
Salem Public Schools

Salem Public Schools - Weekly Update
November 10, 2023
Superintendent's Message
SPS families,
Today is Salem Public Schools' observance of the Veteran's Day holiday (Nov. 11). Our schools and offices are closed as we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while defending our country. We all have family, friends, neighbors or coworkers who are or were active service members. Let's all make a point of reaching out to them to express our gratitude for their commitment to our country.
The City of Salem is hosting its 2023 Veteran's Day ceremony tomorrow, Saturday at 11 a.m., in the Salem High School auditorium. The ceremony will include members of the Salem High School Junior ROTC and Color Guard as well as a performance by the pride of the North Shore, the Salem High School Marching Band, which won a gold medal at last weekend’s NESBA Fall Final (See the story below).
What will make this ceremony even more special is the presentation of the City of Salem Wartime Service Medals to our community’s veterans. This is a wonderful way to honor the contributions of our local heroes. Saturday’s ceremony is free and we hope you will attend.
Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Steve
And the rockstar award 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, the Rockstar Award goes to the SPS IT department who recently presented at the state's instructional technology conference (MassCUE). The title of the presentation was IT Team & Digital Technology "Better Together": Data, Technology Support, and Coaching. We Make IT Work! The large audience was incredibly engaged with positive feedback about Salem's model and many participants expressed interest in coming to SPS to learn more about our approach. Shoutout to Marc LeBlanc, Jodi Tamayoshi, Danielle Marquis, Jen Gariepy, Carlos Arias-Reyes, Josh Bent, and Meredith Vargas who all spoke passionately and confidently about their work. You make us all proud!
Reminder: Update Your ParentSquare Contact Information
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Salem Public Schools conducted a test of its ParentSquare emergency notification system. All SPS families should have received a text message, e-mail and telephone call. We're asking any and all families who didn't receive all three messages to contact us at publicrelations@salemk12.com so that we can update your information.
The SHS marching band and color guard earned a gold medal Sunday at the New England School Band Association (NESBA) Fall Final at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. The show was the highlight of an abbreviated fall 2023 schedule, hampered by canceled gigs and inclement weather. “We’re very, very happy to get a gold medal,” said director Cyndi Napierkowski. “We didn’t come in first place, but that’s not what we were going for. We wanted to stay in that bracket of the top high school bands.”
The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct 11 former athletes, coaches, administrators and dignitaries on Tuesday, Nov. 21 (6 p.m.) at Salem State University’s Veterans Hall, Director of Athletics Reilly Christie announced Monday. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased via GoFan.com. The SHS Hall of Fame Class of 2023 drew 28 nominations. The list of inductees includes:
Food and Nutrition Services Update
Happy November from Food and Nutrition Services! View the breakfast and lunch menus for this month here. The menu features some of our student's favorite meals, such as mandarin orange chicken, and Caribbean pulled pork nachos. A classic Thanksgiving-style meal will be served right before the holiday on November 21st featuring turkey with whole grain stuffing and gravy.
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season for many - a great time to gather with family and friends to eat and take the opportunity to try a variety of foods and new recipes. This is a great way to bond with loved ones but this time can also cause people to become anxious about overeating and gaining weight.
Here are a few tips to ensure that everyone knows how to create a balanced meal at their Thanksgiving dinner table and throughout the holiday season!
Incorporate vegetables - A healthy plate includes half a plate full of vegetables.
Fill up on fiber-rich foods - These help satisfy hunger and are lower in calories.
Limit gravy - Use just enough gravy and cream sauces for taste. A little bit of gravy goes a long way!
Swap the grains - Choose whole wheat-based grains over white grains. Whole wheat is the better choice because of its high nutritional value and fiber content.
Spice it up - Use spices and herbs instead of sugar and salt.
Don't deprive yourself of every treat - Enjoying a sweet treat each day while also choosing healthier snacks is a great way to have balance and not fill up on empty calories. Consuming sweets in moderation is fine!
Drink Water - Choosing to drink water over other high-calorie beverages such as soda will help manage calorie intake.
Swap the sweets - Fruits can make a delicious and healthy dessert! It is a great alternative to pies and other high-sugar desserts. Indulge in a fruit salad, try a low-sugar apple crisp, or baked pears!
Bake healthier - When cooking for yourself or others, a healthy switch would be to use recipes that use pureed fruits instead of butter or oil.
Skim the fat - Try using evaporated skim milk in recipes instead of heavy cream!
It is important to enjoy this season without over-stressing about calories and food intake. Being aware of healthier ways to eat can take that stress away. We hope these tips help you make healthy choices at the dinner table, throughout the season, and beyond!
ELPAC Multilingual Family Night: Nov. 15 at Saltonstall School
When the final bell sounded for Collins Middle School students Wednesday afternoon, it was a day that a handful of them will not soon forget. Students were treated to a first-hand experience of playing sports with a disability. Members of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) played a brief exhibition, fielded questions from curious students, and took part in an exposition game with students and staff.
Winter Sports Registration is Open
Winter sports registration at Salem High School is open. Winter sports at SHS include:
- Basketball: Varsity, JV, Freshman (Boys & Girls)
- Gymnastics: Varsity, JV
- Hockey: Varsity, JV
- Indoor Track & Field: Varsity, JV (Boys & Girls)
- Swimming: Varsity, JV
- Wrestling: Varsity, JV
- Cheer: Varsity, JV
- Unified Strength & Conditioning: Varsity
Thanksgiving Assistance Available
The Salem Salvation Army is offering support for Thanksgiving meals this year. Thanksgiving distribution will take place on Monday, November 20 and Wednesday, November 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Located at the Salvation Army North Shore Corps: 93-95 North Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970. Registration not required. Thanksgiving meals will be distributed while supplies last. Questions? Contact Major Ruth at (978) 744-5181. For more information, please visit their website.
Salem Winter Colorguard Hosts Parent/Student Orientation Nov. 13
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.
Jr. Celtics Academy Basketball League / Jr. Celtics Academy Liga de baloncesto (LVO YMCA) Register here if barcode on flier doesn't work.
North Shore Toy Drive / North Shore Colección de Juguetes / Coleta de Brinquedos em North Shore
Dowload the ParentSquare App
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.