Salem Public Schools
SPS Community,
Today marks the end of my second week as Superintendent, and Salem is already proving to be everything I thought it would be: a school district deeply embedded in its community. My family and I are thrilled to begin this journey.
I had a wonderful time Wednesday night at the Back to School Fair. It has been a pleasure getting to know not just our students, families and educators, but also city and community partners. It was great to see so many of our families attend – I’m told this year’s Fair was one of the best ever attended – and equally so to see so many community groups offering their services, and families taking advantage.
I have spent my first two weeks meeting with principals, department heads, School Committee members, and District leadership and I’m deeply impressed by the passion everyone brings to work each day. In addition, I met with bus drivers and bus monitors from Healey, the new school bus company, on Thursday. The SPS Transportation team is proactively working with our new bus partner to ensure the start of the school year is as well-organized as possible.
Like I said in my introductory letter, I am still listening and learning with the goal of building strong, lasting relationships.
This week we also had a terrific retreat with the District Executive Team which, among other things, is finalizing the 2026-29 Strategic Plan as well as our 10-year vision as to what school looks like in 2036. We have a strong foundation already in place, and I look forward to working alongside our constituents to build upon it. The students of Salem Public Schools are in good hands.
We’re just days away from the first days of school and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome our students and families the mornings of Sept. 2 (at Sarah Parker Remond School), Sept. 3, as well as the following week for pre-K and kindergarten. I hope you enjoy these last days of summer vacation!
Enjoy the weekend.
Dr. Tommy Welch
Superintendent
The Salem News | New superintendent Thomas Welch starts first day
New Salem Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Welch started his first day on Monday, looking ahead to the start of the school year next month with an intention to carry on the district’s goals of equity and academic achievement.
LISTEN | Salem Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Welch Joins Salem Compass Podcast
Mayor Dominick Pangallo talks with the brand new Superintendent of Salem Public Schools Dr. Thomas Welch on episode No. 28 of the Salem Compass Podcast.
They get into his education background, his previous experiences and what he plans to bring to the Salem Public Schools.
Salem Career Technical Initiative Receives Grants to Fund Carpentry, Automotive and Electrical Technology Training This Fall
The Salem Career Technical Initiative, the adult education and workforce development arm of Salem Public Schools, received a CTI Round 11 grant of $250,000 to fund 12 weeks of carpentry coursework, the Governor Maura Healey-Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll administration announced Monday.
VIEW HIGHLIGHTS | Sarah Parker Remond School Staff Retreat at Salem State’s O’Keefe Sports Complex
Outstanding team-building retreat this morning at Salem State with former Saltonstall/Carlton-now-Sarah Parker Remond School staff who came together to engage in a series of exercises such as Entanglement, Blackout Bingo, Memorization challenges and a Q&A session.
The Salem News | History lesson: Salem High football, 1890-present
We’re nearing mid-August, a time when many North Shore sports fans’ thoughts start to turn towards high school football. We here in The Salem News sports department are no different. Anticipating another season of great individual performances, terrific team showings, and surprise stars is something we look forward to each year.
WATCH | Highlights from Bentley Academy Innovation School 2026 Dual Language Institute
Empowering educators.
Bentley Academy Innovation School K-5 dual language classroom and multilingual educators gathered Aug. 18–20, for an intensive three-day professional development institute designed to advance dual language instruction and strengthen foundational literacy across all grade levels.
Due to an unforeseen delay, our annual Back to School forms will be available in the Aspen family portal Wednesday, Aug. 26. We ask that our families please complete the forms as soon as possible thereafter. Completing the forms should take no more than 10-15 minutes. We want to be sure that families are well versed on our practices/procedures – such as photo opt-outs and other choices – and that we have the most updated information about your child.
Thanks so much for your understanding.
As we prepare for the school year, please be aware that school immunization requirements in Massachusetts have not changed, despite the presidential executive order signed earlier this month. Governor Maura Healey has strongly criticized federal actions aimed at altering established childhood immunization practices, confirming that Massachusetts will stand firm on evidence-based public health guidance and continue supporting full access to routine vaccines.
Local school districts, like Salem, remain required to enforce state immunization standards to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all students. In line with the position published in the National Association of School Nurses Statement, school nurses are committed to enforcing current state regulations.
Our school nurses return to work the week of August 24th and are here as a resource to help families navigate these requirements and obtain the necessary medical care so students can safely attend school. We recommend that parents/guardians consult their child’s pediatrician for the best advice on immunizations. For additional information on required vaccines for school entry, please visit the Mass.gov School Immunizations Portal.
On Monday, Aug. 24, all bus assignments for the Salem Public Schools school year 2026-27 will be shared with families of students who have been assigned to a bus.
Families who applied for transportation will receive confirmation from the SPS Department of Transportation next week (Aug. 10-14) about whether your student is eligible for transportation. The bus assignment will follow on Monday, Aug. 24.
Contact spstransportation@salemk12.org with questions.
While DESE is scheduled to open the MCAS parent portal on Monday, Aug. 14, Salem Public Schools will delay its launch until the week of Monday, Sept. 14 so that staff are back from summer break and available to help with questions and concerns families may experience with logging in and accessing reports. More information will be sent to families in the coming weeks, including login information.
Former information, visit the DESE website.
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.