Community mourns death of beloved teacher

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange School District is mourning the loss of Washington Elementary School first-grade teacher Patricia Villarosa, who died March 9 from injuries she sustained after being struck by a car Feb. 26 on Pleasant Valley Way while on her way to a board of education meeting. Both a teacher and […]

Pool membership in West Orange available now

WEST ORANGE, NJ — While the weather may not seem like it, spring is here which means we are getting closer to the 2018 pool season at the Ginny Duenkel Pool. Pool memberships in West Orange can be purchased at www.westorange.org/rec. Early bird membership pricing is available through May 11. There are a variety of […]

BOE thanks community for speaking at meetings

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education released the following letter to the community on March 19: “On behalf of the Board of Education, we want to thank parents, teachers and the West Orange community for speaking out at our board meetings. Our board hears you very clearly, as you have expressed […]

Meet Essex County’s mayors

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The eighth annual Essex County Meet the Mayors Event will be Saturday, April 7, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Westminster Hotel, 550 West Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Livingston. The mayors of all 22 Essex County towns, as well as the mayors of Little Falls and Clifton, have been invited to participate. […]

Sleeping Redwood student found aboard bus in depot

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Following a busing snafu, an elementary school child was driven to the bus depot instead of school Friday, March 16. A bus driver employed by the Hunterdon County Education Service Commission, which performs certain busing duties for West Orange, reportedly failed to perform the mandatory inspection of his bus after delivering […]

Liberty Middle School walkout says ‘enough’

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Liberty Middle School held a 17-minute walkout on March 14 in memory of the 17 students and teachers killed in the Parkland, Fla., shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. Teachers and staff felt the walkout was powerful for those who participated. The student-led safety team that was […]

Murphy’s proposed budget puts aside more money for schools

TRENTON, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy’s first proposed budget increases state “formula” aid that goes directly to school districts by $283.6 million, the initial step toward fulfilling the state’s school-funding obligation, according to a March 15 press release from the NJ Department of Education. The budget also increases aid for expanded preschool, STEM programs and […]

Financial Readiness Scholarship fundraiser at WOHS

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Circle of Rainbow Sisters Seeking Spiritual and Wellness Connection is holding its annual fundraiser, “Women Who Rock the Kitchen,” on Sunday, March 25, from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Tarnoff Cafeteria at West Orange High School, 51 Conforti Ave. Monies raised will go toward the organization’s Financial Readiness Academic Scholarship Award Program. The […]

WOSEPAC to hold egg hunt

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Special Education Parent Advisory Council will hold a special needs egg hunt on Sunday, March 25, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Degnan Park, 650 Pleasant Valley Way. The event will include face painting, a sensory craft table and other fun activities. Also, from 4 to 5 p.m., […]

Edison students hold peace march for Parkland students

WEST ORANGE, NJ — On March 14, students and faculty at Thomas Edison Central Sixth Middle School held a peace march to honor the victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which had occurred exactly one month prior. Students held up heart signs to show their love and […]