Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students start on Tuesday, September 6th   (except Carlton School which begins on Sept. 1st).   Below you will find our school start and end times for this school year:     School Start - End Bates 7:45 – 1:50 Bentley 7:30 – 2:30 Carlton 8:30 – 2:35 Collins 8:10 – 3:10 ECC 8:45 – 2:50 Horace Mann 7:50 – 1:55 New Liberty 9:00 – 3:45 Salem High 7:45 – 2:35 Salem Prep 8:00 – 2:25 Saltonstall 8:15 – 3:15 Witchcraft Heights 8:30 – 2:35 Please stay connected with us throughout the school year in the following ways:   Links to our regular newsletter can be found on our  district home page . Join me for my regular Facebook Lives (in both Spanish and English) - to do so, go to the  Salem Public Schools Facebook Page Follow  me  and  the district  on  Twitter Schedule an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with me (email Mindy Marino at  mmarino@salemk12.org ) Attend School Committee meetings - see information  here   We look forward to partnering with you in order to deliver on our commitment to your children. We can’t wait to launch the 2022-23 school year!    Sincerely,   Stephen Zrike  

Monday, Aug 22 2022

Salem Public Schools Weekly Newsletter

Our last SUMMER newsletter is available (can you believe it?). Find out the information you need about back-to-school forms, the big back-to-school fair next week for free school supplies, food, and fun, bus transportation, and more. https://www.smore.com/80ze1w

Friday, Aug 19 2022