Salem Public Schools
SPS community,
You may have read about federal education funding being withheld from school districts across the country. Specifically, the federal grants that were frozen included:
Title I-C, which provides educational support for children of migratory agricultural workers and fishers;
Title II-A, which supports systems of support for excellent teaching and leading;
Title III-A, which supports English learners; and
Title IV-A, which supports high-quality educational experiences for students.
On Friday afternoon, we were informed that the funds have been released and will be allocated as planned.
Historically, the U.S. Department of Education allocates funds to states for the purpose of supporting specific educational programs and initiatives (such as those listed above). The states, in turn, distribute these funds to local school districts based largely on the populations of students served, as directed by Congress.
These grant awards are typically allocated by July 1, which is the start of the fiscal year, so that school districts can use the funds to compensate staff and cover other expenses. Despite the freeze, those funds – totaling $859,002 – will be directed toward the areas of our budget as directed by the School Committee.
This is a terrific way to go into the weekend!
Steve
Any Child Welcome: Salem Public Schools Summer Eats is Nourishing Greater Salem
By Friday, July 18, the Salem Public Schools Summer Eats program, had served more than 10,000 meals to children and adults of Greater Salem. The two folks behind Summer Eats – Michaela Short, Program Director of SPS Food and Nutrition Services, and Robby Armstrong '05, Operations Director, along with their staff and interns – aren’t resting on their laurels. They both believe there is a greater need; that they can be serving more meals.
WATCH | Jabari Tovar: My Summer with the Bluecoats
Three minutes of music inspiration: Salem Public Schools music educator/percussion specialist Jabari Tovar '12 discusses his summer experience with the Bluecoats and what he'll be bringing back to his students and the Salem High School Marching Band this school year.
VIEW GALLERY: Salem Public Schools Keeping Students Engaged This Summer
In lock step with the core values of the District’s 2023-26 Strategic Plan, Salem Public Schools is keeping more than 550 scholars from kindergarten to grade 12 busy this summer.
LISTEN | WBUR: How rumored and real ICE activity has impacted local schools
Salem Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike offers his thoughts on the impact of recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in neighboring school districts. “That does concern us because we’re a city that counts on our schools filled every year by the wave of newcomers,” said Dr. Zrike.
The Salem Patch | Former Salem School Committee Member Honored As 2025 Commonwealth Heroine
Ana Nuncio, an immigrant advocate at The House of the Seven Gables and a former Salem School Committee member, has been nominated as a 2025 Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
Salem ParentChild+ Celebrates Classes of 2039 and 2040 at June 7 Graduation
The Salem ParentChild+ of the North Shore program graduated 15 children and families Saturday, June 8, in a ceremony at the Collins Middle School. The ceremony marked Salem’s fifth ParentChild+ graduating class, a two-year program which facilitates joyful learning to prepare young children for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.
The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) continues to hold events for students and families over the summer. Find out about upcoming webinars and watch past webinars on the MEFA webinars webpage.
Upcoming online events include a FAFSA Festival Wednesday, July 30 (12-2 p.m.). Experts will be on hand to meet with participants individually and share ways to pay for college costs, talk about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and answer questions about next steps.
Make a Donation
Become a Volunteer
Become a Sponsor
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.