The new school year started last week for the 7,228 students in the South Orange-Maplewood School District. The school year began, Thursday, Sept. 5, with Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez back on campus after he was reinstated to his position over the summer following a tumultuous six months that saw him arrested on assault […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On a picture perfect October day, a small band of Seth Boyden teachers gathered on the school’s front lawn to receive nearly $19,000 worth of checks from the Achieve Foundation. The money, which will fund nine projects at Seth Boyden, is part of 34 grants totaling $64,987 that Achieve will give this […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act requires that the week beginning with the first Monday in October of each year be designated as the Week of Respect and School Violence Awareness Week in New Jersey. To recognize the importance of social and emotional learning and character education, school districts, […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The board of trustees at the Achieve Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting high-quality education that prepares South Orange–Maplewood School District students for the future, has announced the recipients of its fall 2021 education grant awards. Local SOMA educators will receive $66,000 in grants that fund 34 varied projects and programs to support […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Eleven middle school students in the South Orange–Maplewood School District are a part of the first group of scholars accepted into the Kean University Scholar Academy, a dual-enrollment initiative that will prepare selected students for college by bringing them on campus to earn college credits and take part in […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A Columbia High School student died following a shooting on June 6 at Underhill Field and another was injured, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office on June 7. Moussa Fofana, 18, a CHS junior and star soccer player, was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:24 p.m., after Maplewood Police Department […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood Board of Education approved creating a task force to protect students from sexual assault and violence at its May 17 meeting, following students speaking out about their own experiences at the April 19 meeting. The resolution allows Superintendent Ronald Taylor or a designee to appoint stakeholders […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood School District was once again recognized by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation as a “best community” for music education. According to SOMSD fine arts supervisor James Manno, this is at least the ninth consecutive year that the district has received this recognition. In all, […]
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — South Orange–Maplewood Superintendent of Schools Ronald Taylor attended the South Orange board of trustees meeting on Sept. 29, giving the trustees a presentation on equity in the school district, as was requested by trustee Donna Coallier. During the presentation, Taylor shared statistics on equity in high school AP classes and outlined […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee and the Township Committee hosted an online forum with three sets of panelists on June 19, addressing law enforcement accountability, mass incarceration and the treatment of black people in the Maplewood community. The Zoom meeting, titled “Awareness to Action,” featured members of the Maplewood Community Board on Police, […]