Salem Public Schools Update

January 21, 2022

SPS families,

This week, I want to reflect on the powerful teaching and learning I observe across our schools. Despite the interruptions caused by COVID, our students are engaged and our teachers are focused on ensuring that your children are growing academically and developing critical social and emotional skills.

Throughout the week, I had the chance to observe seventh graders compete in an intense game of math Blooket, watch kindergarteners use magnets to create number arrays and 1st graders show off their Spanish literacy skills in our dual language program. The highlight for me was being part of the New Liberty Innovation School winter graduation ceremony. Overcoming countless obstacles during a pandemic, four scholars received their diplomas. I was moved to learn about these students' journeys and their exciting plans for higher education, career and life beyond SPS. We are all so proud of Violet, Cameron, Aniyah and Ailani. They have proven to be tremendous models of what we hope for our students when they earn their diploma from the Salem Public Schools. Please join me in congratulating them for their efforts.

Finally, thank you to all the families who attended our Early Childhood Expo and Master Facility Planning sessions over the past few days. Your questions and feedback proved to be invaluable. Next week, we have a virtual opportunity for families and community members to weigh in on how we spend our COVID relief grant dollars (see more info below).

We appreciate all of your input and insights!

Best,

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 construction cone that displays the words: “Awesome,” “Well Done,” or “Great Job.”

This week's Cone of Excellence is in honor of all nurses. As a representative of our nursing team, we are awarding it to Collins Middle School nurse, Jane Morrissey, for her dedication and commitment to excellent care for our community. Jane is seen as a leader by her peers, spoke on behalf of nurses during the surge, and has regularly helped to shape our district guidance. We thank Jane and all of our nurses for everything they have done and their perseverance over the past two years and particularly the past few weeks.

The Salem Public Schools is offering free COVID-19 rapid tests (1 each) on Sunday, January 23rd from 11-1:00 pm. These tests are being made available only to staff or students of SPS. We are distributing these tests based on the following criteria:

• You are symptomatic;

• You need to take a test to return to school;

• or are a home-based close contact

If one of these applies to you, please come see us in the Salem High School lobby to pick up your test kit on Sunday.

The City of Salem took delivery of a shipment of iHealth Labs COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits. Each kit contains two tests and the City has begun deploying allocations of the rapid tests to where they are needed the most, including Salem Public Schools.

The City will also be distributing the remaining test kits to any Salem resident who needs one, subject to availability. The following is the schedule of distribution to pick up a test kit:

• Tuesday, January 25, 9AM to Noon, 401 Bridge Street
• Tuesday, January 25, 1PM to 3PM, 98 Washington Street
• Wednesday, January 26, 9AM to Noon, 401 Bridge Street
• Wednesday, January 26, 1PM to 3PM, 98 Washington Street
• Thursday, January 27, 9AM to Noon, 401 Bridge Street
• Thursday, January 27, 3PM to 6:30PM, 135 Lafayette Street

Rapid tests are a key component of mitigation when it comes to keeping our community safe. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, we are asking that you test to determine if you are positive for the virus to avoid passing it to someone else in the community. If you do receive a positive result, please consult with your health care provider.

Please note:

-Up to two test kits (for a total of four rapid tests) will be distributed to each household for this round of distribution (January 18-27, 2022).

-Proof of Salem residency is required to receive the free test kits. No proof of citizenship or insurance is necessary.

Kindergarten registration is now open. The School Committee recently approved an extension on the Batch 1 registration deadline. See below. Registration packets and recordings of the Early Childhood Expo can be found on our district's website at salemk12.org or you can have one mailed by calling our Parent Information Center at 978-740-1225.

We are hosting an ESSER III forum for the community on Thursday, January 27, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. to hear about our proposed plan for use of this federal funding and offer your feedback and ideas for its best use.

The link to join is:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87818473681?pwd=bmh0dlRxQnFUTzJRcWlDVno3NDc1Zz09

Passcode: 600908

Good news! This week, with the support of the Salem School Committee, we raised the substitute teacher rate by $30 a day for both regular day and extended day schools. Effective Monday, January 24th through June 30, 2022, our daily rate for regular day schools will be $130 and $150 for extended day schools . These are among the most competitive rates in the area. If you know individuals that might be interested in substitute teaching, please encourage them to email humanresources@salemk12.org or call (978) 740-1115. Thank you for spreading the word!

Salem will be making significant investments in our school facilities in the years ahead. Those investment decisions will be guided by a School Facility Master Plan currently being developed. We need community voice to ensure that the plan reflects what you want for our school buildings and how they best support the teaching, learning, and community needs of the future.

Please consider sharing your thoughts with us by completing our 20 minute Community Survey. Survey responses are anonymous. This survey will remain open until January 31st.

Survey Link in English: https://forms.gle/tYTia5uP8VDqGxvs7

Survey Link in Spanish: https://forms.gle/3Jy4TKEKngRXBjHm8

Thank you in advance for your participation!

As winter approaches, we want to remind staff and families to be sure we have current contact information to reach you in the event that we have a cancellation or delay. Notifications will go out through ParentSquare via automated phone call, text, and email. We do not have the option of remote instruction in the event of a closure.

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.

2022 Salem Little League Registration

Dr. Zrike would love the opportunity to meet with any SPS staff or SPS family who would like to do so. It could be in a park, a coffee shop, your home, or anywhere else.

If you would like to schedule some time with Dr. Zrike, please email Mindy Marino to set up a time and place.

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