SALEM HIGH SCHOOL

September 12 - Picture Day

September 16 - Info Session for Winter Musical 2:45 in the auditorium

September 17 - Early Release 11:05

September 18 - Meet the Teacher Night 6pm - 8pm

September 22 - Sept 26 - Homecoming Week

September 24 - Spirit Fire

September 25 - Homecoming Dance

September 26 - Homecoming Football Game

September 30 - Senior Parent College and Career In Person Workshop 6pm - 7:30pm

On 8/28/25 as the sun rose over Salem, the Class of 2026 marked the start of their senior year with a powerful moment of unity and pride. Gathered together were our Witches, they welcomed the dawn of their final year together, ready to embrace every challenge, celebrate all of their successes, and leave their mark on the legacy of Salem High. Just like the sunrise itself, their light will no doubt shine bright this year!

This Fall the Salem High School Football Boosters in partnership Village Tavern are starting a new series, "Friday Night Lights At Village Tavern." Come by Village Tavern and watch your Witches on live stream and purchase some Salem High School gear while you are there.

Mention Salem Football and a percentage of the proceeds will go to the Salem Football Boosters to support this program.

Come out and join our competitive Math Team. This team meets every Thursday to practice starting at 2:45. There will be six meets where our scholars compete against multiple other high schools.

We are excited to announce that the SHS Drama Club winter musical this year will be The Prom: School Edition

• INFO Session Tuesday, September 16 at 2:45 PM in the auditorium.
• Performances: Thursday and Friday December 18 & 19 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, December 20 at 2 PM
• Auditions: Monday and Tuesday, September 22 and 23

"Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue… and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to make a difference, the Broadway stars team up with the courageous student, leading to a transformation that brings everyone together in the name of love and acceptance. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, THE PROM expertly captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever."

Auditions will take place on Monday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 23 afterschool. For more information about the audition process and how to sign up for an audition slot, please come to our INFORMATION SESSION on Tuesday, September 16 at 2:45 PM in the auditorium or see Ms. French (lhamiltonfrench@salemk12.org) in room 184.

We are thrilled to welcome back our high school students for the 25-26 school year. In preparation, we have made some changes to enhance your experience within the cafeteria.

1. Second Meal Kiosk: Last year, we committed to allowing all students in the Salem Public Schools to receive a second meal at no charge to the student. We noticed that many students who chose to receive a second meal are not consuming all of the components that are required to have with their first meal (per federal regulations), such as the fruit, vegetable side, or milk. To prevent food waste, whilst allowing SHS students access to their free second meal, we have created the first-floor second meal kiosk.

1. After students go through the lunch line and receive their first meal, they may go to the first-floor second-meal kiosk to receive their second meal. We will have the following options available daily:

1. Pizza slices

2. Cheeseburger / Hamburger

3. Chicken Patty on a Bun

4. Hot Dog on a Bun

5. Cold Sandwiches / Wraps

6. Beef & Cheese Nachos

2. If students wish to have the full meal as their second meal, they are welcome to get in the normal lunch line to receive their second meal as they did last year.

3. Students who attempt to receive food from the second meal kiosk before receiving their first meal will be turned away & redirected to receive their first meal in one of our six lunch lines, then come to the kiosk for their second meal.

2. Floor Configuration:

1. First Floor:

1. Right & Left Line: Rotating menu option is available for viewing on our School Cafe Menu platform.

2. Second Meal Kiosk

2. Second Floor:

1. Left line: Pizza and a Side Salad

2. Right line: Salad Meal, or allergen friendly meals (GF pizza, GF hamburger/cheeseburger, GF hotdog, GF chicken patty)

3. Third Floor:

1. Left Line: Cheeseburger /hamburger, hot dog, chicken fillet, french fries, & salad bar.

2. Right Line: Nachos, or fajita, with beef or chicken and a toppings bar.

3. Allergen-Friendly Line:

1. The second floor will now have an allergy friendly line where students can access gluten free options like pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken filets or build their own salad.

4. Dinner Location:

1. We will now be serving dinner next to the black cat space, outside of the electrical/workshop room. Please join us for dinner which began on Thursday, August 28th.

Be About It!

#GoWitch

This past Saturday Historic Salem partnered with Salem High School's Career Technical Department on the Preservation Awards and Historic House Resource Expo. This day featured tours of the vocational spaces at Salem High School as well as industry leaders sharing their craft with each other and members of the community.

Salem High School will be well represented on NCAA rosters this fall. Visit Salem Public Schools' full list of former Witches currently on NCAA rosters.

• Samantha Agno '25 | Soccer, Salem State University
• Isabella Cunha '23 | Soccer, Wentworth Institute of Technology
• Malcolm Edwards '24 | Soccer, Fitchburg State University

Salem Witches Football open season with 21-14 win versus KIPP Panthers.

