8:10 a.m. – First Bell
8:30 a.m. – Tardy Bell
2:55 p.m. – Student Dismissal / On Early Release days, students dismiss at 11:55 a.m.

A bell rings at 8:10 a.m. each morning allowing students to enter the building. Children who do not ride the bus should arrive no earlier than this time. Students will not be allowed in the building until the first bell rings at 8:10 a.m. Students will begin to be dismissed from school at 2:55 p.m. If your child will be taking another bus home or someone else will be picking them up, a letter must be sent in with the student.

Salem Church Elementary was built in 1969-1970 at a cost of $750,000. The children moved in their brand new school in May, 1970 for a trial run before the official opening in the fall of 1970. They had been housed in Chesterfield County Fair Grounds building in 1969-1970 waiting on their beautiful new building with carpeting, air conditioning, and an activity room.

In 1976, a $461,000 addition was added providing fifteen classrooms and an art room.

Due to rapid growth, between 1980-1983, the fifth graders were housed at Salem Middle School and in 1981 several children were transferred to Beulah Elementary School.

In 1983, Gates Elementary School opened and students were transferred there making room for previously transferred children and the fifth grades to transfer back to Salem Church Elementary.

Three years later, the school population grew to the extent that in the fall of 1986 three trailers were installed to provide additional classrooms. For the school year 1986-1987, three fifth grades were housed in the trailers.

The school year 1987-1988 found Salem Church Elementary School with a school population of more than 900 students. During the summer of 1987, a renovation project took place. The purpose of the project was to convert previously open classrooms into self-contained classrooms. Six instructional cottages housed the fifth-grade students.

During the school year 1988-1989, four additional education cottages were added.

In September, 1990 Ecoff Elementary School opened and several Salem communities were reassigned to that district. Currently, Salem serves approximately 600 students.

The 1996-1997 school year brought many changes to Salem. A major renovation was on going throughout the year, which included the addition of gym and cafeteria, as well as a new office area, music room and computer lab.