Demarest students reflect on their trip to Philadelphia

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Demarest Elementary School students traveled to historic Philadelphia last week for the day. The school’s fifth-graders have been making the journey for years, according to Principal Mary Todaro. “It’s a big trip that takes a lot of planning,” Todaro said. “For instance, getting tickets into Independence Hall. I don’t think a trip to […]

WO native delivers gift of education

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Durango is in the southwest corner of the Colorado, a short distance from the New Mexico border. Four and a half hours from the nearest interstate highway and a 31-hour drive from West Orange, Durango is the home of West Orange native Stephanie Moran, who has headed the Durango Adult Education […]

District bids farewell to retiring teachers

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — At the June 4 Board of Education meeting, the South Orange-Maplewood School District honored the school system personnel who are retiring at the end of the school year, after dedicating themselves to making the SOMSD a better place for all students. BOE President Elizabeth Baker welcomed the retirees, their families and community […]

Oral histories project is celebrated at Daughters

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Spearheaded by the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey, in conjunction with Daughters of Israel’s Recreation Department, students from West Orange High School conducted oral histories on the lives of residents at Daughters. The year-long project was part of the students’ ninth-grade world history honors class, taught by Doug Drabik. A […]

Patricia Carter looks back on 47 years at BHS

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — For nearly half a century, the first person students saw when entering the Bloomfield High School guidance department was its secretary, Patricia Carter — the daughter of an Olympian; wife to a former Bloomfield Recreation Department director; and mother of the current BHS football coach. Carter, who retired in December, recalled this past […]

Annual Street Fair draws large crowds

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Residents flocked downtown Saturday, June 2, for the annual Street Fair, which featured a classic car and motorcycle show, booths manned by local businesses and food vendors, hosted for a fourth year by the Downtown West Orange Alliance. Held on Main Street between Babcock Place and Charles Street, the street fair […]

Crossing cultures with the CCR at XRootsFest

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race presented the fifth annual XRootsFest in Maplewood Memorial Park on June 2. The event featured musicians, dancers, food vendors, merchants and more. An area for children was set up with a bounce house and other activities; alongside it was an “Edu-tainment” tent, where various cultural […]