Salem News Article: https://www.salemnews.com/sports/witches-prove-their-mettle-in-opening-night-triumph-over-kipp-academy/article_c10490da-6e53-44fd-a921-675757fa0cc2.html

Salem 5, Gloucester 0: Jackie Fritz netted a hat trick and the Witches (2-0) made it back-to-back wins in impressive fashion. Lily Navins also scored while Ella Joy, Ally Bedard, Ivy Gillis and Lizzy Reid each contributed one assist. Hadley Austin, Coraline Antczak and Maddie Leonard were great in the middle and MayMay Eichel, Dever Cornell, and Julia Gauthier shined defensively.

Salem 6, Winthrop 0: Maddie Leonard had two goals with an assist and freshman Caroline Antczak had a goal and an assist in her varsity debut to power the Witches on Wednesday. Lilly Navins and Lizzy Reid added a goal plus an assist each while Makenzie Eichel and Jackie Fritz had one helper each. Amelia Meegan posted her first varsity shutout while Dever Cornerr, MayMay Eichel, Julia Gauthier, Mallory McCarthy and Kai Gillis all played well.

Credit To Salem News for game summary and photos: https://www.salemnews.com/sports/thursdays-area-roundup/article_753112ce-5483-47ef-9d20-2386c069a4c5.html

What students do

• Hands-on learning in medical assisting, patient care, and health science fundamentals.
  
  

• Build essential skills: professionalism, safety, reliability, empathy, and clear communication with patients and healthcare teams.
  
  

• Earn industry-recognized credentials, including:
  
  

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)

• CPR/First Aid

• OSHA-10 Healthcare

• HIPAA compliance training

Future Options for Salem High School Graduates:Career Pathways:

• Medical Assisting → Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) → Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) → Registered Nurse (RN) → Healthcare Administrator

• College Options: Pursue degrees in Medical Assisting, Nursing, or Health Sciences at institutions like North Shore Community College, UMass Amherst, Salem State University, and MCPHS University.

Our students don’t just study healthcare—they earn certifications, gain experience, and prepare to make a real difference in patients’ lives and their communities.

September 30th - 6pm - 7:30 Senior Parent Night

IMC, Salem High School

October 14th - NEACAC College Fair

11th grade Field Trip

8am-12pm - Salem State University

October 16th -PSAT - JUNIORS ONLY In School

All students are registered and expected to take exam

October 21st - SENIOR SAT DAY In School

By registration only - more information to follow

Early Action Presentation from the event on September 2, 2025:

College and Career Center held its Virtual Early Action/Early Decision Night. Please reference the presentation from the evening with information about applying Early Action or Decision along with important dates for Seniors as they finalize their applications:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wO0xJ4rYAgH4NGuJ8r5sg-SOQqZyR_A1cst3vxCWABU/edit?usp=sharing

10X Digital Marketing Scholarship

How to Apply: Write an essay of at least 500 words regarding your life story, your intended field of study or career, and how you specifically will make an impact on the world.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors and college students majoring or planning to major in a field related to digital marketing
Amount: $4,000
Deadline: September 10, 2025
Website: https://10xdigitalinc.com/scholarship/

Shout It Out Scholarship - Age 14 and older

How to Apply: In 250 words or less, answer the question, “If you could say one thing to the entire world at once, what would it be and why?”
Eligibility: Must be 14 years of age or older and a legal U.S. resident
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Website: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/shout-it-out-scholarship

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Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application.
Eligibility: Open to high school, college, and graduate school students enrolled full time or planning on enrolling within the next 24 months
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Website: https://accessscholarships.com/1k-too-cool-to-pay-for-school

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Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship

How to Apply: Write a short personal statement on why you pledge to not text and drive.
Eligibility: Open to high school, college, and graduate students
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Website: http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/dont-text-and-drive-scholarship

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The Coca-Cola Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application. If selected as a semi-finalist, students will need to write essays and provide letters of recommendation and a transcript.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors graduating in the 2025-2026 academic year
Amount: 150 winners of $20,000 each
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Website: https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/

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College JumpStart Pay It Forward Scholarship - 10th - 12th GRADE

How to Apply: Complete the online application, including a 250-word personal statement reflecting on a time that you’ve paid it forward, how it has affected you, and what you’ve learned from the experience.
Eligibility: Open to 10th-12th graders, college students, and non-traditional students attending or planning to enter an accredited U.S. college or university
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Website: https://www.jumpstart-scholarship.net/

We are excited to announce our new partnership with College Affordable, a local nonprofit organization built to help families reduce the cost of college, minimize debt, and increase higher education choices. College Affordable supports families with the financial aid process throughout the year and holds webinars specifically designed to support your family with where you are in the application process. This program is available at no cost to our families.

Their first webinar of the year is on Wednesday, September 17th, at 6:30 PM and is all about the FAFSA & CSS Profile. You can register for the webinar automatically when you complete the Family Registration Form from our new landing page. On this same page, you will find a variety of tools and resources for your family to utilize.

All questions can be directed to College Affordable via email, financialaid@collegeaffordable.org, or call/text 781-343-1941.

