U.S. Flag Protocols and Status

The South Orange & Maplewood School District honors its responsibility to display the United States flag at school buildings as a symbol of unity, respect, and shared values. In moments of national remembrance or local significance, the flag may be flown at half-staff in accordance with federal, state, or district guidance, as a token of collective respect and remembrance from our community in the municipalities of South Orange and Maplewood.

The American flag is a special symbol of our country and the people who call it home. Its thirteen red and white stripes remind us of the first states, and its fifty stars stand for all the states today. The flag represents freedom, unity, and working together. That is why we treat it with care and respect — raising it proudly, lowering it carefully, and flying it on school days and important holidays.

Sometimes the flag is lowered halfway to honor important leaders or remember special moments in our nation’s history, and continued through the Pledge of Allegiance. By following these traditions, we show pride in our country and appreciation for what the flag stands for.

Flags at schools buuldings are flown at half-staff on designated days of national remembrance and mourning, as ordered by the Governor of New Jersey or the President of the United States of America. These observances include Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15), Memorial Day (sunrise until noon), Patriot Day (September 11), National Firefighters Memorial Day (May 3, 2026), and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7).