Salem Public Schools
SPS families,
Before our students leave for the summer next week, I want to make certain our families are aware of our suggested Summer Learning activities and our Summer Reading Challenge. All of this summer’s assignments, math work, suggested reading material and reading logs from pre-K to grade 12 can be found at salemk12.org/summer.
In previous years, the summer reading rewards – a ride to school on a Salem Fire Department Truck in 2023 and last year’s ride to school with Derby – have been very popular.
This year, we have another special reward: Any student who completes a reading log will be entered into a drawing to win a ride – with a parent – on the Salem Harbormaster patrol boat through beautiful Salem Harbor. One winner will be chosen for each school.
We’ve added an bonus incentive: if 500 or more students participate in summer reading across the District, I, along with Mayor Dominick Pangallo, will jump into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean to support Mental Makeover, a non-profit organization started by Salem High School alumni committed to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health.
Finally, we’re also inviting all families to take part in our Summer 2025 Community Read for adults, young adults and children. For adults and young adults, we’re offering Accountable by Dashka Slater, the true crime winner of the 2024 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; and Flying Lessons and Other Stories, for readers aged 8-12. We hope you take part.
Our hope is that as many students as possible take part in our summer learning program, and that parents and caregivers will share this time with their children, our younger scholars.
Happy Father’s Day to our Salem Public Schools dads and those that play this role in the lives of our children. Enjoy the weekend!
Steve
Ms. Byors works tirelessly on the evening shift at our middle school where there are countless activities that go well into the night. She takes pride in her work, is always flexible and wants to be sure that the school is in impeccable shape for students each morning. We are fortunate that we have such dedicated employees like Ms. Byors working on behalf of our students!
Accomplishments, Milestones Abound as Salem Public Schools Honors the Class of 2025
Resilient. Powerful. Brilliant. Compassionate. Greatness. Spirit. These were just a handful of the terms used to describe the Salem High School Class of 2025, which celebrated its commencement Friday night in front of a nearly full stand at Captain John Bertram Athletic Field.
VIEW GALLERY: The Salem Public Schools Unified Sports Festival
Breaking barriers. Clearing hurdles (literally). Unbridled joy. Joy for our Unified student-athletes and joy for the student leaders assisting them. Salem Public Schools is grateful for all the volunteers and leadership, as well as Salem Police Department officers VanLoon and Ryan for their presence and distributing medals to our athletes.
WATCH: Salem High School Class of 2025 Commencement
The City of Salem and Salem Public Schools celebrated the Salem High School Class of 2025 graduation Friday night in front of a near-capacity Captain John Bertram Athletic Field.
The Salem News | Salem receives grant to expand food literacy and local food purchasing education
The city’s schools were recently awarded funding to expand their local foods purchasing and food literacy education, including classroom education on nutrition and where our food comes from, as well as hands-on learning in school gardens.
As we approach the end of another school year, we want to make certain our families are aware of the final days of school:
- The last day for Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten will be Monday, June 16
- The last day for all students in Grades 1-11 will be Friday, June 20 (early release)
- The last day for Carlton Innovation School Kindergarten will be Monday, June 16
- The last day for Carlton Innovation School students in Grades 1-5 will be Tuesday, June 17 (early release)
Have a cool and restful summer!
Salem Public Schools is excited to share its second annual family/caregiver survey with you. We value your opinion as you are an important part in the life of yours and many other students in our schools. Please take a moment to share your feedback with us.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes and we encourage you to take one survey per student. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Haitian Creole.
Click the link below to take the survey, choose the school that your student attends then choose your language.
The survey will be open from Friday, June 6-Friday, July 18, 2025.
Should you have any questions or need support please reach out to our team at 978-740-1225 or email welcomecenter@salemk12.org
Salem Public Schools is committed to supporting the overall well-being of our students and believes mental health is an important part of overall health. We currently partner with Cartwheel to support the mental health needs of our students via virtual therapy with licensed clinicians.
- PREVIOUSLY: A student had to be identified and referred for these services by our school team.
- NOW: You can now request these services directly for your child.
Oftentimes, families are the first to recognize that their child might need mental health support so we want to make it as easy as possible for your family to access these services.
Common signs to determine if your child might benefit from this support:
Changes in mood or behavior
Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
Declining academic performance
Withdrawal from friends or activities
Increased anxiety or stress
Expressing feelings of sadness or hopelessness
Experiencing transition (related to life, family, peers, school)
Exposure to a traumatic event
Check out these FAQs about the types of challenges Cartwheel can support, how it works, and more. For more information, contact your child's school guidance counselor or visit Cartwheel.com.
Salem Public Schools is excited to announce that we're expanding our use of JumpRope, our new standards-based grading system, to all schools (except New Liberty Innovation School) for the 2025-26 school year.
Salem High School successfully implemented JumpRope this year, and we're thrilled to bring its benefits to every student and family across the district. JumpRope provides a clear, real-time look at your child's progress on specific learning standards, enabling families to have a better understanding of their strengths and areas where they might need more support, fostering more productive conversations about their learning journey.
We believe this system will empower older students to take ownership of their learning and allow families to more effectively partner with teachers in their child's academic growth. We will be providing more information and resources for families in the coming months to help everyone get acquainted with JumpRope.
The June issue of the Nursing News is here. Inside, you'll find important instructions for families regarding required health paperwork for the new school year, ensuring a smooth start. Plus, don't miss our timely bike safety tips, delicious summertime recipes, and a guide to fantastic summertime activities for families right here on the North Shore.
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.