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 […]

CCR program to tackle racial understanding in children

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race will host a special program for families with children in preschool through middle school on Tuesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. at the Montrose Early Childhood Learning Center, 356 Clark St. in South Orange. This program will discuss how racial dynamics in […]

Tour the Montrose Early Childhood Center

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Montrose Early Childhood Center will hold an open house for prospective parents looking for a pre-school for their child for the 2018-2019 school year. Prospective parents who live in Maplewood or South Orange can explore the pre-school on Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 7 to 8 p.m. at 356 Clark St. in […]

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.

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 […]

BOE to vote on SOMA schools budget

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District released the following press release: “On March 7, 2017, the district’s proposed budget for the 2017-2018 school year was presented to the Board of Education and the community. The proposed budget was updated for the March 13, 2017, community forum, upon receiving information that […]

Discuss the SOMSD 2017-2018 budget

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — How will your tax dollars be used to support our local public schools as they strive to prepare each and every student for post-secondary educational success and to educate all students to be responsible and productive members of the global society at large? Whether you have children enrolled in […]

Talking to children about race and identity

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Running March 14 through April 1, the Schools Committee of the South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race will be hosting three workshops to help parents, teachers and anyone working with children gain an understanding of the stages of racial knowledge, how to talk with children about race, and a […]

Choose the right preschool

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — One of the most important decisions parents can make for their young children is selecting a high-quality preschool program. On Monday, Nov. 14, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the Schools Committee of the South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race will sponsor a preschool open house at the cafeteria at Columbia High School, […]