July 28, 2023

SPS Families,

I hope that you are staying cool despite the excessive heat over the last few days. Yesterday, I had the privilege of visiting summer programs with Mayor Pangallo at Saltonstall. Our students were fully engaged in planning the build out of composting bins, flood protection, bike safety and community resiliency/sustainability. Students were designing, writing and sharing their voices and ideas with their peers. It was inspiring to see that many of our high school students were supporting the learning of our younger students and partnering with our teachers and paraprofessionals to provide an enriching experience for our students. Some of our programs conclude today and others conclude over the next two weeks.

At the School Committee meeting on Monday, I shared an update on our progress relative to our stated goals/outcomes. I wanted to share this information with you so that you can see the places where we have improved significantly, where we have made moderate progress and areas where we are stuck or regressed. Please see the information presented to the School Committee here. We will be revealing our new strategic plan for the next three years at our August 21st meeting. We are excited about the work ahead!

August begins next week and the start of school is a month away (see information below)! Please be on the lookout over the next few weeks for information about transportation, school supplies, schedules/class assignments and back-to-school forms. To celebrate the start of school, join us for our back-to-school celebration at Palmer Cove from 5-7:30 pm on August 23rd.

Enjoy the weekend!

Steve

Our Food and Nutrition Services Department has received a generous Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) in the amount of $489,571.76 from the Healey-Driscoll administration. This grant will revolutionize Salem’s ability to provide a more extensive selection of fresh, locally sourced products, providing healthier, high-quality meals for our beloved students.

With funds from this substantial grant from the Healey-Driscoll administration, the Salem School Nutrition Department will invest in state-of-the-art and energy-efficient kitchen equipment to replace our older appliances. By doing so, we aim to substantially reduce our energy consumption and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. Ovens, warmers, and steamers are among the appliances that will be prioritized.

Upgrading kitchen equipment will enhance our commitment to providing wholesome and nutritious meals to our students. Additionally, this will allow us to support local farmers and producers, encouraging sustainability and promoting food security. The adoption of new and efficient kitchen equipment will elevate the quality of our meals and streamline our operations, enabling our staff to dedicate more time and effort to crafting delectable dishes that resonate with the diverse palates of our student body.

We envision a future where students enjoy meals made from the freshest local ingredients, nourishing their bodies and minds. The Food Security Infrastructure Grant will undoubtedly contribute to achieving this vision, and we are incredibly grateful for the support.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $26.3 Million in Grants to Improve Food Security and Resiliency Across Massachusetts | Mass.gov

Join us Wednesday, August 23rd from 5-7pm at Palmer Cove Park for the big back to school festival! We will be partnering with community organizations and the Salem Police Department for a day of fun, food, books, school supplies and more! 

DESE and the Early College Joint Committee (ECJC) have announced that the North Shore Community College and Salem High School partnership has been approved for Designation as a Massachusetts Early College Program starting in Fall 2024.

The purpose of the Early College Initiative is to create and maintain partnerships connecting our state’s districts and high schools with our state’s colleges in order to give thousands of Massachusetts students, especially first-generation college-goers, access to college completion and career success.

“In districts across the state, I have seen firsthand the invaluable advantage for students participating in Early College programs and the benefits the programs bring to partnership schools and universities,” said Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler. “This new partnership is a win for Salem High School and their students and families, North Shore Community College, and the future workforce in Salem.” 

“We are thrilled to receive notice of the Massachusetts Early College Designation with North Shore Community College.” says Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike, Jr. “This is a game-changing partnership as it is focused on increasing access to higher education for multilingual learners and first-generation college going students. We appreciate the support from the Commonwealth and look forward to the significant impact that it will have on the students in the Salem Public Schools.”

The committee thanked Salem Public Schools for their demonstrated commitment to students’ postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion.

“We are confident that your program design will offer students a transformative experience to thrive academically and beyond.” The designation approval letter states, “We congratulate you on this achievement, particularly given the rigor of the established criteria and the extensive requirements of the application.”

Programs approved for Designation will receive funding in FY2024 according to the ECJC funding policies for currently designated programs.

Join our team! We are hiring math, science, and special ed. educators as well as paraprofessionals and food and nutrition workers. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Apply for positions here: https://salem.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

Endicott College is seeking host families for a group of Irish students attending Endicott this fall from their partner school, Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland. Due to a housing shortage this year, we are placing the students in homestays, and we are short 6 beds for 6 male students, ages 19 – 22.

The dates will be August 25-Dec 23, 2023. There is a $3000 stipend per student for anyone who can host. Please call Ms. Tristen Dixey at 978-232-2262 or email at: global@endicott.edu (exclusively for homestay communications). Thank you, in advance, for considering this opportunity!

We are looking forward to seeing all of our students!

Here are the start dates for the 2023-2024 school year:

August 28th: Carlton grades 1-5, Salem High School grade 9, Salem Prep grade 9

August 29th: ALL other grades 1-8 and 10-12, New Liberty grade 9

August 31st: Carlton Kindergarten

September 5th: ALL other Pre-K and Kindergarten students

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 the primary communication platform for all Salem Public Schools. All messages and alerts come through ParentSquare and the app makes 1-to-1 communication with your student’s teachers and signing up for guardian/student conferences a breeze. If you are not receiving messages from ParentSquare or if you are having trouble, contact your school’s front office. You can visit www.parentsquare.com for more information.