Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools Families,
I hope you had a fabulous week! We have a busy week across SPS next week with a series of district-wide events. I hope to see you at one or more of these gatherings.
1. Public Forum About Elementary School Reconfiguration: Our public forum is scheduled for Monday, November 17, at 5:00 p.m. in the Saltonstall School auditorium. This forum will take the place of the regularly scheduled School Committee meeting that evening. Please see forum details below:
Interpretation Services: Interpretation will be available in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Opening Updates: The meeting will begin with a summary of the reconfiguration presentation and responses to frequently asked questions received over the past two weeks.
Public Comments: Following the presentation, community members will be invited to share comments at the podium. Each speaker will have up to three minutes. School Committee members and district staff will listen to comments, but will not respond to individual questions during the meeting. Members of the public with questions should submit them to reconfiguration@salemk12.org. Questions submitted to that address, and the subsequent responses, are being posted publicly at www.salemk12.org/reconfiguration. Each person will be permitted to speak once to ensure that all interested participants have an opportunity to share their thoughts.
Livestream Option: Here is the livestream link for those who wish to watch from home. Please note that spoken virtual comments will not be accepted during the event. Virtual participants who wish to submit comments may do so to reconfiguration@salemk12.org.
2. Multilingual Family Night: Our Multilingual Learners’ Family Night is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 19th from 6-7:30 pm at the Saltonstall School. We will be serving food, presenting awards, sharing student work and distributing important information. All are invited to the festive event!
3. Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Registration is now open for the Salem High School 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18th at the Salem High School Field House at 6 p.m. See information here. Congratulations to the 14 honorees, especially to Salem High staff member Rick O’Leary!
Finally, please remember that we have the CTE Middle School Open House this Saturday, Nov. 15 at Salem High School, from 9 a.m-12 p.m. Families and students can register for 1-3 CTE program sessions (one hour each) where they will take part in an exercise and gain hands-on experience. Families and students are encouraged to register here.
Please have a terrific weekend,
Steve
Salem High School Educator Matt Buchanan Named Recipient of SAFE Local Climate Champion Award
Matt Buchanan, a Connect for Success program educator at Salem High School, was named the recipient of the Salem Alliance For the Environment (SAFE) 2025 Local Climate Champion Award, announced SAFE Executive Director Bonnie Bain recently.
Collins Middle School ‘Gardeners’ Grow, Earn Plaudits at Topsfield Fair Competition
Collins Middle School special education grade 6-8 student gardeners received second place and third place ribbons for their produce submissions at the Topsfield Fair Junior Fruit and Vegetable Competition Oct. 2-12. CMS scholars won second place in the beets category and third place in the carrots category, which were grown over the spring and summer in garden beds outside the middle school. The honors marked the second straight year CMS students came away with awards.
The Salem News | Salem-born magician appears on Penn & Teller: Fool Us
Salem native, magician Evan Northrup (Salem High School Class of 2007), appeared Halloween night on the television series “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” to showcase his signature style of magic, blending storytelling and illusion. Northrup’s magic education started on the streets of Salem, where he was inspired by street performers’ abilities to dazzle audiences and hold their attention. This would push Northrup to study abroad in college and travel around Europe as a street performer, learning what it takes to create a trick that keeps audiences entertained.
The Salem Pantry will be distributing a limited number of turkeys -- 340 total -- Tuesday, Nov. 18 through Friday, Nov. 21, at 105 Congress Street (across from The Salem Pantry). On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Pantry, along with the United Way, will hand out an additional bags of food and gift cards.
For those not familiar with shopping at The Salem Pantry Market, families are permitted to shop once a week at its storefront located at 47 Leavitt Street.
For more information, contact The Salem Pantry at 978-552-3954 or via e-mail at info@thesalempantry.org, or visit its website.
The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) is offering two workshops to help families to understand and get the most out of their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs):
Navigating the IEP | Tuesday, Nov. 18 (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
- This workshop focuses on the new IEP form and how to use it as a roadmap for your student's success.
- REGISTER
Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP | Thursday, Nov. 20 (6:30-8:30 p.m.)
- This workshop provides a basic overview of the IEP, from its development to its key components, services, and goals.
- REGISTER
Earlier this month, letters were sent to several families alerting them that their children's immunization records are not current. If you received one of these letters, you must provide your school nurse with updated records indicating that your child has received all vaccines required for school attendance by Friday, Nov. 28. If your child's record is not up-to-date by the deadline, they may not return to school on Dec. 1 until we have proof that their immunization record is current and up-to-date. Please contact your child's school nurse with any questions or to share your plans for addressing this issue.
We are pleased to announce the publication of the November issue of our Nursing News. This important bulletin, prepared by the school nursing team, is filled with valuable health and safety information. Highlights in this issue include:
- Information on immunization requirements for school
- Educational resources for families living with epilepsy
- Details on a great program for kids with food allergies
- A tasty fall-themed snack
- Tips for wheeled sports helmet safety
Please take a few moments to review this valuable resource and stay informed.
Food and Nutrition Services is pleased to continue the Student Recipe Program in all cafeterias. Launched in 2024, the Student Recipe Program invites all students (and staff) to share favorite family recipes with Food and Nutrition Services at: recipes@salemk12.org.
Each month, the FNS team selects a recipe to taste test, and invites the student who submitted the recipe to join their school’s kitchen staff in preparing the dish.
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.