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 […]

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 […]

Principal shakeup in the SOMSD

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — In just a few weeks, two South Orange-Maplewood School District principals have been removed from their original posts. Marshall School Principal Bonita Samuels was placed on paid leave a few weeks ago following public outcry concerning allegations that she texted a photo of a teaching assistant, a little person, […]

SOMSD to hold town hall for elementary school families

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Elementary school families in the South Orange-Maplewood School District are invited to attend a town hall meeting with interim Superintendent of Schools Thomas Ficarra on Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary School, 518 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood.

SOMSD staff attends summer arts conference

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — This summer, South Orange-Maplewood School District supervisor of fine arts James Manno and Marshall School Principal Bonita Samuels, along with a team of Marshall teachers, visual art teacher Jessica Fong and kindergarten teachers Laura Wood, Deborah Kalpus and Julie Matthew, participated in the Educational Leaders as Scholars three-day conference […]

Expert sees classroom shortfall, lopsided racial makeup

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District and Board of Education is considering how it will address issues of increasing enrollment after a commissioned facilities-usage study found that rezoning alone will not prevent a shortfall of classrooms at the elementary school level. BOE President Elizabeth Baker told the News-Record that the […]

SOMSD fine arts spring calendar

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District recently released its spring fine arts calendar. Events are as follows: Monday, April 3, from 10 to 11 a.m., Columbia High School choir Canens Vocem will perform at Winchester Gardens, 333 Elmwood Ave. in Maplewood. Wednesday, April 19, from 5 to 10 p.m., Columbia […]

Death, rabies rates down according to village health dept.

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Earlier this month, the South Orange Department of Health released its 2016 annual public health report, detailing the data regarding animal control, human health issues, enforcement and outreach. According to the 2010 census, South Orange had approximately 16,200 residents — a number that is surely increasing due to residential construction. Even […]