Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools Families,
On Monday evening, the School Committee heard an extensive presentation about the configuration of elementary schools in Salem. The presentation included a variety of scenarios, findings and recommendations to consider. Specifically, 8 options were highlighted, of which 4 were recommended for further review by the School Committee. These options are summarized here. All the resources related to our elementary school review can be found on the SPS website reconfiguration page.
In the coming weeks, the School Committee is interested in hearing from the public about the proposals that were presented. Please share your thoughts via the following avenues:
Email your thoughts and questions to reconfiguration@salemk12.org and/or to our School Committee members.
Provide feedback at the in-person public forum scheduled for Monday, November 17th at 5 pm at Saltonstall School (Spanish and Portuguese interpretation will be provided).
Provide feedback at the in-person public forum on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 6:30 pm at Horace Mann (Spanish and Portuguese interpretation will be provided).
Thank you for the thoughtful comments and insightful questions that have been posed thus far. This input will help inform the School Committee as they plan to make a final decision by the end of December.
We sincerely appreciate the community’s continued engagement, valuable insights, and thoughtful contributions as we work collaboratively to serve the best interests of our children.
Enjoy the weekend,
Steve
SHS Marching Band and Colorguard Cap Perfect Season with Second Straight NESBA State Championship
There were sirens ringing and blue lights flashing around two Salem Public School buses and a large red truck in the early evening Sunday, but folks needn’t have worried. The police escort was for the Salem High School Marching Band and Colorguard, returning from capturing the New England School Band Association (NESBA) Division 4 State Championship – its second straight state title – Sunday at Lawrence High School.
Fourteen Former Witches Selected for 2025 SHS Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Nov. 18
The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct 14 former standout athletes on Tuesday, Nov. 18 (6 p.m.) at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse, Director of Athletics Reilly Christie announced on Monday. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased via GoFan.com.
Item Live: Halloran ’77 makes it a Hall of Fame trifecta
Julie (Ryan) Halloran, Salem High School Class of 1977, former three-sport coach at Swampscott High School, was inducted into the New Agenda-Northeast Hall of Fame on Sunday at Woodland Golf Club in Newton.
VIEW GALLERY | Bentley Academy Innovation School Hosts MABE-Northeast Conference School Visit
Elevating learning and empowering educators at the Bentley Academy Innovation School: Bentley Academy, a dual language pre-K to Grade 5 elementary school, hosted a Multistate Association for Bilingual Education (MABE)-Northeast Conference school visit Wednesday, Nov. 5, at which educators from Everett, Somerville and Manchester, N.H., public schools toured classrooms, spoke to students about their experiences, and exchanged ideas to bring back to their districts.
The Salem, Mass.-Ota, Japan Sister City Exchange, in its 35th year, has announced its 2026 trip to Ota, slated for July 6-16. The mission of the Salem-Ota Cultural Exchange is to promote cross cultural understanding and friendship between the cities of Salem and Ota, a borough of Tokyo.
The cities of Salem and Ota have enjoyed a wonderful sister-city relationship for over twenty years. The relationship began in 1991 as an outgrowth of the century-old affiliation between Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum and the Ota Folk Museum. Thousand of Salem and Ota families have been involved over the years in this incredible program.
Approximate cost of the trip is $3,800 per person which includes airfare, accommodations, most meals, bus and rail transportation, and memorable welcome and farewell parties.
For more information on the exchange, download the brochure, visit the Salem-Ota Exchange website or contact Peter Dolan at otasalem@cs.com. or (978) 204-5755 by Dec. 31.
Senator Ed Markey's office will remain open during the impending shutdown to support constituents and communities in Massachusetts who may be affected, to serve constituents and communities with urgent concerns and casework matters.
Over the summer, while Salem Public School gardens were growing with bountiful harvests, SPS educators worked to create enriching, hands-on preK-8th-grade garden lessons. Guided by the District’s first priority in our strategic plan, elevate Learning, over 30 hands-on garden lessons were developed that will transform our gardens into classrooms.
These lessons will enhance students’ food literacy, and are aligned to grade-level state educational standards and the district’s curriculum. Below are vignettes of student garden curricular connections that have occurred this past month:
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.