Salem School District -

This morning the Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem generously presented one of our students, Alexa, with her very own iPad to help enhance her communication skills. Along with the device, the club donated a gift card to enable her teachers to purchase the apps needed to work with her on this exciting new platform. We are so grateful for this amazing community support! ❤️ #CommunitySupport #Kiwanis #Communication #FalconPride #SalemSchoolFalcons

Considering our district's financial challenges, the Salem School District has worked diligently to control spending, make the most of our existing funds, and improve educational programming. To avoid increasing class size ranges and cutting essential programs, we are taking proactive steps, including: ✅ Adjusting salaries to align with comparable districts ✅ Reducing a position in the district office ✅ Balancing our class size ranges ✅ Making strategic staffing adjustments ✅ Evaluating and restructuring benefits, including insurance While these steps have helped reduce immediate financial pressures, they are not enough to ensure the long-term sustainability of our schools without additional funding. On April 1, our community will vote on a proposed operational referendum for the Salem School District. Find more information here: https://www.salem.k12.wi.us/page/salemreferendum2025

🍪🍰Would you like to help our 8th grade class raise funds for their class field trip to Great America? Next week, on January 27th and 28th, from 4pm-6pm, our 8th graders will be hosting a Bake Sale here at Salem during the basketball games! If you like to bake, they are accepting donations of baked goods (or store bought goods!😉) in the main office during the day on the 27th. If you don't want to bake or donate items, but would like to purchase a sweet treat in support of our 8th grade class, make sure to stop into the lobby outside of our North Gym that evening! Click here to sign up to volunteer or donate an item: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48AEA62CA7F9C43-54515068-8thgrade

Due to the extreme cold weather conditions, Salem School will be closed Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Please see your email for more information. All after school programs and activities at Salem are also canceled for tomorrow. Please stay safe & warm!

Mrs. Rynberg’s first graders are spreading love and kindness today❤️ #MLKday #choosekindnessandlove #ihaveadream #makeadifference #salemschoolfalcons

Volleyball Sign Up is Now Open! We are now accepting sign ups for Boys & Girls Volleyball for 6th - 8th graders. Please click on the boys or girls link below and fill out the google form in order to be added to our tryout rosters. *SIGN UP CLOSES FEBRUARY 3RD* Boys Volleyball Sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Hm9Jax5xgctlqMB28Di9QFGV66j2NpxFMVtkODcaBKQ/preview Girls Volleyball Sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cRJGxwv_hIeBVY16j6GOR-XVA3ZMP5j8V1tiEas7Bko/preview *PLEASE NOTE: If your athlete makes the team there is a mandatory $40 dollar athlete fee. This fee must be completed in order for them to continue participation within games and practices the rest of the season. (Payment can be paid through cash, check, or electronically on your student's account) Please also ensure participants have a current standing physical, emergency contact card (RED CARD), and a concussion form turned in to Mr. Willkomm or the main office. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to having these forms turned in. If you have participated in a previous sport (THIS YEAR) and have turned these in, you will not need any more paperwork. Red cards, physical forms, and concussion forms can be picked up in the school office or downloaded and printed from the Salem School District athletics webpage under "Forms".

Our next recipient of the Salem School Traveling Falcon Award is Mrs. Joan Perttula!!🏆 This special award celebrates the dedication and hard work of our amazing staff, who go above and beyond for our students every day.💙 "Joan has been an important member of the Salem Staff for many years. She is always willing to lend a helping hand. Joan's continued support and all of the help she provides is invaluable. I feel lucky to have her as a colleague and friend." - Jody Fuller Stay tuned for future recipients as our Falcon travels around the school and we continue to honor the outstanding efforts of our Salem staff! #FalconPride #SalemSchool #DedicatedStaff #TravelingFalconAward #Salemschoolfalcons

❄️Don't miss out—there's still time to join our Winter Enrichment Clubs! Explore the exciting options using the link below and sign up today! Chess Scholars Let's Code It STEAM Smart Start Art Healthy Habits Club https://drive.google.com/file/d/15kDHy2CCjjV4cdpRdhY_urLFWrPzgy5c/view?usp=sharing Enter course code of the program you wish to register for at https://www.learningmeansfun.com/signup.

At a Special Board meeting on Monday, the Salem Board of Education voted to place an operational referendum on the ballot for Tuesday, April 1, 2025. If it’s approved, the district will be able to raise its revenue limit by $2 million per year, through the 2027-2028 school year. With these funds, the district would prioritize: ⭐ Maintaining class size ranges: Remaining within class size ranges, ensuring students receive the attention and support they need to succeed academically. ⭐ Sustaining high-quality programming: Continue offering robust educational opportunities, including foundational programs in math, reading, and the arts. ⭐ Attracting & retaining high-quality educators: Ensuring we can find and keep exceptional teachers and staff who provide students with a top-quality educational experience. ⭐ Ensuring long-term financial stability: Avoiding significant budget cuts and a projected $2,000,000 deficit for the next school year, creating a sustainable path for the district's next three years. ⭐ Focusing on student success: Prioritizing educational outcomes by maintaining resources, tools, and support systems that help students thrive, especially in areas like reading and math. This referendum is necessary due to rising costs, an inequitable state school funding formula, and a lack of state aid to public schools in recent years. While we have worked to make budget reductions and make the most of every single dollar, we believe the time has come to find a more sustainable solution to our financial needs. We are committed to ensuring our Salem families and community members have all the information they need and have their questions answered ahead of election day. We have established a webpage with information and answers to FAQs. We will also be scheduling community chats, and hope that many of you will attend. Learn more here: https://www.salem.k12.wi.us/page/salemreferendum2025

