Witches’ Ink is Open for Business at Salem High School
Plans to expand district-wide underway
SALEM (Dec. 5, 2024) – Folks who attended The Game last Thursday – the Thanksgiving football classic between Salem High School and Beverly High School – might want to hang on to their ticket stubs. The tickets – of which 1,000 were printed – were among the first mass productions of the brand new SHS design and print shop, Witches’ Ink, which opened for business in early November.
“It’s where creativity meets hands-on learning,” said Jennifer Toler, the graphic design and visual communication educator at SHS and advisor to Witches’ Ink. “Witches’ Ink provides a unique opportunity for students to apply design, business, and printing skills while serving the Salem High community.”
Under the umbrella of the Career Technical Education (CTE) Department, Witches’ Ink is run exclusively by high school students and currently open only to staff. Consistent with the District’s 2023-26 Strategic Plan’s core values of elevating learning and empowering educators, there are plans to serve the entire district as soon as next year.
Currently, Witches’ Ink has a student staff of five. Expansion will create internship opportunities for more students.
“We are in a trial phase at the moment,” Ms. Toler said. “Once we iron out the kinks and I have enough students working in the Witches’ Ink internship, we’ll be able to expand to SPS next year and perhaps the community in years to come.”
Along with printing tickets to events, the staff at Witches Ink is working on many other projects: signage for the new Witch’s Brew kiosk at SHS, t-shirts and logos for the SHS administration, stickers for culinary arts students, and posters for the SPS Food and Nutrition Services Department. Other projects include business cards, brochures, flyers, banners and booklets.
Projects are submitted through an online portal and Ms. Toler and her staff ask for 10 business days turn-around time for printing orders. Design work may take longer.
“We’re excited to share the students’ creativity and school spirit with the entire district,” Ms. Toler noted.
About Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are all passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens we view all of our work through. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff serve all of our students, regardless of ability or language. Salem Public Schools enrolls approximately 4,000 students across its eleven schools.
