Maxwell's Market officially opened for business in our Agricultural Science class! Students were tasked with designing a farm that incorporates sustainable practices and selecting products they could sell at the farmer’s market. While the market was open, students took turns playing the roles of sellers and buyers.
This hands-on activity allowed students to learn about key aspects of running an agricultural business, including marketing, customer service, and record-keeping. Now, they’re analyzing their expenses and revenue to determine whether they made a profit.
Congratulations to Salem 11th grader Adreana Nason for her 3rd place finish at the 2025 NYS SkillsUSA Area 3 Competition! In addition, she has been selected to attend the upcoming NYS SkillsUSA event as a delegate. Adreana competed in the Food Preparation Basic category and is enrolled in the Culinary Arts Career and Technical Education (CTE) program through our partnership with WSWHE BOCES.
CTE programs provide students with practical, job-relevant skills and knowledge that prepare them for the workforce while they explore various career paths based on their interests. In the Culinary Arts program, Adreana is gaining hands-on experience in industry-standard practices such as kitchen basics, safety and sanitation, purchasing and inventory control, customer service, and food cost management.
On Saturday, the Classes of 2027 and 2028 volunteered their time to support this year's April Fool's Race! This annual event featured 5K, 10K, and 1-mile runs through our beautiful and historic town, with all races starting and finishing at the Salem Washington Academy building.
Proceeds from the race will benefit the Historic Salem Courthouse and provide funding for future events for the Classes of 2027 and 2028. We are so proud of our students for helping make this community tradition successful!
Our students had an amazing time at the Bancroft Public Library, enjoying a lively community concert by the talented Abby Posner!
This concert is part of a special series presented by The Historic Salem Courthouse, with support from Caffe Lena On the Road and a grant. It is designed to bring together Salem’s older generations and our students through the magic of folk music.
We're excited to share that student groups from 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and the high school chorus will be taking part in future concerts! Stay tuned for more! Visit www.salemcourthouse.org for all the details on upcoming performances.
In Mrs. Bourgeois' kindergarten class, students read The Mitten by Jan Brett and got creative by designing their own pairs of mittens. What they didn’t know was that Mrs. Carney, one of our dedicated aides, collected their designs and knitted custom mittens modeled after each student's unique creation! The students were amazed to see their colorful designs transformed into real mittens. This special project showcased the power of collaboration between staff and students, making the experience even more meaningful. Thank you, Mrs. Carney!
The Cambridge Lions Club and the KidSight Program teamed up with Salem CSD to offer vision screenings for students in preschool through first grade, as well as all students in the focus room. Our students enjoyed learning about their eyesight and sharing their results.
Early vision screenings are essential for identifying potential issues early, allowing for timely treatment and minimizing any impact on children’s development and learning. At Salem, we are dedicated to fostering an academic environment that empowers all students to reach their full potential. By addressing these issues early on, we help set students up for success, supporting them in achieving their goals and dreams.
We are grateful to our partners for helping prioritize student health and well-being!
A huge thank you to everyone who came to see our 6th graders' performance of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids! This musical was a true team effort, with students and staff working together on everything from costumes to stage production.
It is amazing what we can accomplish when we collaborate to support our students and community. We’re proud of our students for their hard work and grateful to our community and staff for their continued support.
As part of our exciting partnership with Sweethearts & Heroes, their team of superheroes visited our students and educators to teach them how to apply compassion and empathy both in and out of the classroom. Through their regular visits, Sweethearts & Heroes provide students at all levels with tailored lessons that help them develop and access their natural ability to care for others. Their school-wide assemblies, open conversations with students, and staff training sessions have played a key role in fostering a considerate and connected school community. We are enthusiastic about the positive impact this partnership has brought to our school!
Preparations are underway for the 2025-2026 Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Orientation program! Be sure to mark your calendars with the important dates and get all the details on how to register by visiting this link: https://shorturl.at/aAEq4
If you have a child entering Pre-K or Kindergarten this September, please contact the elementary office at (518) 854-9505 as soon as possible to provide the necessary information. We can’t wait to welcome your
student to our school!
As part of our exciting partnership with Sweethearts & Heroes, their team of superheroes visited our students and educators to teach them how to apply compassion and empathy both in and out of the classroom. Through their regular visits, Sweethearts & Heroes provide students at all levels with tailored lessons that help them develop and access their natural ability to care for others. Their school-wide assemblies, open conversations with students, and staff training sessions have played a key role in fostering a considerate and connected school community. We are enthusiastic about the positive impact this partnership has brought to our school!
