District unveils plan for buildings, grades

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Acting Superintendent Thomas Ficarra unveiled the South Orange-Maplewood School District’s long-range facilities and integration plan at the Board of Education’s May 14 meeting. In his presentation, Ficarra introduced a plan to renovate and upgrade the district’s school buildings while better integrating the schools by redrawing district lines. The plan […]

Meetings on facilities and integration plan in SOMSD

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District will hold several community meetings to discuss the long-range facilities and integration plan. Each meeting will include the same presentation. Meetings will be held: Wednesday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. at Seth Boyden School, 274 Boyden Ave. in Maplewood; Thursday, May 31, at 7:30 […]

Maplewood taxes increased by 1.92 percent

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee introduced a $45 million municipal budget for 2018 at its March 20 meeting; this budget will increase taxes by 1.92 percent, which is under the 2-percent state cap. The budget comes in at $45,006,883, which is $359,868.35 more than the 2017 budget. According to budget documents, $28,444,234 in […]

SOMSD preliminary budget tax impact is 2.3 percent

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education unanimously approved the district’s preliminary budget for the 2018-2019 school year at its March 26 meeting. The approved preliminary budget comes in at $137,352,722, or slightly less than the budget of $137,374,530 originally presented at the board’s Feb. 20 meeting. The budget had […]

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 […]

Maplewood Pool membership fees to rise

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee members voiced agreement at their Feb. 6 meeting to raise Maplewood Community Pool membership rates in an effort to close a shortfall of approximately $40,000. The Maplewood Community Pool is run as a utility and is meant to be self-sufficient, but Maplewood Swimming Pool Advisory Committee member Jennifer […]

BOE passes 2017-18 school year budget, raises taxes

District saves grammar school Spanish to much applause

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education adopted the 2017-18 school year budget and tax levy in an 8-1 vote at its April 24 meeting. This leaves a more than $500,000 shortfall for the school district to make up, despite the fact that taxes will increase by 3.56 percent and […]