Salem School has a long history in Inver Grove Heights. The first Salem School was constructed in 1861 and served children until 1953. The current Salem Hills Elementary School was built following a referendum in January 1952. Three phases of building additions between 1987-1989 made Salem Hills the school it is today, providing a positive learning environment for approximately 450 students in grades K-5.
The district's Early Education Program for special-needs preschool children is located within Salem Hills. The facility houses several Community Education programs including Community Preschool, Kids' Choice School-Age Care and other after school activities.
Salem Hills is the home of Atheneum, the district's program for gifted and talented students. Atheneum was created and implemented during the 2002-2003 school year as a result of a program evaluation and the identification of a large number of highly-gifted individuals residing in and around Inver Grove Heights. This educational opportunity expanded in the 2003-2004 school year to include classes for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. In 2006, the Atheneum program expanded once again to include qualifying second-grade students.
Safety Reminder Safety is our primary concern at Salem Hills. Because of our programs that are housed in our building, we have many parents that drive personal vehicles to transport their children. Our staff has worked very hard to keep everyone safe. Parents have been respectful of following our established traffic patterns as well as respecting our patrols. We would like to thank everyone for continuing to be mindful of our unique traffic and parking concerns.
