SALEM HIGH SCHOOL

February 26 - Rising Grade 9 Parent Night for Scheduling 6pm - 8pm

February 28 -

March 2 - 6 - Inclusive Schools Week

March 2 -3 - Seal of Biliteracy Exam (Date moved to March 9 and 10)

March 5 - Salem High School Spring Concert 7pm

March 10 - SAT Day

March 13 - Progress Reports Posted

We are pleased to inform you of Salem Public School’s participation in the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy for the 2025-26 School Year. The Seal of Biliteracy is offered to juniors or seniors who demonstrate proficiency in English and any other language, whether they speak or sign the language other than English at home, learned it at school, or in the community.

The Seal of Biliteracy aims to:

• Encourage students to study and master languages;

• Certify attainment of biliteracy skills;

• Recognize the value of language diversity;

• Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills;

• Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high-level skills in languages;

• Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and global society; and

• Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.

In order to earn the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, senior students must:

• Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English by earning a score of 472 or higher on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS or a similar English proficiency assessment

• Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in a world language by attaining a minimum score equivalent to Intermediate-High on a

The After Prom Committee, led by SHS Parents, is running a scratch ticket raggle to raise money for a fun and safe Post-Senior Prom Party at In The Game. Only 300 tickets will be sold.

Must by 18 to purchase a ticket.

Payment Methods:

Venmo: Josh Gillis @Josh-Gillis-75 (Include your Name and Phone Number in Venmo)

or

Email salemhighafterprom@gmail.com for other payment options

Immerse yourself into the daily life of SEA's SSV Corwith Cramer, SEA Expedition provides students the opportunity to participate in every aspect of a challenging offshore sailing and oceanographic expedition.

Application Due March 2

“BE ABOUT IT”

• Live the values of our school community; show pride, respect, and responsibility not just by saying it, but by consistently doing it.

• Follow through on commitments, whether that’s in academics, athletics, arts, or personal goals.

• Model integrity by letting your behavior reflect your intentions—be the example others can count on.

“BE ABOUT IT” means don’t just talk about who you are or what you stand for, prove it every day through effort, character, and action.

Be About It!

#GoWitch

In celebration of Dominican Independence Day, a group of Salem High students collaborated to choreograph and perform a vibrant cultural dance that honored the rich history and traditions of the Dominican Republic. Their performance was streamed live into all crews, allowing the entire school community to participate in and appreciate the celebration. The students demonstrated pride, creativity, and leadership as they shared an important cultural moment with their peers. It was a powerful example of student voice and cultural appreciation in action.

Thank you to our students that put together this event.

S.H.E.L.L. (Salem High Educator Learning Lab) is a flexible, student-centered approach to education that is designed to support academic growth, exploration, and innovation. The Learning Lab provides educators with time, guidance, and resources to strengthen skills, receive targeted support, collaborate with peers, and extend learning beyond the traditional classroom.

Through SHELL, Salem High School is deepening its commitment to personalized learning—creating an environment where students can ask questions, try new strategies, get feedback, and build confidence as learners. Whether students need extra help, enrichment opportunities, or a place to work and reflect, SHELL is designed to bring educators together and design a meaning learning environment that will meet students where they are and help them move forward.

In order to provide our whole school community an understanding of some of the great things happening at Salem High School we have created a podcast that we will be using to tell our story and more importantly let our students and educators shine!

Episode 3.2 - Peer Mentoring Program :

In this episode, we’re sharing episode two off a five-part series spotlighting the student leaders in our peer mentoring program.Charlie stops by the studio to talk about how getting involved at Salem High School shaped her journey. She shares what she’s learned along the way — and why saying “yes” to extracurriculars can open doors to growth, leadership, and connection.

We are very excited that our Salem WItches are once again getting the opportunity to explore with their peers and teachers. Thank you to everyone that made this trip happen especially our three chaperones and organizers: Mrs. Miller, Mrs. McCarthy, and Mrs. Toler.

