MMS to host Dance-A-Thon fundraiser

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Middle School will hold its first Dance-A-Thon fundraiser, hosted by the student council, Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports committee and Home School Association, to raise money for the school store and other schoolwide events. The dance will be Friday, Oct. 28, from 4 to 11 p.m. at the Maplewood Middle School […]

Clown threats sweep the country, affect two towns

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Just when we thought 2016 couldn’t get any weirder, the clowns came. Beginning in South Carolina with unsubstantiated reports that clowns were trying to lure children, clown-mania swept across the country, leading to reports of scary and dangerous clowns and threatening social media postings made by “clown” accounts. Though […]

TC candidates square off at HNA debate

Summersgill, McGehee offer differing opinions on taxes, small town party politics and more

TC candidates square off at HNA debate

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Hilton Neighborhood Association enjoyed a large turnout on Thursday, Sept. 22, for its Maplewood Township Committee candidates’ forum. And, if that night is any indication, this is sure to be a lively campaign season. Running for the sole open seat on the committee — which was recently vacated by Marlon K. […]

SOMSD appoints 2 new administrators

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — At a special meeting on Sept. 29, the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education approved two new administrators: Melissa Butler as the interim K-12 supervisor of English language arts and Dion Patterson as assistant principal at Maplewood Middle School. Butler has been an ELA teacher at South Orange Middle School since September 2005. […]

Manno to help students become ‘Renaissance men’

Manno brings his personal love of art to SOMSD students

Manno to help students become ‘Renaissance men’

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District’s new supervisor of fine arts, James Manno, was approved for his position at the Aug. 22 Board of Education meeting, along with three other administrators. Strong community relationships and an emphasis on the importance of the arts are two tenets Manno plans to bring to the table. […]

Board of Ed candidates debate the issues

At SOMA Cares About Schools debate, 5 running for BOE discuss budget, communication, more

Board of Ed candidates debate the issues

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The perennial issue of creating better communication between the South Orange-Maplewood School District and the community was again a major talking point during the Board of Education candidates debate hosted by South Orange Maplewood Cares About Schools at the Baird in South Orange on Sept. 13. Though they were atypically not […]

Seth Boyden School inaugurates outdoor classroom

Seth Boyden School inaugurates outdoor classroom

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — After two decades of gradually transforming its backyard into a vibrant outdoor learning center, Seth Boyden Elementary School in Maplewood inaugurated the final and most highly anticipated phase of the project: an open-air classroom bordered by an art nook, a performance area and a large habitat garden — a space that the […]

MMS greets new principal, a CHS alumna

MMS greets  new principal, a CHS alumna

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Dara Gronau, who years ago outran the competition on the Columbia High School track, is coming full circle to lead the administration of Maplewood Middle School as its newest principal; her appointment was approved during an Aug. 22 Board of Education meeting. Gronau earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and English from […]

Four Essex County schools achieve sustainability certification in 2016

EWING, NJ — Sustainable Jersey for Schools announced Sept. 6 that 83 schools achieved the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2016, though many others are working toward it. The 83 schools come from 24 different school districts across 13 New Jersey counties. In two years, 118 schools have achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. […]