SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood Board of Education passed the 2021-22 budget, which came in at $159,683,232, at its May 3 meeting. The measure passed with a vote of 5-3; BOE members Elissa Malespina, Johanna Wright and Kamal Zubieta voted against it. BOE member Susan Bergin was absent. There will be […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Students and staff at Columbia High School asked the South Orange–Maplewood Board of Education and district administrators to address sexual assault and harassment among students at the April 19 BOE meeting, after students identified themselves as victims and shared their experiences online in early March. BOE student representative Lily […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On Thursday, April 29, the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race and Seton Hall University will co-host Conversations on Race, an annual community dialogue on race-related issues. This year’s event, titled “Racial Justice in Education,” will be virtual and is free and open to all. The featured speaker is […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — This year, the Achieve Foundation’s popular, family-friendly Maker Madness event moves from the Columbia High School cafeteria to each participant’s kitchen table and beyond, with free hands-on activities for children of all ages, on Saturday, April 24, beginning at 10 a.m. The event will include: Take-home maker kits. Pick […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — To provide updates regarding the South Orange–Maplewood School District’s Intentional Integration Initiative, which will begin in September with the incoming kindergarten class, Superintendent of Schools Ronald Taylor sent an informational letter to the community on April 14. “For background, in the 2018-2019 school year, the Board of Education voted […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — South Orange–Maplewood School District Superintendent Ronald Taylor announced the plan for the next two phases of the district’s reopening plan, as the district gets ready to continue with the third phase of hybrid instruction. Students in kindergarten through second grade, and in sixth and ninth grades have returned to […]
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 / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Students in kindergarten through second grade in the South Orange–Maplewood School District returned to their classrooms on March 15, even as mediation between the district administration and the South Orange–Maplewood Education Association broke down the week before. On March 9, the district released a statement saying that the Board […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race and the Presidents Council of the South Orange–Maplewood School District will present “Roadmap to Equitable School Integration: Lessons Learned from ‘Nice White Parents’” on Tuesday, April 13, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. As the SOMSD prepares to better integrate its elementary schools, […]
MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Achieve’s biggest fundraiser, its annual Nights of 100 Dinners, will have a different approach this year, starting with a kick-off event on Friday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. This event, a virtual wine tasting, will be hosted by SOMA’s premiere wine connoisseur and community supporter, Hank Zona of The […]