We look forward to sharing more of their adventures in upcoming newsletters! #GoWitch

Salem High School’s Drama Club delivered an outstanding performance this weekend at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild (METG) Preliminary Round held at St. John’s Prep, earning a coveted advancement to the Semi-Final Round. Their one-act production of Pandora and the Sickle Moon by Jessica Chipman was one of only four performances selected at the site to move forward in competition.

In addition to advancing, Salem High students earned five prestigious All-Star Company awards:

Seniors, Lizzy Mahady and Raymond Nguyen received Technical Excellence in Directing for their collaborative leadership.

Senior, Clover Borne Lyon was recognized with Technical Excellence in Costume Design for her hand-sewn costumes and intricately painted masks.

Juniors Frances Jones and Chance Beals, and Savannah Muasya, freshman Sam Vietske, and senior Ella Jackson (who also designed the set) brought home an Ensemble Acting Award for their precision and cohesive movement in the role of the Evils.

Seniors August Hunter, in the role of Vol, and Charlie Feldmann Conners, as the titular Pandora both won Excellence in Acting Awards for their emotional and nuanced performances.

The cast and crew demonstrated extraordinary dedication, creativity, and collaboration throughout the process, with every member contributing to the unified storytelling that secured their advancement. The METG Semi-Finals will take place on Saturday, March 14 (location to be announced).

Pandora and the Sickle Moon is produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Company.

Salem High School congratulates its talented student artists and director Leah Hamilton French for this remarkable achievement and we wish them continued success in the next round of competition.

For legal reason, all publicly share announcements must include: Pandora and the Sickle Moon is produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Company.

Aubrey had a phenomenal season for the Swim Team, earning her spot as the top girls scorer on the team. She placed 3rd in the NEC Meet in the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, and was the only girl to qualify for the Sectional (200 freestyle, 500 free, 100 backstroke) and State Meets (100 backstroke). She is reliable, consistent, and energetic, and her leadership was significant for the Witches Swim Team this season!

Brooks Workman: Brooks' passion, effort, and enthusiasm have set him apart as a leader on this year's Indoor Track Team. He led the way for the Witches in several events, landing on the podium (4th place) in the 2-mile and medaling in the 4x800m alongside his relay team during the NEC Meet. Brooks also qualified for the D4 Championship, running a 10:19.62 in the 2-mile!

By Phil Stacey

With the New York Knicks off Saturday night, assistant coach Rick Brunson made the 4-hour car ride back to his hometown to watch one of his best friends, Tommy Doyle, coach the high school team they both played for, Salem High, in its playoff opener.

Needless to say, Brunson was impressed with what he saw.

So was everyone else in attendance at buzzing Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse, who watched as junior sensation Elian Rodriguez poured in 28 points while senior captain Nate Lane added 13 as the Witches thrashed Lowell Catholic, 76-46, in their Division 3 postseason opener.

Salem News: https://www.salemnews.com/sports/witches-roll-all-over-lowell-catholic-easily-advance-to-second-round/article_dd5bda61-a55e-4400-8823-3f741bb287d2.html

Congratulations to all of our wrestlers this weekend!

The following qualified for All States:

Alexia Coleman 132 LBs 1st place

Kevin Spoon 126 LBs 2nd place

Connor Buckley 138 LBs 4th place

Chase Bower 106 LBs 6th place

Salem High School will administer two standardized tests this semester (in-school, during normal school hours):

• March 10: SAT Class of 2027 Graduates who are Juniors

• April 7: PSAT 10 Class of 2028 Graduates who are Sophomores

No sign ups are needed for either exam.

The SAT is a standardized college admissions test that measures reading, writing, and math skills aligned with what students learn in high school. Many colleges use SAT scores as a factor in admissions and scholarship decisions.

The PSAT is a preliminary version of the SAT that helps students prepare. It measures the same reading, writing, and math skills as the SAT. The PSAT (October edition, taken junior year) is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

The SAT will be offered again at Salem High in the fall for seniors by registration only. Further information about specific dates for this exam will be released late spring/early summer.

