
Salem Public Schools

Salem Public Schools - Weekly Update
December 15, 2023
Superintendent's Message
Dear SPS Families -
We are very proud of a new Food and Nutrition Services program where we are introducing a dinner menu at Salem High School available from 3:05-4:35 pm each day – at no cost – for students and staff. It is not just for students at Salem High School – it’s for any student in the district who wishes to take part.
This is an ideal option for any and all students who engage in after-school activities such as drama, athletics, music or any club. The dinner offering at SHS is only one week old, but it has been a huge success as it has attracted an average of 60 participants a day.
The meal options are diverse and infinitely more healthy than the fast food options within a few minutes walk of the High School. Check out the menu here (see the bottom of the page).
This is a unique offering that speaks to our core values of equity and belonging as we ensure all students are well nourished well into the evening and can break bread with members of the SPS community.
Enjoy the 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.
The rockstar award this week goes to Mr. Jose Echevarria who is a 6th grade behavior specialist at Collins Middle School. Affectionately known as Mr. J, he serves as a cheerleader and confidant for countless 6th grade students. He never raises his voice, choosing to use the power of relationships and restorative conversations to navigate conflict and disagreement. He believes in every child with whom he works to be an active and contributing member of the school community. Mr. J has played an important role in the cultural transformation at Collins.
Attendance Matters: An Open Letter From the DESE Commissioner of Education
Dear Families,
We are writing to invite you to join your school, your district, and the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in a campaign to improve student attendance.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted a lot of routines, including the habit of going to school every day. We know that there are often valid reasons for students to be absent, but, to a troubling extent, students are missing more school now than they did previously. Before the pandemic, 13 percent of students were chronically absent, meaning they had missed 10 percent or more of the school year. Last year, 22 percent of students – close to 1 in 4 statewide – were chronically absent.
Missing that much school – 18 days or more from a typical school year – can cause a child to fall behind in their learning and miss opportunities to build positive relationships with other students and with school staff. These losses may result in increased anxiety and interrupted social and emotional development.
Chronic absenteeism appears in every type of district – urban, suburban, rural, regional, traditional public schools, career technical schools, charter schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. Many research studies have concluded that regardless of family income or background, students whose parents are involved in their schooling are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school. We want all our students to have the opportunity to achieve all of these things.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is committed to supporting your district as it works to ensure that every school is safe, welcoming, and supportive, with engaging and creative instruction and joyful classrooms. Your district and schools are committed to partnering with you to find ways to remove any barriers that may be hindering any child from coming to school every day. We are asking you to commit to making daily school attendance part of your family’s routine again. As a leader of your family, you are the best and most important influencer of your child. When you make a point of getting them to school every day, they will understand that it is important for their success.
None of us can change chronic absenteeism by ourselves, but we believe that by working together to bring students to school and offering engaging, supportive environments, our students will learn, grow, and thrive.
Wishing you a peaceful holiday season,
Jeffrey Riley, Commissioner
Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education
It’s an odd circumstance when a school administrator tells students to not use the pantry and instead get back to class. Or, it’s the sign of a desperately needed system working to solve a social need, with a better opportunity for students to get free food coming once the bell rings in a half hour and school is actually dismissed for the day.
Pre-K spaces still available for remainder of 2023-24
A few spaces are still available in Salem Public Schools 2023-24 PreK programs. Contact the Parent Information Center at (978) 740-1225.
WATCH: Parent Orientation for DESE Special Education and Civil Rights review
Salem Public Schools, in conjunction with the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE), recently held an orientation for parents regarding our upcoming special education and civil rights review. In case you missed it, below are links to resources shared during the orientation:
Glenn Burns’ Salem High School football team lost the Division Six Super Bowl last week in Massachusetts. Burns was disappointed. He had brought his 7-year-old daughter to the game, as well as 200 students from his high school. But the lasting memory from the game wasn’t the loss. It was from the thriving sense of community the school shared.
“As the buses [that brought the students] pulled out, I thought … I hope my daughter can come to a school like this.”
SALEM CHILDREN'S CHARITY - THANK YOU!
Thanks to all who attended and or contributed to the success of our recent holiday party fundraiser. Bidding for auction items is open until 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17.
SAVE THE DATES: Early Childhood Expo Virtual Town Hall and Meet & Greet
Do you have an early learner or know an early learner who will be joining the Salem Public Schools for the 2024-25 school year? We will be hosting our virtual Early Childhood Town Hall on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. to provide an overview of the early learning experience, the registration process, and to answer any questions.
Join the Virtual Town Hall | Submit a Question
REMINDERS:
- Children who turn 5 on or before Aug. 31, 2024 are eligible for kindergarten
- Children who turn 4 on or before Aug. 31, 2024 are eligible to enter our Pre-Kindergarten lottery
- Children who turn 3 on or by Aug. 31, 2024 are eligible to enter our preschool lottery at the Early Childhood Center.
We'll also be hosting an in-person meet and greet event the evening of Thursday, Feb. 8th for families to meet with school and department leaders - more details will be shared soon. Mark your calendars and spread the word - we look forward to meeting our newest families and learners in the upcoming months!
Seniors: Free FAFSA Webinar Jan. 3, Jan. 30, Feb. 27
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has partnered with the nonprofit uAspire to provide free support to students and school staff to help seniors complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
uAspire will offer a FAFSA webinar for students on three dates:
- Wednesday, Jan. 3 -- 4-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 30 -- 5-6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Feb. 27 -- 5:30-6:30 p.m.
In addition, FAQs are available in English and Spanish, and more resources are posted on uAspire.org/resources, uaspire.org/Checklist, and uaspire.org/FSAID.
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.
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.