Salem Public Schools — Admin hiring

The admin-hiring picture for Salem Public Schools opened in September 2025, when the School Committee approved a 7% salary increase for Superintendent Stephen Zrike. The raise was described as covering three years in which the committee had not conducted the contract's annual compensation discussion.

In March 2026, the district moved into a leadership transition. The Committee appointed Deputy Superintendent Kate Carbone as interim superintendent at an annualized $245,000 and Assistant Superintendent Pauley as interim deputy superintendent at an annualized $205,000, with both appointments effective March 27 through July 31. At the same time, the Committee launched a permanent superintendent search, forming an ad-hoc search subcommittee and a community screening committee and retaining the Collins Center for Public Management as search consultant.

By June 2026, the search had advanced to finalist stage, with the committee naming Jorge S. Allen, Andrew Bott, and Thomas Welch as the three finalists. Public forums and School Committee interviews were planned, though the reviewed archive does not establish a final selection.