If you are interested in additional opportunities to take the SAT on Saturday at an approved College Board site, please make an appointment with your students' college and career counselor to assist with signing up for the exam. The confirmed dates through College Board are:

• May 2, 2026

• Jun 6, 2026

• August 22, 2026

• September 12, 2026

• October 3, 2026

• November 7, 2026

• December 5, 2026

PSAT/SAT Score Report

If you've taken one of these tests prior, your score report is one of the most useful tools available to you. To access your score report, sign in to your College Board account, navigate to "PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 Scores" (or "My SAT" if you’ve taken the SAT). The report breaks down your performance by skill area and question type.

Preparing for the SAT

Here are some free resources to help you study:

Conveniently, excellent resources such as the Khan Academy - Digital SAT Prep and College Board - Educator Question Bank are organized by the same question types as the score report. Look in your report for areas where you missed the most questions and start there—these are likely the easiest areas to gain points through study and practice.

Schoolhouse (also from Sal Khan of Khan Academy) is a peer-led community for free SAT tutoring. Sign up to learn from other students who have excelled on these tests.

Google offers free, full-length SAT practice tests via Gemini, Google’s AI assistant. You'll receive a score along with explanations for every question you missed, so you can focus your practice where it matters most.

Families, please note any relevant test dates above in your calendars—it’s important to get a good sleep the night before a test. Good luck to all of our test-takers this spring!

February 23

APPLY NOW for SY26-27 (if you are new to Early College)

Contact Dr. Kirby if you need help with your application or have any questions about Early College: akirby@salemk12.org or 2nd floor IMC (Tutoring Center).

The last day to withdraw from an Early College course Spring 2026 is March 6. A “W” does not affect your GPA at SHS or college, but having multiple Ws can impact your Student Academic Progress. All Early College students must maintain a 2.0 college GPA and successfully complete (70% or above) 67% of attempted college courses to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

From the SHS Tutoring Center (2nd floor IMC):

• Referrals/scheduling: Staff & family members can refer students to the tutoring center for help HERE. Students can schedule appointments by clicking “Tutoring” on SHS Launchpad/Classlink too. Staff, undergraduate, and peer tutors are available for help in all subjects, and some specialize in writing or math.

• Teen Health Help: On Tuesdays, Araby’ha is available to meet to talk about anything on your mind. Araby’ha is a social work intern for the Teen Health Center and a senior at SSU. She will have drop in sessions during crew Tuesdays through the rest of this school year.

• Employment Help: Valerie from Masshire continues to be in the tutoring center Mondays 12:00-1:30 for job advising.

Click for:

• Early College Handbook, Handbook in Spanish Handbook in Portuguese.

• SHS/SSU/NSCC Support & Contacts.

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.

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:East Lansing, Michigan

Mascot: Sparty the Spartan

Enrollment: 52,000

Average GPA: 3.7

Average SAT Score: 1180

Average ACT Score: 26

Admissions: https://admissions.msu.edu/

Michigan State University (MSU) is a public land-grant research university located in East Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1855, MSU is one of the largest universities in the United States and a member of the prestigious Big Ten Conference. Nationally recognized for its research, innovation, and global engagement, Michigan State combines world-class academics with a vibrant campus community and strong school spirit.

MSU is known for its strengths in business, engineering, education, agriculture, supply chain management, and the sciences. As a leading research institution, it offers students access to cutting-edge laboratories, faculty research opportunities, and global study programs.

Colleges & Academic Programs

Michigan State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs through 17 degree-granting colleges, including:

College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
College of Arts & Letters
Broad College of Business
College of Communication Arts & Sciences
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Human Medicine
College of Natural Science
College of Nursing
College of Social Science
College of Veterinary Medicine
Honors College

Students can pursue degrees in areas such as:

Business Administration
Supply Chain Management (nationally ranked)
Finance
Marketing
Accounting
Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Civil)
Computer Science
Biology
Environmental Science
Education
Political Science
Psychology
Pre-Med and Health Professions
Journalism
Hospitality Business
Data Science

Areas of Academic Strength

Supply Chain Management (consistently ranked #1 nationally)
Business and entrepreneurship
Engineering and technology
Education and teacher preparation
Agriculture and environmental sciences
Communication and media studies
Pre-health and medical pathways
Research across STEM and social sciences

As a land-grant institution, MSU has a strong commitment to public service, applied research, and community impact.

