The South Orange-Maplewood School District has announced that Nicole Schoening has been hired as the new Business Administrator.
Schoening’s appointment was approved by the Board of Education at its July 30 meeting last week. Per the personnel resolution (see below), Schoening will be paid $212,500/year. She began work in SOMSD on August 3 and her contract runs through June 30, 2027.
Schoening replaces Imani Moody, who resigned this spring citing personal reasons. Moody was hired in November 2024 after the BOE chose not to renew the previous BA Eric Burnside.
In his announcement of her hiring, Supt. of Schools Jason Bing said Schoening has “30 years of progressive leadership in New Jersey K–12 public school finance. Over her distinguished career, she has proven herself as a trusted strategic partner to superintendents and boards of education in the areas of school finance, budgeting, facilities, transportation, purchasing and business operations. She has also managed multi-million-dollar district budgets ranging up to $160 million.” Read Bing’s full announcement below.
According to Schoening’s LinkedIn profile, she most recently worked as the School Business Administrator at Mount Olive Township School District in Morris County. At Mount Olive, Schoening managed a total operating budget of about $136 million annually for a district of about 4,000 students. SOMSD’s 2026/27 budget totals about $200M, serving approximately 7,000 students.
From South Orange-Maplewood Supt. Jason Bing:
Dear SOMSD Community,
On behalf of the South Orange & Maplewood School District, I am pleased to introduce and welcome Ms. Nicole Schoening as our new School Business Administrator/Board Secretary.
Ms. Schoening brings nearly 30 years of progressive leadership in New Jersey K–12 public school finance. Over her distinguished career, she has proven herself as a trusted strategic partner to superintendents and boards of education in the areas of school finance, budgeting, facilities, transportation, purchasing and business operations. She has also managed multi-million-dollar district budgets ranging up to $160 million. She brings a deep commitment to transparency, accountability, financial integrity, and collaborative leadership.
Ms. Schoening’s experience, collaborative approach, and commitment to fiscal responsibility will be a tremendous asset to our district as we continue to support student success and strengthen our schools.
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are excited to welcome Ms. Schoening to our South Orange & Maplewood School District family. Please join us in extending a warm welcome as she begins this new chapter with our district.
I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to Ms. Tiffani Reneau for her service as our Interim School Business Administrator/Board Secretary. During this period of transition, Ms. Reneau provided exceptional leadership, professionalism, and unwavering support to our district. We are equally grateful that she will continue to serve the South Orange Maplewood School District in her role as Assistant Business Administrator. Her continued support, expertise, and dedication are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to her ongoing contributions to our district’s success.
Warm Regards,
Jason Bing
Superintendent of Schools
