Families

Why Choose Salem

Salem Public Schools aspires to ensure that all students are prepared to achieve and inspired to learn. Our vision is that all students will be locally engaged, globally-connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world.

We serve close to 4000 students who speak more than 34 different languages coming from 37 different countries. More than 50% of our students identify as Hispanic, Black, Asian, or Multi-Racial while just under 50% of our students identify as White. Over 60% of our students come from low-income households, 21% are students with disabilities, and 14% are English language learners.

Under the leadership of Superintendent Stephen Zrike, our district is vibrant, collaborative, and driven to succeed.

About Salem Massachusetts

Salem, Massachusetts, is a historic seacoast community located 15 miles north of Boston with a culturally diverse population of 42,000. Salem is a growing, culturally diverse city with a rich literary, architectural, maritime, and immigrant history, including its role in the 17th~century Salem Witch Trials.~ In the 19th~century it was one of the most important seaports in the country. Today it is a lively destination with numerous recreational and cultural attractions that draws people from around the world.

2022-2023 School Arrival and Dismissal Times

Student Work Permits

Salem youth may pick up and submit a work permit at the high school’s main office. Work permit applications may also be downloaded and returned to SHS. Work permits are issued only after a student has proof of an offer for employment. Applications must be filled out entirely before a permit is issued. For 14 and 15-year-olds, this includes physician, employer, and parent/guardian signatures. A physician’s signature is not required for work permit applicants who are 16 and 17. In addition, proof of age (birth certificate, passport, immigration record, or Massachusetts Identification) is also required.

All teens under 18 years of age must complete a work permit application and get a work permit before starting a new job. Please see the complete summary of the Massachusetts laws regulating child labor, including changes made in 2007, for further information. With working permits, students ages 14 and 15 may engage in certain non-hazardous work but may not work before 7:00 AM or after 7:00 PM. Students aged 16 and 17 may engage in certain specified non-hazardous work but may not work before 6 AM or after 10 PM, except if employed in restaurants where they can work until but not after 12 midnight on Fridays, Saturdays, or during school vacation periods.

With very limited exceptions, minors under the age of 14 may not work. All minors under the age of 18 must complete an employment permit application and get their permit before starting a new job. You can download the Youth employment permit application and Youth Permit Process. You can also access these forms in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

For minors who are residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, permits are issued by the superintendent of schools for the municipality where the minor lives or attends school. If the minor lives outside the Commonwealth, the permit is issued by the superintendent in the community where the minor’s job will be located.

Minors must provide the specific employer, work address, and job description to receive a permit.

Child labor law covers minors who are no longer students in the same way as students of the same age.

Teen workers can visit the OSHA website to learn more about their rights and employer’s responsibilities.

If you have questions or need assistance regarding work permits, please call 978-746-9300