Experiential Learning & Professional Advantage

Michigan State integrates hands-on learning into the academic experience through:

Undergraduate research opportunities
Internships across the Midwest and nationally
Study abroad programs (one of the largest in the U.S.)
Industry partnerships
Entrepreneurship incubators
Professional mentoring networks

MSU graduates benefit from a powerful alumni network of over 550,000 Spartans worldwide.

Clubs & Student Organizations

MSU offers 1,000+ student organizations, including:

Student government
Greek life
Cultural and identity-based organizations
Business and entrepreneurship clubs
Pre-law and pre-health societies
Service organizations
Political engagement groups
Performing arts organizations
Academic honor societies

Campus life is energetic and community-driven, blending Big Ten spirit with diverse student engagement opportunities.

Athletics

Michigan State competes in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

Varsity Sports Include:

Football
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Soccer
Track & Field
Cross Country
Baseball
Softball
Tennis
Ice Hockey
Gymnastics
Volleyball

MSU has won multiple national championships, particularly in basketball and hockey, and is nationally recognized for its athletic tradition and school spirit.

Recent & Notable Developments

Expansion of STEM and engineering research facilities
Growth in data science and AI programs
Continued national recognition in supply chain and business
Investment in student wellness and campus safety initiatives
Major campus infrastructure improvements
Strong career placement and graduate school acceptance rates

Virtual Tour: https://virtualtour.msu.edu/

Website: https://msu.edu/

A Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or a closely related engineering field is typically required.

Common majors include:

• Aerospace Engineering

• Aeronautical Engineering

• Astronautical Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Avionics Engineering

• Systems Engineering

• Electrical Engineering (with aerospace focus)

Many programs include concentrations in aircraft design, propulsion, structures, or space systems.

Licensure / Certification Pathway (Role-Dependent)

Licensure is not always required for entry-level roles but is important for advancement, leadership, and public-sector engineering work.

Engineering Licensure Pathway:

• Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam → Engineer-in-Training (EIT)

• Gain ~4 years of supervised engineering experience

• Pass the Professional Engineer (PE) Exam

PE licensure is most relevant for engineers working on public infrastructure, safety certification, or government-regulated aerospace systems.

Additional certifications may include:

• FAA Airworthiness or Safety Certifications (specialized roles)

• Systems Engineering certifications (INCOSE)

Advanced Degrees (Optional but Common)

An M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related fields can support advancement into:

• Spacecraft and satellite design

• Advanced propulsion systems

• Defense and military aerospace research

• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

• Robotics and autonomous flight systems

• Research, academia, and university teaching

• NASA or private space industry roles

Typical Tasks Associated with This Career

• Design and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles

• Develop propulsion systems, aerodynamics, and flight controls

• Analyze structural integrity and material performance

• Use computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation software

• Conduct wind tunnel and flight testing

• Evaluate fuel efficiency, safety, and system performance

• Collaborate with engineers, pilots, and manufacturing teams

• Troubleshoot design or mechanical failures

• Support space exploration and satellite deployment

• Ensure compliance with federal safety and aviation regulations

Common tools include MATLAB, SolidWorks, CATIA, ANSYS, and flight simulation systems.

Expected Income $130,000

Projected growth: 6% over the next 10 years

Growth drivers include:

• Commercial space travel expansion

• Satellite and communications technology

• Defense and national security systems

• Drone and autonomous aircraft development

Related High School Coursework

• Physics

• Chemistry

• Mathematics (Algebra II, Precalculus, Calculus)

• Engineering / Project Lead the Way (PLTW)

• Computer Science / Coding

• Robotics

• Technical Drawing / CAD

• Statistics

• English Language Arts