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Salem School Committee approves lease policy revisions after public comments from faith groups
Summary
The Salem School Committee on June 2 approved a second reading of Policy 3204 governing leases and rentals of school facilities and referred long-term lease matters to the buildings and grounds subcommittee after public comment from local religious leaders and discussion among committee members.
The Salem School Committee on June 2 approved a second reading of Policy 3204, the district's policy on leasing and rental of school facilities, after hearing public comment from local religious leaders who urged continued access to school spaces for community and faith-based programs. The meeting took place at 29 Highland Avenue, Room 227, and on Zoom.
The vote to approve the policy came after more than an hour of public comment and a staff presentation detailing existing licenses, memoranda of understanding and lease arrangements with community partners, including Angela's Daycare, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem, the YMCA, LEAP for Education and Pathways. The committee also voted to refer long-term lease matters to the buildings and grounds subcommittee for further review.
Member Cornell, a school committee member, said the committee must preserve a separation between public-school operations and religious organizations even as it recognized community partners’ contributions. "It is the responsibility of the school committee to represent all public school students and families who should have the expectation that the work of churches remain separate from the work of Salem Public Schools," Cornell said during the discussion.
Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth provided an overview of the district's current agreements. She told the committee that agreements vary: some are active and include fees (for example, an after-school agreement from an RFP that set a monthly payment), others are expired but continued in practice, and some (Angela's Daycare) were renewed and include nonmonetary benefits to the district such as subsidized childcare for staff and work‑based learning opportunities for CTE students. "We are responsible in Salem Public Schools for all repairs, including snow removal, lawn maintenance, custodial and utilities for this partner," Elizabeth said when describing Angela's Daycare's license.
Committee members expressed both appreciation for community organizations and a desire for clearer, consistent processes. Member Cruz moved and Member Campbell seconded a referral of "all matters related to long term leases within the district" to the buildings and grounds subcommittee; the motion carried. Committee members asked staff to return data on program utilization (for example, how many staff and students benefit from Angela's Daycare's subsidized slots) and to bring recommended processes for reviewing or re-bidding leases to the subcommittee.
Several pastors and faith leaders spoke during public comment asking that religious organizations be allowed to continue offering programs in school facilities. Kendra Key, a pastor who said her congregation meets at Salem High School and hopes to launch a Salem campus, described plans to support the district by donating equipment and partnering on student learning. Alicia, a pastor and Salem resident, described her own experience and urged the committee to consider faith communities as one of many partners that provide support and outlets for students.
The committee's actions at the meeting were procedural: approval of Policy 3204 (second reading) and approval of Policy 6402 (time and location of school committee meetings) were both taken by roll call verbally with "all in favor" recorded; specific tallies were not provided on the record. The committee agreed to bring lease and MOU review into formal subcommittee work so rates, RFP processes and space-utilization priorities can be assessed ahead of upcoming facilities decisions tied to district enrollment growth and the new high school project.
Committee members asked staff to produce comparisons of fair-market rental rates and to present a process for when leases should be bid versus when licensures or MOUs are more appropriate. Superintendent Dr. Zweig and staff said they would coordinate with facilities staff and the buildings and grounds subcommittee to prepare that work.
The committee approved the referral to the buildings and grounds subcommittee and approved Policy 3204 and Policy 6402 on second reading without recorded individual vote tallies; the meeting minutes show the motions carried.
