Town Government
New Salem School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Shannon White-Cleveland
New Salem is far too small to run a school district alone, so it runs one jointly with Wendell. About 140 students from both towns start their day at the Swift River School, from preschool through grade 6, and the person who answers for their schooling answers to two towns at once. Shannon White-Cleveland is Superintendent of Erving School Union 28, the shared office that administers the New Salem and Wendell district alongside Erving, Leverett, and Shutesbury. When students reach grade seven, they cross into Ralph C. Mahar Regional in Orange, a separate district under School Union 73 whose Superintendent is Elizabeth Zielinski. The Superintendent proposes the school budget, sets academic priorities, and is hired by and reports to the elected committee, which carries out an annual evaluation.
| Role | Superintendent of Schools, Erving School Union 28 (New Salem and Wendell district) |
|---|---|
| District | New Salem-Wendell Regional School District, DESE code 07280000 |
| Grades 7 to 12 | Ralph C. Mahar Regional, Orange (School Union 73), Superintendent Elizabeth Zielinski |
| Website | union28.org |
The School Committee
The New Salem-Wendell Regional School Committee has eight members, four elected by New Salem voters and four by Wendell, and it sets policy for the Swift River School, approves its budget, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent. Because the district is shared, this is a regional committee, elected by the voters of the two-town district rather than by New Salem alone. Nancy Slator, of New Salem, chairs the committee, and Anna Wetherby, of Wendell, serves as secretary.
Nancy Slator
Anna Wetherby
Steven Blinder
Barbara Doyle
Molly Rapp
Mandy Blackbird
Kate Woodward
Brandon Reed
Full roster and terms: the New Salem-Wendell School Committee at swiftriverschool.org.
The District at a Glance
- New Salem-Wendell district: 140 students, one school, preschool through grade 6.
- Grades 7 to 12: Ralph C. Mahar Regional in Orange, shared with Orange, Petersham, and Wendell.
- Per-pupil spending: $26,209.41 total in the elementary district.
- State data: DESE profile (code 07280000).
Meetings & Participation
- When: the committee meets through the school year at the Swift River School, and its agendas and minutes are posted online.
- Public comment: residents may address the committee with the chair’s permission. Check the agenda for sign-up details.
- Two rooms: elementary questions go to the New Salem-Wendell committee; junior high and high school questions go to the Ralph C. Mahar Regional committee.
- The budget: the school assessment still lands at Town Meeting, where every registered voter can vote on it.
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