Salem district outlines strategic priorities, cites PRISM and CPPI grants for early literacy and preschool

The superintendent told the Salem School Committee on Aug. 18 that the district is entering the third year of its strategic plan and will maintain three priorities for the upcoming school year: academic monitoring and lesson internalization, empowering educators through meaningful feedback and recruitment/retention of educators of color, and centering belonging with an emphasis on social-emotional learning and postsecondary planning.

The superintendent said the district received a Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grant at the full amount for which it applied, and that the district was awarded a PRISM grant administered by the state Department of Education. Deputy Superintendent Kate Carboni said the PRISM award was initially larger than the amount the district received in the first disbursement; staff reported the district received slightly more than $800,000 after state revision and was asked to reduce the budget by about 30 percent, with the remainder expected from DESE in late October.

District leaders said PRISM will focus on early literacy and set a long-term goal tied to grant expectations: district staff described the state’s PRISM goal as 80 percent proficiency in foundational skills by 2029 for grant recipients. The district reported it will partner with TNTP through PRISM to deepen foundational literacy instruction.

The superintendent presented the district’s theme for the year, “I am somebody,” and read an excerpt from a student speaker used to introduce the theme. The district said it will share updates on PRISM-supported work through the school year.