Sanotskyi Family ‘Varenyky’ Proves Popular at Bentley Academy Lunchtime

Bentley kindergarten student Askold Sanotskyi’s recipe selected in SPS Food and Nutrition Services Student Recipe Sharing Initiative
SALEM (Oct. 9, 2024) – One of the Salem Public Schools’ 2023-26 Strategic Plan core principles is elevating learning.
The SPS Food and Nutrition Services uniquely supports the core value with its Student Recipe Sharing Initiative, launched in May of 2024 and to be continued on a monthly basis in the 2024-25 school year.
Each month, students submit a family recipe to be considered by the FNS staff. The winning recipe is then selected as an added one-day feature of the winning student’s school lunch menu.
Last Friday, Bentley Academy Innovation School students were treated to samples of varenyky, a Ukrainian dish submitted by kindergarten student Askold Sanotskyi, whose parents, Dariella and Markiiam, are native Ukrainians.
Similar-looking to ravioli, varenyky is made of dough cut into circles folded in half and filled with mashed potatoes, cheese, cherries and other foods, served with butter or sour cream.
Varenyky proved very popular among Askold’s Bentley classmates as he helped the FNS staff serve to each table.
Though born in the U.S., Askold speaks three languages (Ukrainian, English and Russian) and aspires to study Spanish at Bentley.
The FNS Recipe Sharing Initiative is expected to continue throughout the school year. FNS encourages all students to submit recipes for consideration by emailing them to: recipes@salemk21.org.








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.