The Salem Central School District’s 6th Grade Drama Club proudly presents Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids!
When a litter of Dalmatian puppies is kidnapped by Cruella De Vil’s minions for her luxurious fur coat, it’s up to the dogs, their families, and the community to come together and save the puppies from tragedy. This heartwarming story emphasizes teamwork, determination, and courage, all valuable lessons that our students will embody as they bring Disney’s beloved animated classic to life.
Join us for two exciting performances, both starting at 7 p.m. on March 7th and 8th. Tickets are $5 each and will be available at the door. The PTA will provide concessions and Laura's Garden will provide flowers for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Drama Club. Don't miss the opportunity to support our students while they showcase their talents!
We are 100 days smarter! To celebrate, our students created crafts and participated in a scavenger hunt to find 100 pictures of Elementary School Principal Mr. Switzer around the school.
The tradition of celebrating 100 days was started to help students grasp the concept of the number 100. It also serves as a time to reflect on how much progress we've made since the start of the school year. From learning to read to exploring career choices, our students have grown in many ways, making decisions that will empower them to achieve their goals and dreams.
The School's Cool Book Bag Program for PreK and Kindergarten launched this month! Our students were thrilled to receive their first bags filled with books to enjoy with their families, either by listening or reading together. Each month, new books will be added to the bags to keep the excitement for reading alive. Parents, if you have a child in PreK or Kindergarten, we encourage you to share the joy of reading with them! Your involvement is key in helping your child develop a lifelong passion for reading.
Thank you to all our community members who joined us for the Winter Carnival, hosted by the Salem Washington Academy Classes of 2028 and 2027! We had a great time playing games, sampling delicious treats, and connecting with students and alumni from all generations of SWA. It’s always such a pleasure to welcome the community into our school and create memories together!
We have reached the end of our month of READ for Ronald McDonald House Charities. During this time, our team raised over $2,000, which will help provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children require healthcare. This important work is made possible through donations and the dedication of volunteers who assist families facing a medical crisis.
Participants, please return your envelopes and donations to Mrs. Junco so we can send them to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Congratulations to our 24 students whose short stories were selected by the Young Writers program to appear in their upcoming publication, Fright Club: Nightmare Tales! The Young Writers program received over 50,000 entries for the contest.
In October, students both in and out of Ms. Corr’s class worked with her to create their submissions. We are proud of our students for the hard work they put into their stories—it paid off! The publication will be hitting the shelves at the end of April.
Today is the day! ParentSquare is now the official source of school-to-home communication in the Salem Central School District.
Learn more about ParentSquare: https://www.salemcsd.org/article/1910349
The annual READ fundraiser to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities programs is kicking off this Wednesday! Salem CSD students are invited to help raise money by simply reading!
Here’s how it works: students can ask friends, family, and community members to pledge a certain amount for the time they spend reading throughout the fundraiser. Each day, students will track their reading time and collect pledges based on their total at the end of the month. Learn more about how you can contribute and get involved here: https://give.rmhcofalbany.org/team/610750
You may have heard recently that ParentSquare will become the primary source of district, school, grade level and classroom communications at Salem Central School District on Monday, January 6th. This means SchoolMessenger, Apptegy, and Thrillshare Rooms will no longer be active when students return to school from holiday break. We will be sharing messages using only ParentSquare.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to explore ParentSquare, I encourage you to check your email for instructions to activate your account and sign in for the first time. You may choose to use a computer or the free ParentSquare app on your smartphone to access the platform.
If you are looking for more information about ParentSquare, please visit our district website, www.salemcsd.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email helpdesk@salemcsd.org or call the Main Office at (518) 854-6000 for help.
We look forward to communicating with you through ParentSquare!
Support a great cause with beautiful flowers! The Backpack Program at Salem CSD has been selected as a nonprofit partner in the Hannaford Bloomin' 4 Good Program Program for January 2025. The Backpack Program provides students experiencing food insecurity with nutritious meals and snacks when school meals are unavailable and is fully funded by donations.
For every specially marked Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet sold at the Hannaford in Greenwich (1165 Route 29) during the month of January, the Backpack Program will receive a $1 donation. Your purchase will directly support local students in need, providing them with needed food and resources. Shop for a good cause!
