Salem Public Schools
SPS families,
Happy Easter weekend to all our families who celebrate! We want to share some information about the upcoming eclipse that we have been hearing about in the news over the last few months. As a reminder and weather permitting, on April 8, 2024 there will be a partial eclipse visible in Salem. A solar eclipse happens when the shadow of the moon blocks all or part of the sun’s light from being visible on Earth. The last eclipse we could see was in 2017. This year's eclipse will have significant shadow so that the moon will block 92% of the sun. However, since the sun is so very bright, this will not create a dark dusk feeling like we might imagine.
The district science department, thanks to our partnership with the Read Family Trust, has ordered special eclipse viewing glasses for each student in grades K-8. During the school day, teachers in grades K-8 will share information about the eclipse and why it is such a special event, while high school teachers will engage in course-specific connections. The viewing of the eclipse can start at 2:16pm, the peak will be at 3:29pm and the eclipse will end at 4:39pm. We are hopeful that it will not be cloudy and that students will be able to see the moon partially blocking the sun. Because the eclipse happens during and around dismissal times, we ask that you remember to be safe, follow standard dismissal procedures and then find a safe place to view the eclipse with your young scientist(s)/student(s) wearing their glasses. This is an exciting, rare and teachable moment for our young people in Salem!
Finally, do not forget that our School Committee budget presentation has been rescheduled from Monday, April 1st to Monday, April 8th at 7 pm. This will be the first presentation of the FY25 school budget for the School Committee to consider.
Enjoy the weekend,
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 rock star trophy.
This week's rockstar is Anita Phon, a lunch monitor at the Horace Mann Laboratory School. Anita goes to great lengths to engage all students during recess and lunch with call and response activities. She is incredibly hands-on and consistently takes the initiative to enhance the cafeteria and outdoor experience for students. Ms. Phon builds positive relationships with students - making personal connections, assisting with problem solving and serving as a listening ear. We appreciate everything that Ms. Phon does for the Horace Mann community!
The Food and Nutrition Services Department at Salem Public Schools was named a Massachusetts Wellness Champion by the John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition at Framingham State College, the Institute announced Monday.
Wellness Champion honors are earned by completing tier 1 and tier 2 of the John C. Stalker Institute/Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wellness training, a rigorous process that can take several years.
The Salem School Committee meeting originally scheduled for Monday, Apr. 1 has been rescheduled to Monday, Apr. 8 (7 p.m.). The Apr. 8 meeting includes Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike's fiscal year 2024-25 Budget Proposal to the Committee. As always, the meeting will be streamed live via Zoom with translations in Spanish and Portuguese
Family members/caregivers of rising 5th graders (students who will be 6th graders in the fall) and current grade 6-7 students are invited to attend the upcoming Middle School Family Information Session Thursday, Apr. 4 (6:30-8 p.m.) in the Mary Manning Learning Commons on the Collins Middle School second floor.
Middle School Principals Gavin Softic and Bethann Jellison and members of their teams are excited to meet with parents/caregivers to share:
- Information about how the middle school pilot will inform the student experience in the coming year. Many of the strategies used within the pilot over the last two years will be scaled across grade 8 at both CMS and Saltonstall, in addition to students in grades 6-7 who will participate in Learning Excursions and Studio.
- Details about the structure of middle school math programming for 2024-25 will be shared including the plan for middle school course sequences and access to math enrichment and acceleration.
For more information, contact:
- Bethann Jellison, Principal, Saltonstall School | bjellison@salemk12.org
- Gavin Softic, Principal, Collins Middle School | gsoftic@salemk12.org
New Guidance about COVID-19
This week, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Health agreed to adopt the most recent guidance from the CDC regarding COVID-19 infections. These recommendations stress the importance of staying home when you are sick with symptoms of a respiratory illness such as COVID-19, the flu, or RSV. You may return to work or school once you are feeling better and have not had a fever for 24 hours, without the use fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin). If you test positive for COVID-19, you should isolate at home until you are feeling better; there is no longer a 5-day isolation requirement. For more detailed information, please visit the Department of Public Health website.
Personal Hygiene and Puberty
Attention SPS parents and caregivers: Our school nurses will be leading lessons on personal hygiene and puberty in all 4th- and 5th-grade classes across the district. If you are interested in learning more about the program or have specific questions about the material, please consider attending our family webinar on Wednesday, Apr. 3, 2024 at 6:00.
Webinar ID: 830 8097 3828
Interpretation in Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole will be provided.
Being a parent of pre-teens and teens is not always easy. It's important to know that you're not alone! And while of course every family, teen, and situation is different - there are some things that we're all grappling with. Join Cartwheel and Dr. Anisha Abraham for a webinar that will provide practical strategies to parents of adolescents on topics ranging from communication, relationships, body image, and social media.
The New Liberty Innovation School held its second annual Basketball Tournament and Clinic Fundraiser Saturday, Mar. 23 at the Salem High School Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse.
All funds raised will benefit benefit student activities, enrichment programs, senior dues and special events for New Liberty students.
The Great Salem Cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 20, is seeking student volunteers from Salem High School, Collins Middle School and Saltonstall School.
The Cleanup, spearheaded by the Salem Beatification Committee, is an ideal way for National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society students to fulfill volunteer hour requirements.
Salem Public Schools is pleased to announce the availability of COVID test kits at all our schools' main offices and health offices. If you require a test kit, kindly contact your school nurse or main office to coordinate pickup. It is important to note that we do not have an in-school testing program. In the event of illness, students will be sent home, and families have the option to conduct COVID testing at home. Please refer to our sick-day guidelines on the district website or consult your school nurse before deciding whether to send your child to school. Your cooperation in maintaining a safe environment for all is greatly appreciated.
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 the primary communication platform for all Salem Public Schools. All messages and alerts come through ParentSquare and the app makes 1-to-1 communication with your student's teachers and signing up for guardian/student conferences a breeze. 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.