

Salem Public Schools

Weekly Update
Friday, June 27, 2025
Superintendent's Message
SPS community,
While summer officially began last week for our students, it is now official for our staff as we spent the last two days in our annual Summer Leadership Institute preparing for the 2025-26 school year. We celebrated our successes and examined opportunities for continuous improvement and growth. Our overarching theme for the new year is creating the conditions to unlock the greatness of our students. We can’t wait to welcome your children back to our buildings at the end of August!
Thank you to all the community members who helped paint Pride crosswalks across the city of Salem this past week. I appreciate how this has been an annual tradition for our schools. On Saturday, I hope you will join the Salem Public Schools contingent for the 2025 North Shore Pride Parade and Festival, which begins at Shetland Park at 12 p.m., and ends at the Salem Common. We will line up in preparation for the festivities between 11-12 pm. We appreciate the many community members who are committed to ensuring that our LGBTQ+ students know that they are seen, heard, valued and feel like they belong in our community.
We want to reemphasize that our summer learning information is available at salemk12.org/summer. Specifically, any student who completes a reading log will be entered into a drawing to win a ride (with a parent) on the Salem Harbormaster patrol boat (one winner chosen per school). If 500 or more students participate in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge across the District, Mayor Dominick Pangallo and I will jump into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean to support Mental Makeover!
Finally, I want our families to be aware that our newsletter will be published every two weeks throughout the summer until late August. Keep an eye out for our next newsletter on Friday, July 11.
Enjoy your summer!
Steve
Salem Career Technical Initiative Graduates 41 Students in Winter/Spring Automotive, Sustainable Building and OSW
The Salem Career Technical Initiative, an adult education program at Salem High School, celebrated its fifth graduating class Friday, May 9, 2025, in a ceremony at the Salem High School IMC Library. The Salem CTI awarded Sustainable Building and OSW and Automotive Technology entry-level certifications to 41 students – 31 in Sustainable Building and 10 in Automotive Technology – each of whom completed the 12-week, 5-9 p.m. daily program at no cost.
WATCH: New Liberty innovation School Class of 2025 Commencement Highlights
The New Liberty Innovation School of Salem celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2025 on Wednesday, June 4 at the Peabody Essex Museum. Salem-based videographer Ryan Saint Fort captured the highlights of a highly-moving ceremony in a two-minute video. Visit his work on Instagram at @rsf.visuals or contact him at RyanSF.visuals@gmail.com.
VIEW GALLERY: Salem Early Childhood Center Celebrates the Class of 2038
The Salem Early Childhood Center conferred diplomas to some 60 plus graduates and future members of the Salem High School Class of 2038 on Friday, June 13, in a ceremony at the ECC Courtyard.
The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is accepting nominations for its 2025 class with a deadline of Aug. 11. Membership in the SHS Athletic Hall of Fame is open to those individuals who have made significant contributions to the SHS Athletic Program, either through their participation in athletics or their association with Salem athletics as a coach, faculty member, or for meritorious service.
Register Now: Fall 2025 Sports Registration is Open
We hope everyone has a great summer! Fall sports registration is open and summer workouts are being scheduled.
Register now: ENG | ESP
REMINDER: All students need to be signed up on Family ID and must have a current physical to participate.
Purchase your gear at our online store
Important Dates:
- Wednesday, Aug. 13 (6:30 p.m.): 2025 Athletics Orientation
- Friday, Aug. 15: First day of football practice
- Monday, Aug. 18: First day of all other fall sports (except unified basketball)
Fall Coaches Contact Information:
- Cross Country | Head Coach: Bridgette Perkins | bridgetteaperkins@gmail.com
- Cheerleading | Head Coach: TBD
- Football | Head Coach: Matt Bouchard | coachmattbouchard@gmail.com
- Workouts: Monday 3 p.m., Wednesday 5 p.m., Thursday 5 p.m., Friday 3 p.m.
- Golf | Head Coach: Tom Doyle | tdoyle@salemk12.org
- Soccer - Girls | Head Coach: Jenette Leonard | jtempesta22@aol.com
- Workouts: Monday 9 a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m.
- Soccer - Boys | Head Coach: Padraic Slattery | pslattery562@gmail.com
- Workouts: Tuesday/Thursday 3 p.m.
- Volleyball - Girls | Head Coach: Angie Giancola | agiancola@salemk12.org
- Workouts: Tuesday 6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.
- Unified Basketball: Head Coach: TBD
The Department of Early College and the Tutoring Center at Salem High School is offering several workshops and organized college visits beginning in July.
Our Summer Learning 2025 materials are live and can be found at salemk12.org/summer.
We are equally as happy to announce our 2025 Summer Reading Challenge has been issued: Any student who completes a reading log will be entered into a drawing to win a ride (with a parent) on the Salem Harbormaster patrol boat! One winner will be chosen per school.
In addition, if 500 or more students participate in the Summer Reading Challenge across the School District, Mayor Dominick Pangallo and SPS Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike will jump into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean to support Mental Makeover, a non-profit organization started by Salem High School alumni committed to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health.
Salem Public Schools is excited to share its second annual family/caregiver survey with you. We value your opinion as you are an important part in the life of yours and many other students in our schools. Please take a moment to share your feedback with us.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes and we encourage you to take one survey per student. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Haitian Creole.
Click the link below to take the survey, choose the school that your student attends then choose your language.
The survey will be open from Friday, June 6-Friday, July 18, 2025.
Should you have any questions or need support please reach out to our team at 978-740-1225 or email welcomecenter@salemk12.org
Save the Date: SPS Back to School Fair Slated for Wednesday, Aug. 20
The Salem Summer Eats returns this summer beginning with its kick-off celebration Tuesday, June 24, from 4-6 p.m. at Mary Jane Lee Park, featuring local vendors, games, face painting, and a first taste of all the fun and food to come.
SPS Announces Community Read for Adults, Young Adults and Children
Summer is the optimal time to catch up on reading. On the beach, the park or simply at home.
Thus, we’re extending the invitation to SPS families -- adults, young adults and children -- to take part in our Summer 2025 Community Read. For adults and young adults, we’re offering Accountable, by Dashka Slater, the true crime winner of the 2024 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; and Flying Lessons and Other Stories by a host of authors, for readers aged 8-12 and might prefer shot stories.
Virtual Backpack
Welcome to the Virtual Backpack, where we will place open, relevant items from friends and partners of SPS.
- Salem youth sports leagues and camp registrations:
Download the ParentSquare App
ParentSquare is the communication platform for Salem Public Schools. Families receive communication from the district, school, and their student's classroom all in one space. Families can communicate 1-to-1 with teachers, register for parent-teacher conferences, and more.
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.