Stephen Zrike

Stephen Zrike served as Superintendent of Schools for Salem Public Schools from 2020 to 2026, where he led academic recovery efforts, strengthened educator support, expanded student-centered programming, and deepened partnerships with families and the broader community. He oversaw significant gains in MCAS achievement, expanded full-day pre-kindergarten, reduced chronic absenteeism to below pre-pandemic levels, and strengthened dual language and early college programming.

Prior to Salem, Zrike worked at the Holyoke Public Schools as Receiver/Superintendent, where he led the turnaround of 11 chronically underperforming schools, improved academic outcomes, increased the graduation rate, and reduced chronic absenteeism. He also served as Superintendent of Schools in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Chief of Elementary Schools for the Pilsen-Little Village Network in the Chicago Public Schools and Principal of both the William Ohrenberger Elementary School and John Philbrick Elementary School in Boston. He began his career as a fifth-grade teacher in Massachusetts’ Andover Public School District.

Zrike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Dartmouth College and a master's degree and a doctorate in education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is Cuban-American and speaks Spanish. Zrike lives in Andover with his wife, who is an elementary school special education teacher in the Andover Public Schools, and his children who attend public schools.