Salem Superintendent Steve Zrike Named MA Secretary Of Education

SALEM, MA — Salem Superintendent of Schools Steve Zrike is leaving the district after six years to become the next Massachusetts Secretary of Education.

Gov. Maura Healey announced late Tuesday afternoon that Zrike was chosen to replace departing Secretary of Education Patrick Tutweiler, effective on Friday. Zrike is expected to transition to the new position in March.

"I look forward to continuing to work alongside students, parents and educators across the state to ensure every student has the support and opportunities they need to succeed," Zrike said in a statement on Tuesday. "I will miss working with Salem's students, educators and families. They lessons they have taught me over the past six years will be central to how I lead as secretary."

Zrike leaves amid his second contract with the district after coming to Salem from Holyoke in the months prior to the COVID-19 health crisis. He led the district through improvements in attendance and state test scores, and leaves as the city looks for voters to pass a $239 million tax override to fund the new Salem High School that he championed since early in his tenure.

He also oversaw several changes within the district, including the consolidation of middle school grades from Saltonstall School at Collins Middle School and the reconfiguration of elementary schools, effective this coming fall.

"As a former mayor of Salem, I know firsthand what a strong partner he is for our students, teachers and parents," said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, "and I am confident his leadership will strengthen education across our state and build on the great work fro the last three years."

Gov. Healey said Zrike has a "proven track record of improving learning for thousands of students across our state and the country" and that he "has changed lives and inspired those he works with."

Zrike said it has been an "honor and a privilege" to serve Salem students and families and that he will continue to champion Salem student success and support the Witch City on the state level.

"It is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to a community that has been my home — a community where, together, we have accomplished so much over the past six years," he said. "I am proud of the progress we have made to enhance the student experience: expanding dual-language programming, growing our early college and advanced placement offerings, more than doubling preschool and pre-kindergarten seats, creating a more innovative middle school experience, negotiating a teacher contract that allows for more competitive educator wages, reducing chronic absenteeism to better-than-pre-pandemic levels, developing a strategic plan focused on post-pandemic recovery, and securing Massachusetts School Building Authority support for a new high school."

Salem School Committee member Beth Anne Cornell said the Committee intends to name an interim superintendent at its next meeting as it begins the search for Zrike's permanent replacement.

"While we are incredibly sorry to lose Superintendent Zrike here in Salem, we recognize that he is one of our Commonwealth’s foremost leaders when it comes to public education and that all Massachusetts' students and school districts will benefit from his leadership as our next Secretary
of Education," she said on Tuesday

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)