Salem Public Schools Update

April 14, 2022

Dear SPS Community,

It has been a busy week! We have participated in science competitions, where our SHS Women of Science team earned 2nd place in the Whale Engineering Build Challenge, Our Collins Middle School scholars presented incredible business ideas at the NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) Ideation Fair in our library, had our first Unified Sports track and field meet, saw our Bentley Innovation School students fill their REGAR jar, and participated in a walk-in to protest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the southern states. We are so proud of our scholars and what they do every day to grow and learn.

None of the above would be able to happen without our dedicated staff. Our staff is the hardest working, most dedicated group of individuals in the Commonwealth. During the week of May 2-6 we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week. One of the most impactful things we can do for our staff is to let them know how much we appreciate them. We want to hear from you!

This form will give you all the opportunity to thank and recognize any member of our staff and let them know the positive impact they make on your child and family. Please fill it out by May 6th so we can distribute your messages to them.

A reminder that next week is April break. There will not be a Facebook Live or Newsletter during the break, but we look forward to resuming all regular activities during the week of April 25th.

Have a great break!

Steve

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 rock star award goes to the entire New Liberty Innovation School staff for the love, support and comfort they provided their students as the community grieved the passing of a student. Staff members rushed to the school on Sunday to be present for students who wanted to connect with trusted adults to process the devastating loss. We are grateful for the dedication and unwavering commitment that the New Liberty staff has for all the students in their care.

Debbie has reached 30 years of driving buses in @SalemSchoolsk12! Tremendous dedication, reliability and service to the youth of our city. She was recognized with a rock star award, cake, cookies and her very own bus passes! Thank you for your service Debbie!

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Rubén Carmona back to the Salem Public Schools as the new Executive Director of Employee Engagement. We are fortunate to have identified a candidate who has a strong vision for cultivating and supporting talent and, as the former principal of Horace Mann Laboratory School, he knows our school community well. His first day in this new role will be on Monday, May 2nd. Join me in welcoming Dr. Carmona back to the SPS family!

Our first ever Unified Track & Field Meet is in the books! Our athletes showcased their skills as we recorded base scores for this season’s competition! We are so impressed by their growing friendship, teamwork, and athleticism!

Want to see what Unified Sports is all about? The Salem community is invited to pack out the stands at Bertram to celebrate our athletes as we compete against Marblehead! Spread the word & plan to join us for an incredible evening full of food, raffle prizes, & free giveaways!

If you want to learn more about these great athletes, follow them on twitter @SHSUnifiedSport

The School Committee has a series of important proposed changes to the SPS transportation policy before them for consideration which would take effect at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, if approved.

This new policy has been read into the meeting twice and committee members are asking for feedback from families before the final reading and before any change is voted on and implemented. The third reading of this policy and vote to implement will occur on Monday, May 2nd.

We urge you to ask any questions, get clarification, and share your thoughts about these proposed changes with the School Committee members. Contact information for School Committee members, links to the current policy, and the proposed policy can be found here on our website.

Salem Public Schools, with support from the City of Salem and State of Massachusetts, will again be providing rapid tests for every student and staff member in the district over April vacation. Tests were distributed yesterday and today . The box has two tests. The first can be used at your discretion - before a large gathering or travel, or on Sunday, April 17th to keep with the regular weekly testing. The second is to be used on Sunday, April 24th or the morning of Monday, April 25th before returning to school. Instructions can be found here. If you have questions, please email c19test1@learn.salemk12.org. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!

The Salem All City Chorus concert will be on May 4 at 6:00 pm in the Salem High School Auditorium. Students in grades 3-8 have been working hard in music class to learn the songs for the performance. We invite everyone to join us to see all the dedication these students have had to music this year.

May 2nd-6th is staff appreciation week! We want our staff to hear straight from their families, students, colleagues, and community members about what a great influence they have on all of us every day.

Please fill out this form and we will be sure to deliver the message to them.

Cafeteria Helpers $16.16/Hour, 3, 4 and 6 hour shifts

Minimum Qualifications:

High School Diploma (or equivalent)

Ability to lift a minimum of 30 pounds

Enjoy working with children

Good organizational and communication skills

Sense of pride in serving healthy, nutritious meals

How to Apply

Visit https://salem.tedk12.com/hire or call 978-740-1230

SAT - April 26, 2022

SATs for Juniors - Salem High will be administering the In School SAT on Tuesday, April 26th for all juniors. This test is FREE to all SHS scholars! Please arrive at school on time and to prepare for the test by linking your College Board Account to Khan Academy for testing practice. For more information go to https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat or see your counselor in C3 for assistance.

Do you know an exemplary teacher from Salem or Marblehead?

Please nominate that individual for recognition.

What is the purpose of the award? Each year, The Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition Award recognizes one Marblehead teacher and one Salem teacher as representative of all the excellent, dedicated teachers in the community who make a difference to children every day.

Who is eligible? Teachers from the district schools in Marblehead and Salem, Massachusetts, are eligible.

What is the award? Each honoree receives an unrestricted cash award of $500.

Who may nominate? Anyone—educators, parents, students, citizens—may make a nomination..

How do I nominate someone? Send a letter of nomination with your reasons for nominating the teacher. Please be as detailed and specific as possible. Please keep nominations confidential and do not inform individuals that they have been nominated. Nominations must be postmarked by April 30.

Find more information here.

With our two snow days and our one wellness day, the last day of school is currently Friday, June 17th (June 15th for our Pre-K and Kindergarten students). For Carlton Innovation School the last day will be June 23rd (June 17th for Kindergarten families) given that June 20th is a holiday for Juneteenth). Please know that this is subject to change depending on the weather over the coming months.

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.

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 the schools will communicate with families districtwide going forward. Please be sure you are receiving messages from ParentSquare. If you are having trouble, contact your school's front office. You can visit www.parentsquare.com for more information.

Email: publicrelations@salemk12.org
Website: https://www.salemk12.org
Location: 29 Highland Avenue, Salem, MA, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalemPublicSchools
Twitter: @SalemSchoolsk12