Z, Y, and X kicked off our ABC Countdown today! There were many zebras, cozy yoga clothes and even some pirates spotted around school today! We loved seeing all of the Salem Spirit😍
May 8th - 12th is Teacher Appreciation Week!
On Thursday, May 11th, we are hosting Self Care Day for our staff, with snacks and a relaxing Yoga session after school! We'd love help providing healthy snacks in the Teacher's Workroom during the day for our staff! If you'd like to donate a healthy snack, please sign up below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f48aea62ca7f9c43-healthy#/
Thank you for helping us celebrate our Salem Staff!
We are very excited to introduce Mr. Ben Holzem, who has been hired as the new 4K - 8 Salem School Principal! Please help us welcome him to the Salem Family!
"I began my career in education as a bilingual special education teacher for Milwaukee Public schools on the South Side of Milwaukee. As time went on, I found myself serving in teacher-leader roles. This eventually led to me becoming a school administrator.
For nearly 20 years I have worked in urban, suburban and rural settings. I have found that engaged students are students who have a reason to be in school. This ends up making school a positive environment that builds successful outcomes for students.
I received my master’s degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and am in the process of earning my Doctor of Education from Edgewood College. My research has been focused on the expansion of STEAM (science-technology-engineering-arts & mathematics) and career and technical education programs in school.
I am also a believer in the transformative power of relationships combined with clear, fair expectations and transparent communication. Above all else I believe that EVERY student can find success in education. It is up to us to unite as a team to direct our energies toward advancing the prospects of our students on a student-by-student basis.
Ana and I have been married for 17 years. We have a Daughter named Liesel who keeps us busy with sports, dance, music, school programs and various life adventures. Ana came from Guatemala when she was a little girl and grew up running her family restaurant with her parents—a job she still has.
I enjoy activities that challenge me to push my limits. I am an avid racer of vintage sports cars (see pictures) and typically race at road racing circuits like Road America and Blackhawk Farms. I also enjoy running and compete in 5Ks throughout our area. I love to travel, read and spend time with my family and friends.
Beyond this, I can usually be found engaging with staff, students and parents at school. I really do love my job and look forward to meeting you. I invite you to ask questions and share your ideas, or simply to stop by and say hello. I am honored to be your school principal and look forward to getting to know you all!"
Reminder: Today is the last day to sign up to be a part of the Salem group attending this event! Use the link below to sign up!
As a part of our Strategic Plan, we are focused on promoting a culture of service and civic responsibility at Salem. The Citizens Advisory Committee is focusing on providing opportunities for students, staff and Salem families to engage in community service projects, like the Salem Lakes Spring Cleanup in May! We would love to get a big group of Salem School students and families together to attend this event and help clean up our community!
The cleanup is organized by Mr. Allen Dunski and will take place on Saturday, May 20th, 2023 at 10am, beginning at Fox River Park.
All students participating in the cleanup event must have an adult present with them at all times. Please sign up below by May 1st if you plan to attend so that we can let Mr. Dunski know how many to expect in our Salem group.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/tzr6yikQiCe8FcxU9
View the Facebook Event Here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1906700576360037
The ABC Countdown begins tomorrow! 😎
Show your spirit at school by dressing up with the theme of the day to help us countdown to summer break!☀️Tomorrow, choose from Zebra Day, Yoga Day, or X Marks the Spot!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/154mJjm1kxPadQMC5CpVQk1kONFXd3s2J/view?usp=share_link
#salemschoolfalcons #salemspirit #falconpride #abccountdown #countdowntosummer #themedays #showusyoursalemspirit #salemtradition
Our Pre-K Falcons are soaring over the rainbow! 🌈
April is National Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month! Our Salem Staff wore Autism Awareness shirts every Friday in the month of April to celebrate our students💙
#worldautismmonth #togetherwestandforaworldofdifference
Second graders are learning about jobs in our community!
Today in Mrs. Velleux's classroom Michael's mom, Mrs. Kneeland, presented to the class about her engineering job. The students were especially excited about the experiment involving static electricity!
In Mrs. Bruni's classroom Owen's mom, Mrs. Killham, shared with the class all about being a real estate agent!
A huge thank you to our wonderful Salem family volunteers!
Fourth grade celebrated being finished with Forward testing by eating lunch with their teachers, ordering Subway, and a longer recess! Happy Friday, Falcon Families!
It's camping season in 4K!! ⛺🔦🎒🐻🌳
Ms. McGrath's fifth grade students had fun reviewing for their Unit 6 Post-Assessment in math with Geometry Vocabulary BINGO!
Fun in 5K with rainforest research writing , measurement centers, word families, and making rainforest animal crowns! Love their enthusiasm for learning! ❤️
Ms. Schmidt's 5th graders did a fun activity to help them learn all about how the King and Parliament collected taxes unfairly from the colonists!!
It's time to announce one of our absolute favorite Salem traditions, the ABC Countdown! Beginning May 1st, and ending on the last day of school, June 2nd, show your spirit at school by dressing up with the theme of the day to help us countdown to summer break!😎☀️
#salemschoolfalcons #salemspirit #falconpride #abccountdown #countdowntosummer #themedays #showusyoursalemspirit #salemtradition
As part of Mrs. Bruni's second grade reading unit they are learning about different jobs in the community. They had a special guest, Mrs. Gosdeck, who came in to share information about being a nurse!
Last week, fourth grade classes virtually visited a dairy farm! Their classes "adopted" calves at the beginning of the year and have been following their growth and learning about dairy farms. It was so cool to ask questions and see their cows live!
Since April is Stress Awareness Month, it’s a good time to evaluate your current stress level. Stress is an unavoidable, normal response to a change — even a positive change can be stressful.
Stress can manifest physically, such as:
Aches and pains
Muscle tension
Digestive or sleeping issues
High blood pressure
Stress can also manifest mentally in anxiety, depression, and irritability. These stress responses need to be managed with good amounts and types of sleep, food, and exercise. Saying “no” to extra responsibilities and “yes” to relaxing, healthy activities can also counter stress.
If you or a loved one are struggling with stress, we’re here to help. Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by Salem School District, can quickly find a mental health care or substance use treatment provider for you.
Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
Visit caresolace.com/salem and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
As a district, we are committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you manage or cope with your stress.
The second grade classes each participated in an Earth Day cleanup on Friday! Gloves were provided and each class collected enough garbage on the school grounds to fill a big bag! Great job Falcons!
#EarthDay2023 #investinourplanet #cleanup #salemschoolfalcons #secondgrade
And the PTO Pie in the Face Contest WINNERS are....
Mr. Cates and Mr. Zielke!!
Make sure you attend the PTO Spring Dinner this Saturday at Salem to see our brave winners get a pie in the face! Thank you to everyone who brought their coins in to vote this week!
In honor of Earth Day, Kindergarten students are learning ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle! This week, Mrs. Culotta's class recycled their broken crayons and melted them down to make brand new multi-colored crayons!
