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Salem High says college applications and counselor contacts rose; district outlines summer supports to prevent 'summer melt'
Summary
Salem High reported higher application rates and counselor outreach: 88% of college‑bound students applied to three or more colleges and 95% of seniors had met with counselors at least twice; the district plans targeted summer check‑ins, a tracking dashboard and a mentoring pilot to boost FAFSA completion and matriculation.
At the May 11 Salem School Committee meeting, Principal Glenn Burns and Megan Souza, director of the College and Career Center, told the committee that Salem High has increased students' access to advanced coursework and postsecondary planning and that outcomes this year show more students applying to and being accepted at a broader range of colleges.
Burns said the district recorded that 88% of college‑bound students applied to three or more colleges and that counselor‑student engagement targets were being met: "95% of seniors have met with their counselors more than once," he said. Megan Souza noted a 50% FAFSA match in the DESE portal but said a number of completed FAFSA and MASFA forms are not appearing in the state portal; counselors are working with DESE to reconcile those records.
To reduce summer melt — students accepted to college who do not matriculate — the district will expand summer outreach by having counselors and staff make personalized text and phone check‑ins, implement a spreadsheet and dashboard to track commitments and deadlines, and pilot a mentoring program with the Latino Coalition to support first‑generation college students. Burns said counselors will send individualized reminders and will follow up by phone if students do not respond.
Committee members asked about assignment of counselors over the summer and the intensity of follow‑up; district staff said they will try to keep familiar counselors where possible and will escalate issues to the leadership team if additional support is needed. The district said it will continue to collect exit‑survey data and to build a data dashboard that aggregates application outcomes and financial aid offers to better advise families on affordability.
The update was presented as part of the superintendent's report and the committee offered praise for counseling outreach and requested continued attention to FAFSA tracking and family outreach.