You are invited to the NACAC Virtual College Fair happening on Sunday, Sep. 14 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

The virtual fair provides a wonderful chance to connect with hundreds of colleges and universities, all from the comfort of your home. Plus, it is 100 percent free.

Register Here

Don't Forget College Matchmaking®

Our fairs offer College MatchMaking®. During registration, students can select the college features that are most important to them. They will then receive an email that matches them to specific colleges and universities that best match their criteria and that will be available at the fair. College MatchMaking® is an incredible opportunity for students to identify their top choices.

September 8, 2025

It has been an exciting week in Early College!

Please make sure you turn in your handbook acknowledgement form. The Early College 2025-2026 Handbook is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

NSCC courses start on 9/17. Next week, NSCC representatives will run virtual sessions to share important information and to make sure everyone is ready to go for classes.

SSU classes at SHS and on campus have started! Make sure you have your textbooks and materials for class!

On campus only: Friendly reminder that all students going on campus are expected to ride the bus unless there are extenuating circumstances. Please communicate any issue via email: akirby@Salemk12.org. Make sure you handed in your permission slip.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Kirby

Early College Coordinator

We are thrilled to begin another exciting year and to support every student in their journey to growth and success. Through our C3 College, Career, and Counseling Department, we encourage all students to Dare To Grow because your future knows no boundaries.

We are excited to share that our students have already started more than 200 college applications to schools across the country! You can view the interactive map here to see where students are applying: C3 College Application Map.

This information comes from Naviance, which students can access through ClassLink. Parents can also access their student’s information using their Naviance username and password.

If students or families need support accessing Naviance, please reach out to your student’s counselor for assistance.

C3 also has a number of upcoming workshops and post-secondary events to support your planning:

• Senior Early Decision/Early Action Virtual Night – Tuesday, September 2nd (more information to follow the first days of school)

We encourage all students to take advantage of these opportunities, explore possibilities, and reach goals beyond what they thought possible.

Together, let’s make this a year of growth, exploration, and success.

Deciding what colleges to add to your list? One great resource to examines what factors goes into your college choice is Big Future at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search.

Location: Salem, Virginia

Mascot: Rooney the Maroon-tailed Hawk

Enrollment:

Total university enrollment: 2,000

Undergraduates: 1,920

Graduate students: 80

Average GPA (First-Year Students): 3.5 weighted GPA

SAT Score Average: 1100

ACT Score Average: 24

Admissions:

Diverse Academic Programs

• Offers 35 majors and 57 minors/concentrations, plus a suite of pre-professional programs (e.g., pre-law, pre-health, engineering dual-degree)

2. Experiential & Global Learning

• The core curriculum is designed around inquiry and includes engaging, interdisciplinary options like Statistics and the Sports Industry or Chemistry and Crime
  

• Offers May Term courses, honors curriculum, and a Maroon Connections initiative that integrates experiential learning across disciplines
  

3. Student-to-Faculty Engagement & Outcomes

• Student–Faculty Ratio: approximately 11:1
  

• Graduation Rate: 71%; Retention Rate: 74%

4. Strong Academic Recognition & Student Opportunities

• Recognized as a top producer of Fulbright scholars among liberal arts colleges
  

• Offers a rich array of student organizations—over 100 clubs, student media outlets (like the Roanoke Review literary journal and campus radio), and leadership opportunities

Virtual and In-Person Tours: https://www.roanoke.edu/admissions/visit/virtual_tour

Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/

All twelve videos that show all aspects of Roanoke College: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollegeTourTV/search?query=roanoke%20college

Education Required:

- Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Biology, or a closely related field is required for most entry-level positions.

- Many research, clinical, or academic roles require a Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Microbiology or Molecular Biology.

- Laboratory internships, undergraduate research, or co-op experiences are highly valued and often essential for career entry.

Typical Tasks Associated with This Career:

Microbiologists study microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and algae to understand their impact on humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Typical duties include:

- Designing and conducting laboratory experiments to study microorganisms

- Isolating and identifying microbial strains using advanced techniques (e.g., PCR, sequencing, microscopy)

- Monitoring the growth of cultures under different conditions

- Preparing technical reports and publishing research findings in scientific journals

- Collaborating with healthcare professionals, environmental scientists, or industrial teams to solve microbiological problems

- Ensuring laboratory safety and compliance with biohazard protocols

- Testing the effectiveness of antibiotics, vaccines, or other treatments against microorganisms

- Applying microbiology to real-world contexts such as agriculture, biotechnology, food safety, or public health

Expected Income: Average $85,000

Job Growth: 5% over next 10 years

Related High School Coursework:

Biology (especially courses in genetics, cell biology, and anatomy & physiology)

Chemistry (general, organic, and biochemistry foundations)

Physics (understanding lab instrumentation and processes)

Mathematics (algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and statistics for data analysis)

Environmental Science (connections to ecology and sustainability)

AP or Honors English (for scientific writing, technical reporting, and communication skills)