Salem Public Schools
SPS community,
I hope your summer has thus far been restful and productive. It’s good to see we’ve strung together quite a few days of sunshine!
I want to congratulate our Food and Nutrition Services team which has distributed more than 3,500 meals over the first three weeks of the Summer Eats program. We’re extremely proud of our programming and we invite any students and families who have yet to take advantage of the Summer Eats program to do so.
At the Summer Eats sites they are coordinating weekly themes and activities such as arts and crafts, pickup basketball and volleyball. Along with starting two weeks earlier than last year, the Summer Eats program has additional sites and now welcomes families from surrounding communities.
All the details of Summer Eats – menus, activities and sites – can be found below or on the Summer Eats web page.
A few reminders for our families:
Summer Learning: Our summer learning information is available at salemk12.org/summer. 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 (one winner chosen per school). If 500 or more students participate in the Summer Reading Challenge, Mayor Dominick Pangallo and I will jump into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean to support Mental Makeover.
Family Survey: If you haven’t already, please take our second annual family/caregiver survey regarding your experience regarding the 2024-25 school year. We value your opinion as you are an important part in the life of yours and many other students in our schools. 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.
SHS Athletic Hall of Fame Nominations: The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is accepting nominations for its 2025 class with a deadline of Aug. 11. Membership is open to individuals who have made significant contributions to the SHS Athletic Program, either through their participation in athletics or their association with Salem athletics as a coach, faculty member, or for meritorious service.
Enjoy the weekend!
Steve
Saltonstall School Educator Michelle Grundy Recipient of Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition Award
Michelle Grundy, a first-grade educator at the Saltonstall School, was named the recipient of the Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition Award Tuesday, June 10, at a ceremony at the Saltonstall School Auditorium. The MVH Teacher Recognition Award is presented annually to two educators – each in the Salem and Marblehead school districts – representative of the excellent, dedicated teachers of each community.
New England Real Estate Journal: Richard of J Barrett & Company (and SHS Alumni) arranges $5 million sale of 1805 Custom House in Salem, MA
Three major participants – Ted Richard (SHS '75), the realtor; Shawn Shea ('82) new owner; and financier, Joseph McCarran ('79) -- all attended Salem High School and were, in fact, captains of their hockey and basketball teams in the 1970s.
VIEW GALLERY | 2025 Summer Eats Kickoff
Though the Salem Public Schools Summer Eats program began last week, the 2025 Kickoff took place Tuesday, July 1 (following a one-week postponement due to extreme heat) at Mary Jane Lee Park and served dinner to more than 175 children and families.
Horace Mann Laboratory School Receives $5 Million Green School Works Grant
The Horace Mann Laboratory School, a kindergarten-to-grade 5 elementary school in the Salem Public School District, received the $5 million Green School Works Grant through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the MCEC announced June 26. HMLS was one of 18 schools in the Bay State to receive the grant, which encompassed $52 million to upgrade public school facilities and make them more energy efficient, reduce pollution and enhance learning environments for students.
VIEW GALLERY | 250 Years of Service: Congratulations to Retired Faculty and Staff
Congratulations and best of luck to our recently retired faculty and staff several of whom were honored at the June 17 School Committee meeting.
Salem Public Schools is committed to supporting the well-being of our students and believes mental health is an important part of overall health. We have renewed our partnership 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.
The Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is accepting nominations for its 2025 class with a deadline of Aug. 11. Membership in the SHS Athletic Hall of Fame is open to those individuals who have made significant contributions to the SHS Athletic Program, either through their participation in athletics or their association with Salem athletics as a coach, faculty member, or for meritorious service.
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.