UPDATED: Salem High School principal resigns

Mar. 6—SALEM — Salem High School Principal Samantha Meier has resigned, citing family reasons.

In a recent email to the school community, Meier said it's "with a heavy heart that I inform you that I will be leaving Salem High School at the end of this school year."

"The pandemic has brought changes for all of us," Meier said, "and at this time, I must do what is in the best interest of my family."

Meier joined Salem High as an interim principal in 2019, taking over after abrupt shifts in leadership, both there and in the district's central office. At the time, the city had just parted ways with former superintendent Margarita Ruiz, who had come under fire after announcing the abrupt resignation of a previous Salem High School principal and, at the same time, announcing she had already appointed an interim principal for the next 18 months.

Meier was appointed to be the permanent principal in April 2020, during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm proud of the work we've accomplished together — reopening school after the pandemic, expansion of workforce opportunities, increased access to early college and the implementation of a structured students support system," Meier wrote. "I have the utmost confidence that the faculty will continue to build on this important redesign work to positively impact our students."

Superintendent Stephen Zrike, who joined the district last July, said Meier has done "a strong job here, a great job here under very challenging circumstances."

"It's unfortunate that we're in this place of looking for a long-term principal for Salem High School, but it's important that there's a process and there are voices at the table," he said.

Meier on Friday declined further comment on her resignation except to expand briefly on her letter to the community.

"It's been a privilege to serve the Salem community," Meier said. "I'm looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things our students are going to accomplish."

Looking forward, Zrike said the search for a principal is coming at an opportune time. The district is now years into rewriting the high school experience through a redesign process that started under Ruiz. It has since progressed under three superintendents and four high school principals, beginning with David Angeramo in 2017.

Zrike said the principal job description also needs to be updated.

"Parts need to be rewritten because it doesn't speak to some of the newer aspects of the redesign, the early college work, the commitment to having workforce experience for students," Zrike said. "Some of the mental health supports they've begun to build over there have begun to take hold."

Zrike said he plans to announce more information next week about a forthcoming selection committee and how people can volunteer.

"I want to make sure we look at the job description carefully to make sure we can attract the strongest viable candidate out there. We're hoping to attract many talented and experienced leaders, and we want to have the voice of students, families, and our staff be part of the process."

The concept of education is also shifting as the city hits the one-year mark on the COVID-19 pandemic's far-reaching impacts. As the district seeks to bring more students back for in-person learning, there's a sense that the principal search needs the same face-to-face interactions to be successful, Zrike said.

"It's hard to take a job when you haven't really seen the school," he said, "and it's hard for people to have an opportunity to weigh in virtually."

Contact Dustin Luca at 978-338-2523 or DLuca@salemnews.com. Follow him at facebook.com/dustinluca or on Twitter @DustinLucaSN.