South Orange, Maplewood Teacher Evaluations Improved, but Work Remains

November 22, 2019

South Orange and Maplewood public-school teacher evaluations remain a work in progress, even as administrators are moving toward implementing better, more consistent standards. At the Board of Education meeting on Monday, November 18, Assistant Superintendent for Administration Gayle Carrick detailed the revamped process of teacher evaluations and said that training for the evaluators has been largely successful — though there is

The Cassidy Bar + Kitchen in Maplewood Celebrates Two Years, With More to Come

November 22, 2019

Two years ago, the eastern end of Maplewood Village came alive with the debut of The Cassidy bar + kitchen, as husband and wife team Tom and Jennifer Carlin brought their vision of a homey but contemporary bar/restaurant model to Maplewood Village's new Clarus building at the former U.S. Post Office site. Opening on November 18, 2017, the restaurant immediately garnered

South Orange-Maplewood Board of Ed to Accept Lawson-Muhammad 30-Day Suspension

November 21, 2019

A resolution by the NJ School Ethics Commission adopting a 30-day suspension penalty against South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education member Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad will be read into the record and accepted at the Dec. 16 South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education meeting. On October 31, New Jersey Schools Commissioner Lamont Repollet reduced a recommended 6-month suspension ruling by the School Ethics Commission against

PHOTOS: Jazz Legend Christian McBride Conducts Masterclass for South Orange-Maplewood Students

November 21, 2019

From the South Orange-Maplewood School District: Jazz students from Columbia High School and Maplewood and South Orange Middle Schools gathered at Columbia High School's auditorium Wednesday morning, November 20, 2019, for a free jazz masterclass event featuring living legend Christian McBride and hosted by New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) made possible by support from TD Bank. Six-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist Christian

Free Star-Studded Holiday Concert, Benefiting Achieve’s ‘Vanessa Pollock Music Initiative’

November 20, 2019

From Pollock Properties Group: Do you enjoy the songs, music, and joy that the Holiday season brings? Then you won't want to miss the annual Holiday Concert with Broadway's "Charlie Pollock & Friends", as they entertain with classic carols and lots of cheer. Sponsored by the Pollock Properties Group, this concert features an incredible rock band that brings down the house

SOMS Student Stella Iyengar Wins NJ Hall of Fame Statewide Essay Contest

November 20, 2019

SOMS student Stella Iyengar crosses the stage at the NJ Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in Asbury Park on October 27, 2019. South Orange Middle School student Stella Iyengar won a statewide essay contest put on by the New Jersey Hall of Fame. She was honored at this year’s induction ceremony on October 27 in Asbury Park. The

South Orange-Maplewood Parents Lead Efforts to Teach Kids About Sustainability

November 20, 2019

Students at South Mountain Elementary School gathered last week for an assembly where they watched two parents perform skits about net-zero waste. Across town, a group at Tuscan Elementary School brainstormed ways to reduce their communities’ carbon footprints during an after-school enrichment program. Both initiatives demonstrate ways that parents are pushing the South Orange-Maplewood School District to teach kids more about