Salem Public Schools Weekly Update

December 2, 2022

SPS community,

We hope your family thoroughly enjoyed the Thanksgiving break! As we enter the holiday season, we hope that you and your family participate in the many events scheduled across our schools and the city. In our ongoing efforts to be an anti-racist and inclusive school system, we wanted to share how we approach the season. Above all, we want to create welcoming spaces that are aligned to our core values of equity and belonging by:

• Educating students about how people in our community celebrate holidays during the winter season and learning about their unique stories and traditions.
• Examining traditions through a lens of meaningful inclusivity; being willing to modify or dismantle school-based practices where certain students feel disconnected or excluded.

We believe that these practices are essential if we are to genuinely elevate the voices and experiences of all students and families so that all can enjoy the holiday season.

Have a terrific weekend,

Steve

At Salem Public Schools, we are recognizing one staff member a week who exemplifies our core values of celebrating differences, facilitating collaboration, fostering innovation, creating equity and access, growing all students, and upholding high standards for all. We are surprising a deserving SPS team member with a rock star trophy.

This week's rockstar is Ms. Shelby Pierce, Horace Mann special education teacher. Ms. Pierce and her team of paraprofessionals go above and beyond each day to provide a robust, individualized curriculum to each child. Ms. Pierce is a fierce advocate for inclusion with many of her students joining general education classes throughout the day. Ms. Pierce and her team have a can-do attitude and work to solve any and all problems with grace, patience, and flexibility. Bravo Ms. Pierce and team!

Please see the letter and informational flier here for details on this exciting opportunity.

As the calendar turns to December, many in healthcare warn of a possible “Tripledemic’ this winter. Covid-19, Influenza (the ‘flu’), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) have been discussed in the media, and understandably, families are concerned. Additionally, due to their high transmissibility rates, it is possible to get one, two, or even all three of these viruses simultaneously. This month’s ‘Health Matters’ explores the differences and similarities among these three common viruses and, most importantly, what you can do to keep your family healthy. You can read more about COVID-19, the Flu, and RSV on our website.

In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Salem State University and the Salem Human Rights Coalition are inviting Salem Public School students to participate in an essay writing contest!

Submit your one page essay on Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Monday, December 19! A winner from elementary, middle school, and high school will be notified and invited to the SSU annual MLK convocation and luncheon with the (to be announced) keynote speaker on January 23, 2023.

As winter approaches, we want to remind staff and families to be sure we have current contact information to reach you in the event that we have a cancellation or delay. Notifications will go out through ParentSquare via automated phone call, text, and email. It will also be posted on our website as well as social media and local TV channels. We do not have the option of remote instruction in the event of a closure.

The MCJROTC cadets are hosting a Toys 4 Tots drive to provide gifts for Salem families in need this Christmas. There are donation boxes located by the SHS main entrance, as one at the SHS JROTC Command Post, and the main entrances at Collins Middle School and Witchcraft Heights Elementary School. Any new, unwrapped toys (for newborns up to age 12) would be greatly appreciated. Help get these kids in need something to open Christmas morning. Please get the word out so we can make this toy drive a success!

This toy drive will end December 19th. If any family would like this support, please contact your student's school with a total number of children, ages and gender.

The City’s Scholarship & Education Committee has extended the grant application period for educators and other qualifying applicants to seek a micro-grant from the Salem Education Fund. Applications are being accepted through December 5th. Per state law these grants can be used “to provide supplemental education funding for local educational needs and to provide funding for existing adult literacy programs” that serve Salem students/residents.

Application form: https://www.salemma.gov/scholarship-and-education-committee/links/education-fund-application.

Previous grant awards: https://www.salemma.gov/scholarship-and-education-committee/news/salem-scholarship-education-committee-awards-education-fund and https://www.salemma.gov/scholarship-and-education-committee/news/salem-scholarship-education-committee-awards-five-education.

For more information about the committee, please visit https://www.salemma.gov/scholarship.

Welcome to the Virtual Backpack. This is a space where we will place items that in the past may have been a flyer in your student's backpack from friends and partners to SPS.

A reminder that ParentSquare is the district platform for communication. You will receive communication from the district, your school, and your student's classroom all in one space. You can communicate 1-to-1 with teachers, sign up for parent-teacher conferences, and more.

This is how our school and teachers communicate with families districtwide. Please be sure you are receiving messages from ParentSquare. If need support downloading the app or receiving messages, please contact your school's front office. You can visit www.parentsquare.com for more information.