Principal's Page
July 2025
Dear Salem Families,
Although a few days have already passed since the last day of school, I couldn’t let the moment slip away without reflecting on what an incredible year we’ve had. And WOW—what a year it’s been! We truly lived up to our theme: “Reopened with Purpose, Thriving with Excellence.”
We kicked off the year with a spectacular 20th Year Reopening Celebration in September. It was such a special event that many of our 5th graders named it one of their favorite Salem memories in their yearbook! We honored our past—welcoming members of the Salem Class of 1951 and Dr. Shields—and celebrated how far we’ve come as a thriving, connected school community that deeply cares for one another.
This year, we also hosted our very first Culture Night, a vibrant evening that reminded us just how beautiful it is when we celebrate our differences. We “traveled” the world together, enjoying incredible food, arts and crafts, and performances that reflected the rich cultural diversity of our school. The energy that night was absolutely electric and hard to put into words!
We closed out the year with the installation of our stunning new mural, “Kindness is for Everyone,” a project created by our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students. This mural not only highlights one of our core Salem ROCKS values—Kindness—but also beautifully represents the many languages and cultures that make up our Salem family. It is a lasting symbol of who we are and what we believe in.
And of course, we can’t forget all of our beloved traditions and programs—from the 2nd Grade Circus to Alvin Ailey, the Mosaic Project, Hip Hop dance programs, the Read-a-Thon, and One School, One Book. Salem continues to be a place full of enriching, engaging, and joyful learning experiences. We should all be proud of what we’ve accomplished together!
To our 5th grade students and families moving on from Salem: I wish you nothing but the very best. As I shared in my Moving Up speech—you will always be part of the Salem family, and I will always be here for you.
I’m already looking forward to another amazing year ahead, filled with new memories, milestones, and moments of joy. But until then, I wish each and every one of you a summer full of rest, laughter, and doing the things you love most.
Warmly,
Dr. Ferrante
Summer 2024
Dear Salem Families,
I am beyond excited to welcome all of our new Salem families and welcome back our returning ones! As most of you know, last year was simply amazing and as Salem does best, we rocked commUNITY! This year we celebrate twenty years since our reopening in 2004. Back then, we reopened with purpose and now we are thriving with excellence! Salem is a unique and special place. I am proud to be part of what we have built...we truly are a family. We will stay focused on our purpose of making learning fun while always striving for excellence by educating the whole child and ensuring each and every person is seen and heard.
Ms. Hansen, Ms. Oldak, Nurse Costello, the custodians, the H.S.A. presidents and I have been working hard over the summer to ensure a smooth start and an exciting year! We have planned for grade level and school wide programs and have continued our commitment to provide enriching experiences that go beyond the traditional curriculum for every grade level. Thanks to the Ed Foundation and HEARTS grants as well as the H.S.A. funding, we will have programs such as Storytime Theater, the Circus, Alvin Ailey, HipHop Fundamentals and much more. It is going to be a great year where we continue to build our commUNITY.
We are continuing our character development program called Salem R.O.C.K.S. The core values the program focuses on are Respect, Outreach, Compassion, Kindness, and Sensitivity. It is our hope that as a community, both in school and at home, we will teach and model these values to our children. In addition, we will continue to teach our children how to Recognize, Understand, Label, Express and Regulate (R.U.L.E.R) their emotions through various lessons and strategies.
For some of you, this is the first time you are sending your child to Salem, and for others, this is the last year you will be with us. Each year brings on different emotions, milestones, and growth. Embrace the journey in each of these years.
I am looking forward to a wonderful year ahead! Salem ROCKS commUNITY!
With excitement and enthusiasm,
Dr. Ferrante