Mrs. Fuller’s 8th grade math students took learning to the next level by creating engaging math posters! They presented their work to their peers, demonstrating the connections between their equations, graphs, tables, and patterns. Hands-on projects like this make math meaningful and show the real-world relationships behind the numbers! Great job, Falcons! 💡👏 #SalemSchoolFalcons #MathInAction #CollaborativeLearning #FalconPride

Spring Esports Registration is now open! Registration will run from January 13th to January 24th. Esports is available to students in grades 6-8. Use this link for more information and to sign your child up. If you have any questions please contact Mr. Cates at dan.cates@salem.k12.wi.us

A big thank you to Otus for treating our entire staff to a delicious Panera lunch today! 🥪🥗 Your generosity and support are so appreciated! We’re excited to have you here to chat about Otus at Salem with Dr. King and Mr. Velleux—conversations like these help us continue to grow and enhance learning experiences for our students. Thank you for fueling our team and supporting our mission! 💙 #SalemSchoolFalcons #TeacherAppreciation #OtusPartners #FalconPride

📚 Calling all Future Falcons: 4K & 5K Enrollment Opens Soon! Mark your calendars! Enrollment for 4K and 5K at Salem School opens January 27, 2025! 🏫 We’re excited to welcome the next class of lifelong learners to our Falcon family! For all the details, including enrollment requirements and important dates, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bqE9r8QfqAxf75mVbs1CV712zYksqMYy/view?usp=sharing We can’t wait to meet our newest students and their families! 💙 #SalemSchoolFalcons #FutureFalcons #EarlyLearning #LifelongLearners

🖌️Congratulations to our Yearbook Cover Contest Winners! 🎉 A big shoutout to 8th grader Sophia Pugel and 4th grader Amaiya Kehoe for their incredible designs that will be featured on this year’s yearbook covers! 📚🎨 Your creativity and talent are truly inspiring! A special thank you to Ms. Schopp and Ms. Stalker for hosting this exciting contest and showcasing our students' artistic talents. We can’t wait to see their artwork in print! 💙 #SalemSchoolFalcons #YearbookCoverWinners #StudentCreativity #FalconPride

🎨This year, 590 students in grades K-6 created amazing artwork for Salem's annual Square 1 Art fundraiser—all centered around how art can make a positive impact in the community. Each participant received a free sticker featuring their unique creation, and families had the opportunity to order personalized items like coffee mugs, sketchbooks, water bottles, ornaments, and tote bags featuring their child's artwork. Thanks to your incredible support, over 100 families placed orders, resulting in a profit of $1,506.17 donated to The Sharing Center! ❤️ Thank you to everyone who participated and helped turn creativity into community care! #SalemSchoolFalcons #Square1Art #CreativeGiving #FalconPride

📚 We loved welcoming our friends from Archwood Senior Living for our monthly visit before Winter Break. Our students and seniors shared stories, read holiday books, and enjoyed their time together!❤️Thank you, Archwood, for being part of our Salem family! #SalemSchoolFalcons #HolidayJoy #CommunityConnections

🚛 A huge thank you to Unhitched Dumpster Rental for making the 2nd Annual Holiday Toy Drive possible again this year, and giving us the chance to help spread some holiday cheer together. The joy was overflowing as Unhitched delivered an incredible amount of toys to the Ronald McDonald House—thanks to our amazing community! The staff was beyond thrilled by the generosity. ❤️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsTfEeIYats #CommunityKindness #UnhitchedHolidayToyDrive #FalconsGiveBack #SalemSchoolFalcons #RonaldMcDonaldHouseCharities

January’s Character Strong theme is Perseverance! 💪 This month, we’re focusing on the power of pushing through challenges, staying determined, and never giving up—even when things get tough. Let’s start the new year strong by showing grit and resilience in everything we do! View the January Newsletter here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zAD8qXySmKmaxJINTlLYhFuV8pMojGTq/view?usp=sharing #SalemSchoolFalcons #CharacterStrong #Perseverance #FalconForward

Our first 2025 recipient of the Salem School Traveling Falcon Award is Mrs. Jody Fuller!!🏆 This special award celebrates the dedication and hard work of our amazing staff, who go above and beyond for our students every day.💙 “Jody has been my unassigned mentor for years. When I stepped into the regular education world she supported me in becoming a homeroom teacher who is well organized and provides clear communication to families and team members. She has taught me that when you hold all kids to a high expectation they rise to the occasion. Jody also leads the student senate and National Junior Honor Society, where she brings so many important fundraisers to our school and develops important characteristics in our students. She is a thoughtful and compassionate friend and educator who I will always be thankful for, and who makes an impactful and lasting difference at Salem School.” - Jill Braun Stay tuned for future recipients as our Falcon travels around the school and we continue to honor the outstanding efforts of our Salem staff! #FalconPride #SalemSchool #DedicatedStaff #TravelingFalconAward #Salemschoolfalcons

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a great year ahead!🎉 Important Upcoming Dates: January 7th - PTO Meeting at 6:30pm January 10th - PTO Middle School Snowflake Dance - Buy Tickets Here or complete a paper form Paper Permission Slip: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/0bc87327-9270-47ce-80c1-4bb701645b4a https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEdknBc0nQGJ-Nkx7yj_BXF14VZeZsqp/view?usp=sharing January 13th - Student Work from Home Day January 23rd - End of 2nd Quarter January 23rd - Glow Reading Family Night Event at Salem (Literacy Night) 5pm- 6:30pm January 28th - Regular School Board Meeting at 6pm in the LGI January 30th - First Grade Music Concert #salemschoolfalcons #2025 #happynewyear