Superintendent's Update

Last month, I shared our district's academic goals for the 2025-2026 school year. This month, I want to update you on the progress we're making and, importantly, explain how you can partner with us to ensure every student succeeds.

Our Academic Goal

This year, we're focused on ensuring all three of our schools meet or exceed their i-Ready growth targets in Math and ELA. Specifically, we're working to achieve:

• 100% of our schools meeting their i-Ready growth targets in both Math and ELA
• Students who are 2+ grade levels below grade level demonstrating 1.5+ grade levels of growth
• All schools completing their Annual Action Plans with fidelity

What is i-Ready?

i-Ready is an online program for reading and mathematics that helps our teachers determine each student's needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. For grades K-9, i-Ready serves as our primary tool for measuring academic achievement in math and literacy.

One of our key strategies is using i-Ready data to inform instruction. This means our teachers can meet students exactly where they are and use learning data to increase student growth. i-Ready Personalized Instruction provides lessons based on each student's individual skill level and needs, allowing them to learn at a pace that works for them. The lessons are designed to be engaging and interactive to keep students motivated.

Our Expectations

Each week, we're asking every K-9 student to:

• Complete 30 minutes of i-Ready activity
• Achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on lesson accuracy

How Parents Can Help

Your partnership is essential to achieving our goals. Here's how you can support your student's learning at home:

• Track Progress: Regularly review your student's i-Ready progress page. Use the At-Home Student Data Tracker to monitor and celebrate your student's achievements.
• Follow the Seven Tips: See the resource below, "Seven Tips for Supporting Your Student," which provides practical strategies for helping your student succeed with i-Ready at home.
• Encourage Consistent Practice: Encourage your student to complete their weekly i-Ready activities.
• Celebrate Success: Acknowledge milestones and progress along the way. Growth takes time, and celebrating small wins keeps students motivated.

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Our academic goals are ambitious, but they're achievable when we work together as a community. Every minute your student spends engaged in meaningful learning brings them closer to grade-level proficiency and beyond. I'm confident that with our teachers' dedication, your support at home, and our students' hard work, we'll reach our targets this year.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education. If you have questions about i-Ready or how to support your student, please don't hesitate to reach out to your student's teacher.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carol L. Kelley

Over the past several months, our department has been deeply engaged in strengthening the operational foundation of the district so that our students and staff have the safe, reliable, and high-quality environment they deserve. Below is a brief overview of the work underway, much of which directly supports improved teaching and learning, enhanced safety, and more efficient day-to-day operations across our schools.

1. Enhancing Safety & Security Districtwide

Student and staff safety remains our top priority. We are actively advancing several projects focused on building security—including upgraded emergency management plans for each school and the district, improved coordination with local first responders, strengthened access protocols, camera and physical access MOAs, and the transition toward updated electronic door-swipe systems. These improvements not only modernize our infrastructure but also ensure that our response systems are well-coordinated and aligned with best practices.

2. Stabilizing the District Network

A stable, reliable network is essential for instruction, operations, and communication. Our team has been working to stabilize both the Wi-Fi and hard-wired network across all buildings, addressing outages, improving bandwidth, and ensuring that classrooms have the connectivity needed for modern learning. These upgrades reduce disruptions, increase instructional time, and support staff in delivering high-quality lessons.

3. Optimizing E-rate Funding for Technology Projects

We continue to leverage E-Rate funding strategically to offset district costs for major technology upgrades—most recently, servers and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) that protect our systems during outages. This work ensures that district technology remains protected, sustainable, and aligned with long-term infrastructure needs, while maximizing every available funding stream.

4. Installation of New Water Bottle Filling Stations

To support student wellness and healthy habits, new bottle-filling stations have been installed throughout the district. These stations promote hydration, reduce waste, and provide students with clean, accessible water throughout the school day. We expect to install additional stations once we receive funding from our Water Infrastructure Grant.

5. New Classroom Flooring at the Middle School

Several middle school classrooms received brand-new flooring—an upgrade that enhances cleanliness, appearance, and learning environment quality. This project reflects our commitment to maintaining safe and inviting spaces for students.

6. Scheduling New Window Installation at the High School

We are in the planning and scheduling phase of a major window-replacement project at the high school. These new windows will significantly improve natural light, ventilation, and energy efficiency—creating better learning conditions and reducing long-term facilities costs.

