DeLuca delivers State of the Township Address

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — At the Jan. 1 Maplewood Township Committee meeting, Mayor Vic DeLuca, who was selected to be mayor for the 13th year, delivered the State of the Township Address. In it he thanked continuing committee members Frank McGehee, Greg Lembrich and Deputy Mayor Nancy Adams, departing member India Larrier and newly sworn-in member […]

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.

S. Mtn. School receives Sustainable Jersey’s bronze certification

EWING, NJ — Sustainable Jersey for Schools recently announced that 91 schools achieved the prestigious Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification in 2017, including the South Mountain Elementary School Annex, which achieved a bronze rating. The 91 schools, spanning k-12, come from 43 different school districts across 18 New Jersey counties. In three years, 194 schools […]

Lead test results show large variances

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District had announced June 12 the results of testing for lead in school buildings’ water, which showed that nine sources out of 223 had a higher lead action level than that established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in drinking water, news that upset parents […]

Nine SOMSD water sources found to contain higher levels of lead

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District, in compliance with the Department of Education regulations and technical guidance developed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, identified and tested all drinking water and food preparation outlets, according to a June 12 press release from the district. Of the 223 samples […]

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 […]

Tuscan students, seniors build connections

Tuscan students, seniors build connections

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Tuscan Elementary School teacher Claire Sinclair recently took her class on a field trip to Winchester Gardens in Maplewood to connect with the seniors there. “This school year, I wrote and received a grant to ‘Bridge Generations,’” Sinclair said. “The idea was to bring my kindergarten class to a nearby senior citizen […]

SOMSD town hall meeting draws large crowd

Community gathers to discuss bias and insensitivity in the school system, brainstorm solutions

SOMSD town hall meeting draws large crowd

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Hundreds of South Orange and Maplewood residents made it clear during a March 29 town hall meeting that they want to see changes within the school district to prevent incidents involving race and religion like those seen in recent weeks at the schools, and they want to start by focusing on curriculum. […]

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 […]

SOMSD to hold town hall on equity and inclusion

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District will hold a town hall on equity and inclusion, focusing on recent events within the district and the many responses, on Wednesday, March 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Columbia High School Cafeteria, 17 Parker Ave. in Maplewood. Superintendent of Schools John […]