Salem Public Schools
SPS community,
There are a series of important events that we want to highlight as families prepare for the 2025-26 school year. We want to be sure that families have all the information they need to make strong decisions about early childhood and middle school placements for their children. Please help us by sharing these details with your neighbors, relatives and friends. There are so many positive things happening across SPS and we want more youth to benefit from the experience!
Early Childhood Information Sessions- See flyers here: English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The Salem Public Schools Early Childhood Expo, which showcases kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschool programs, will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, and Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in two distinct sessions.
The Virtual Town Hall is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m.
The Meet and Greet Session is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Collins Middle School. This will be an opportunity to meet our school leaders as well as staff in person and get your specific questions answered about each school.
Additionally, SPS families can schedule in-person tours of each school that offers kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschool programming – Bates Elementary School, Bentley Innovation Academy, Carlton Innovation School, Horace Mann Laboratory School, Witchcraft Elementary School, Saltonstall School and the Salem Early Childhood Center – from Mar. 3-14.
For more information, contact the SPS Parent Information Center at pic@salemk12.org, telephone (978) 740-1225, or visit salemk12.org/families.
Collins Middle School Showcase -- See flyers here: English, Spanish and Portuguese
Save the Date! The Collins Information Session for incoming 6th graders (current grade 5 students) is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8th from 6-8 pm at Collins Middle School. Come check out all the transformative learning happening at Collins Middle School.
Thank you in advance for your interest and for helping us spread the word about these upcoming events!
Enjoy the weekend,
Steve
The Salem Public Schools Early Childhood Expo, which showcases kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschool programs, will take place Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, and Thursday, Feb. 6, in two capacities.
The Virtual Town Hall is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m.
The Meet and Greet Session is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6 (6:30-8 p.m.) at the Collins Middle School.
Additionally, SPS families can schedule in-person tours of each school that offers kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschool programming – Bates Elementary School, Bentley Innovation Academy, Carlton Innovation School, Horace Mann Laboratory School, Saltonstall School, Witchcraft Heights Elementary School and the Salem Early Childhood Center – from Mar. 3-14.
Eligibility for kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschool programs is as follows:
- Kindergarten: Children residing in Salem who will turn FIVE years old on or before Aug. 31 are eligible to start kindergarten in the fall of 2025.
- Pre-Kindergarten: Children residing in Salem who turn FOUR years old on or before Aug. 31 are eligible to enter the lottery for the SPS pre-K program in the fall of 2025.
- Preschool: Children residing in Salem who turn THREE years old on or before Aug. 31 are eligible to enter the lottery for the preschool program at the Salem Early Childhood Center in the fall of 2025.
For more information, contact the SPS Parent Information Center at pic@salemk12.org or telephone (978) 740-1225, or visit salemk12.org/families.
Salem Teachers Union Scholarships (Deadline Dec. 20)
Registration for the Salem Teachers Union Scholarship exam closes Friday, Dec. 20. The Salem Teacher Union Scholarship offers four $1,000 scholarships, The exam will be held Thursday, Feb. 6. | Register Now
Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship (Early deadline Apr. 3, 2025; Regular deadline May 1, 2025)
The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund offers renewable, four-year scholarships to students with financial need who display academic achievement, a commitment to serving others, and a strong work ethic. | Apply Now
Important Notice About Immunization Records:
Earlier this month, letters were sent to several families alerting them that their children's immunization records are not current. If you received one of these letters, you must provide your school nurse with updated records indicating that your child has received all vaccines required for school attendance by Friday, Dec. 20. If your child's record is not up-to-date by the deadline, they may not return to school after the vacation until we have proof that their immunization record is current and up-to-date. Please contact your child's school nurse with any questions or to share your plans for addressing this issue.
Reminder About Holiday Celebrations:
With the holiday season upon us, many families might be wondering how to help our students celebrate with their classmates at school. We kindly ask that families refrain from sending in food to be shared with your child’s class. Many of our students have food restrictions or allergies that it is unsafe to eat food provided by other families. If you would like to find a special way to help celebrate the season, we recommend that you consider these alternatives:
- Donating supplies to the classroom
- Sending in a favorite book for your child to read to their class
- Giving special pencils to each classmate
- Having your child write a sweet note to everyone in the class to mark the occasion
- Volunteering in the classroom on your child’s special day
Please contact your child’s teacher to find a way to be part of the school celebrations.
View the December Issue of the SPS Nursing News
Our school nurses wish the Salem Public Schools community a healthy, happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year!
The Salem Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services Harvest of the Month for December is carrots.
On Monday, Dec. 9, the Carlton Innovation School hosted a Harvest of the Month Taste Test featuring carrot hummus. Students had the opportunity to sample two types of carrot hummus — one made with vibrant purple carrots and the other with classic orange carrots. They also explored the different shapes, sizes, and colors of various carrots, sparking plenty of excitement and curiosity.
All carrots were locally sourced as this taste test was part of a partnership with Hungry Heart Farm, a small, culinary-driven vegetable farm located in Kingston, N.H. All carrots used for the hummus were sourced from Hungry Heart Farm, which uses food as a way to bring awareness of and improve the natural environment. Farmer Terry from Hungry Heart joined us to lead the taste test and share his knowledge of the food-growing process with the students.
Try our delicious Carrot Hummus recipe at home: View Recipe | Continue reading
To emphasize the importance of attending school, DESE's "Power of Presence" initiative asks you to submit a creative piece of artwork, music, photography, videography, writing, etc. to express why you attend school. This opportunity is open to all students, school staff, educators, and families in Massachusetts public pre-K-12 schools and adult learning classes.
Examples include a short story about your school community, a painting of your favorite teacher, a photo of your classroom decorations, a video interview of your favorite teacher, a song you've been practicing for the school play, a testimonial about a new skill you learned - we encourage creativity.
The winning entry will be featured this spring, highlighting the winner and their school community.
- Deadline: Friday, December 20, 2024, by 11:59 p.m.
- To Submit: Complete the entry form (with included Media Agreement language) and attach your submission to the form.
- Notification: Winner notified on or before January 10, 2025.
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.