After serving as deputy superintendent for nine years, Kate Carbone became the Interim Superintendent of Salem Public Schools effective Mar. 30 for the duration of the search process for a permanent superintendent.
Committed to ensuring that all students receive a high quality experiences no matter what school or classroom to which students are assigned to, Ms. Carbone has put considerable effort toward building systems and structures to support and enhance instruction and student supports.
Prior to coming to Salem, Ms. Carbone directed the state’s system of urban district assistance at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) and also served as the Chief Academic Officer for the Triton Regional School District.
Ms. Carbone began her career in Providence, R.I., where she spent 15 years in roles that included middle school English teacher and middle and high school principal. She holds a master’s degree in School Leadership from Boston University, a master’s degree in Secondary Teaching from Rhode Island College, and a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Providence College.
Media
- The Salem News | Salem deputy superintendent Kate Carbone appointed as interim superintendent
- The Patch (Mar. 9, 2026) | Salem Interim Superintendent Named, Timeline To Fill Permanent Position Set
2025-26 School Committee Evaluations of Dr. Stephen Zrike
‘We are all educators’: About Dr. Stephen Zrike
Dr. Zrike came to us from Holyoke Public Schools, serving as Receiver/Superintendent. He previously served as the Superintendent of Schools in Wakefield, Massachusetts, and Chief of Elementary Schools for the Pilsen-Little Village Network in the Chicago Public Schools. He led the instructional improvement efforts for 26 schools and approximately 18,000 students.
In addition to his experience in Chicago, Dr. Zrike also served the Boston Public Schools as the turnaround principal of the William Blackstone Elementary School, an inquiry facilitator and leadership coach for four Boston schools, and as principal of both the William Ohrenberger Elementary School and John Philbrick Elementary School. As a fifth-grade teacher, Dr. Zrike’s teaching career began in Massachusetts’ Andover Public School District. He received his doctorate from the Urban Superintendents’ Program and his Master’s Degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Zrike also holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dartmouth College.