7. New Window Screens Installed at JFA

To provide improved ventilation and comfort in classrooms, new window screens will be ordered and are scheduled for installation at JFA. This small but meaningful project reinforces our focus on high-quality learning environments.

8. Professional Development for Secretaries & Administrative Assistants

Our office has been leading Lunch and Learn training sessions for school secretaries and administrative assistants on purchasing laws, proper accounting procedures, and best practices for financial operations. By strengthening front-line knowledge, we reinforce compliance, improve accuracy, and empower staff to confidently manage school-level responsibilities.

9. Collaborative Budget Entry Process

We have launched a more collaborative and transparent budget entry process with school secretaries and the administrative team. This work ensures accurate budgeting, strengthens fiscal stewardship, and allows schools to better plan for their unique needs—all while keeping the focus on resources that directly impact students.

10. Emergency Management Plan Updates

Both district-level and school-specific emergency plans are being updated to reflect current best practices. This includes alignment with law enforcement, revisions to procedures, and improved communication protocols. These updates are critical to ensuring readiness and a consistent response across all buildings.

11. Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness

With cyber threats on the rise, we have prioritized staff training and awareness related to phishing scams, data protection, and responsible technology use. These efforts safeguard student information and protect critical district systems.

12. Rutgers SNAP Education Grant (20K)

The district was awarded a $20,000 SNAP-Ed grant through Rutgers, supporting our efforts to educate families about the SNAP program, school meal eligibility, and nutrition resources available within our community. This work directly supports food security and student well-being.

13. Advancing Our Phone-Free Schools Initiative

We are moving forward with the district’s participation in the NJDOE Phone-Free Schools Grant, which supports our commitment to improving student focus, reducing distractions, and strengthening school climate. Our team worked closely with administrators to review policy requirements, plan for locked storage solutions, and prepare age-appropriate implementation strategies. At the secondary level, students will store devices in secured classroom or building-level systems, while grades PK-2 will follow developmentally appropriate expectations that promote responsible habits. This work directly supports student engagement, safety, and overall well-being.

Additional Projects Also Underway

Here are a few more initiatives your department has been advancing behind the scenes:

• Supporting facilities planning for future building improvements and long-term capital needs.

• Improving technology purchasing protocols to stretch limited dollars.

• Collaborating with security consultants and vendors to streamline access control updates.

• Working with administrators on EWEG and grant management to maximize external funding.

• Strengthening inventory and asset tracking for tech and equipment.

Our Commitment

Every project we undertake—big or small—is guided by one core belief:

Our students deserve

a safe, modern, and well-resourced learning environment

that enables them to thrive.

We remain committed to thoughtful planning, fiscal responsibility, and continuous improvement so that our schools can focus on what matters most: delivering a high-quality education to every student who walks through our doors.

Thank you in advance for ensuring that your children arrive at school on time so every student feels confident and ready.

All families get a phone call and email from the district. Updates are also posted on our district website.

When are decisions made?

• Usually by 5:00 AM on the day of bad weather

• Sometimes by 9:00 PM the night before if conditions are severe

• We balance giving families enough notice with having the most accurate weather information

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What goes into the decision?

Safety comes first! We check:

• Weather forecasts from multiple sources

• Road conditions (with help from Salem Police)

• Parking lot and sidewalk conditions at our schools

• Time needed for our maintenance team to clear snow and ice

What does a 2-hour delay mean?

If a 2-hour delay is called, everything starts 2 hours later than usual, but dismissal stays at the normal time.

What about early dismissals?

We rarely dismiss early. This only happens in true emergencies since sending students home early without proper notice to parents isn't safe.

What if the Governor declares a state of emergency?

Schools can still be open during a state of emergency unless the Governor specifically orders all non-essential services to close.

Remember: Student and staff safety is always our top priority. While we may not get every decision perfect, we always choose caution when it comes to weather-related closings.

Need more information? Contact your school's office if you have any questions.

Please join us on Tuesday, January 7, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the Salem High School library for our Board of Education Reorganization Meeting. At this meeting, we will swear in our board members for their new three-year terms.

I want to take a moment to thank Heidi Holden for her many years of dedicated service to our district. Her commitment to Salem City Schools and our students has made a lasting impact on our community. I also want to congratulate our newly elected board member, Dawn Puni, and welcome her to Salem City Board of Education. Finally, I congratulate Yuenge Groce and Jared D. Bacon Sr. on their re-election.

We look forward to continuing our work together to ensure every student in Salem City School District receives an excellent education. The public is welcome to attend this important meeting.