Salem Public Schools
SPS community,
Please note that for the upcoming school year 2025-26, there will be changes to the school start and end times for students at Salem Public Schools. There are multiple changes to the schedule as a result of adjustments to the length of the student day throughout the District as part of our negotiations with the Salem Teachers Union. Specifically, the length of the elementary and middle school day will change for students next year.
School bus transportation has a significant impact on the establishment of these times as we must ensure that we have at least two tiers for arrival and dismissal to minimize the financial impact of bussing. We must also have enough time between the two tiers to allow our buses enough time to pick-up and drop off students across the city. We did our best to keep the start times for schools as close to the current times as we know that families and staff made decisions on schooling and employment based on the previous hours. If there are any further changes between now and the start of the next school year, we will let you know as soon as possible. Thank you for your flexibility and partnership as we implement changes to the length of the school day.
This week we concluded our public budget forums with community members and staff. We received thoughtful input on ways to strategically manage our increased costs. Please find a copy of the presentation here (English | Spanish) and a video of the in-person forum here. Do not hesitate to reach out to us with additional questions and ideas by emailing spsbudget@salemk12.org. Next, we will be presenting our initial budget proposal to the School Committee for consideration at their regularly scheduled meeting on April 7th at 7 p.m.
Finally, please enjoy the upcoming February break with your loved ones. Other than some vacation academies, our schools will be closed between February 17th-February 21st. We look forward to seeing everyone back in school on Monday, February 24th!
Steve
Her calm and composed approach in such a frightening moment was truly remarkable, and it made a huge difference in ensuring the student received the care they needed quickly. Evie’s ability to stay focused under pressure and her natural instinct to help others exemplify the true qualities of a hero. Her actions not only helped to prevent further harm but also reassured everyone around her during a very stressful situation. For her selflessness, quick thinking, and courageous actions, Evie is undoubtedly deserving of the Rock Star Award!
The architectural team from Perkins & Will has been entrusted by the City of Salem and Salem Public Schools to lead the visioning and design of the future Salem High School. Its primary objective is to gather feedback from important stakeholders -- the families of Salem Public Schools.
Please take 10 minutes to share your perspective on priorities and potential challenges. All responses are anonymous, so feel free to be open and honest. Please help us get the most representative survey results by encouraging your colleagues to respond to the survey too.
Take the survey: ENGLISH | ESPAÑOL | PORTUGUÊS
For more information on the plans for a new high school, visit the Salem Building Committee website.
SHS Junior Rylan Workman Earns Gold Key Honors at Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The image lasted a mere few seconds, but it caught the eye of twin brothers Rylan and Brooks Workman: Their father, Jon, a grade 7 social studies and English language arts educator at the Collins Middle School, was relaxing on the sofa reading “The Wisdom of Big Bird” by Caroll Spinney, with one of the Workmans two green-cheeked conures perched over his left shoulder as if it was reading along. Brooks snapped a quick photo. From the photo, Rylan sketched.
VIEW GALLERY: Bentley Fifth Graders Bring Cheer to Salem Council on Aging Valentine’s Day Brunch
Centering belonging.
On Wednesday, Bentley Academy Innovation School Assistant Principal Yamilis Cruz brought eight fifth graders to the Salem Council on Aging’s Valentine’s Day Brunch at the Jean A. Levesque Community Life Center. Last month, Bentley students (kindergarten-fifth grade) made Valentine’s Day cards during their ‘Flocks’ activity, and delivered Valentine’s Day cards to Salem seniors and veterans Wednesday — in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
VIEW GALLERY: 2025 Early Childhood Expo Meet & Greet
Despite the one-week weather delay, the Salem Public Schools 2025 Early Childhood Expo Meet & Greet proved a huge success with vibrant displays and lively engagement. SPS had representation from all seven schools which offer pre-school, pre-kindergarten and/or kindergarten, in addition to the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club of Salem and many SPS departments.
VIEW: Thursday, Feb. 6 Snow Day Challenge Winners
Congratulations to Carlton Innovation School second grader Bezawit Addis and Salem High School freshman Liana Galvan, each of whom won a $25 Amazon gift card for their Snow Day Challenge submissions on Thursday, Feb. 6. The challenge to students, in honor of our Black History Month focus on Salem activists Sarah Parker Remond and Robert Morris, was to describe how they would honor Ms. Remond and/or Mr. Morris: A piece of art – drawing, painting or sketch — an essay, a poem or a video.
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? As of 2025, each honoree receives an unrestricted cash award of $1000.
- 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, being as detailed and specific as possible. Include the teacher’s name, school, and position, and include your email and your relationship to the teacher. Please keep nominations confidential and do not inform individuals that they have been nominated.
- Nominations must be submitted by April 17, 2025.
Learn more and find free tax help at: findyourfunds.org/dese
Salem Public Schools is looking for parental input on the District's playgrounds. The Playground Parent Advisory Group will meet 1-2 times this spring to compile ideas for consideration by the Salem Public Schools. The Group will focus on relatively low-investment ideas as opposed to full playground overhauls.
We encourage folks to bring their thoughts to the table. Contact spsplaygrounds@gmail.com to volunteer.
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.