Responsibilities of the School Board
The South Orange & Maplewood School District is guided by a dedicated Board of Education, made up of nine community members elected by voters in South Orange Village and Maplewood Township. These individuals bring their passion and perspective to three-year terms, with elections held each year to welcome new or returning members. Together, they shape the future of our schools through thoughtful policymaking and stewardship.
In addition to setting district policy, the Board selects the Superintendent, approves staff appointments and transitions, and helps ensure our schools have the resources and programs needed for students to thrive. The Board of Education also approves the district’s budget, while the tax levy is reviewed separately by the Board of School Estimate. This collaborative group includes members from both municipalities and representatives from the School Board.
Each January, the Board holds its annual reorganization meeting to elect a President and two Vice Presidents and to establish its committees. These committees meet monthly to explore important topics and recommend actions that support district goals.
Board Meetings
The Board of Education meets on the third Monday of each month, except when precluded by a holiday. The Board, from time to time, will add additional meetings. Public sessions of all meetings of the Board are held at the Board Administration building, located at 525 Academy Street in Maplewood, and convene at 7:30 PM.
Board of Education (somsdk12.org/board)
Board of Education Meeting
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Public Participation at Board Meetings
The public is welcome to attend School Board meetings, workshops and public feedback sessions. Members of the public may participate in regular School Board meetings in the following ways:
- Hearings of Individuals and Delegations. The Board provides two periods during a regularly scheduled meeting at which members of the public may address the Board about an issue of concern, whether or not the item is on the agenda. The first period is at the beginning of a meeting. Individuals are asked to sign up to address the Board prior to the commencement of the meeting. Speakers are asked to identify themselves and their topic of interest before beginning their comments and may speak for a period of three minutes. The initial period of Hearings of Individuals and Delegations, by Board policy, extends for a maximum of 45 minutes. The second period for Hearings of Individuals and Delegations occurs at the end of the meeting, after New Business. The same procedures and three minute time limit per speaker, as with the initial Hearings of Individuals and Delegations, apply here.
- Presentations. Members of the public may submit a written request to the Board Secretary at least 7 days prior to a regularly scheduled Board meeting asking for an opportunity to address the Board.
The request is to specify the topic of the presentation and the purpose for the request. After reviewing the request, the President of the Board will schedule a time for the presentation. A presentation of this type is limited to the maximum of 15 minutes. A copy of any written material associated with the presentation are to be delivered to the Board Secretary by the Thursday prior to the presentation for distribution to the Board.
Other Methods of Communicating with the Board
A member of the community also may communicate with the Board by writing to the members of the Board and/or the superintendent care of the Board Administration Building or via email at boemembers@somsd.k12.nj.us. As always, your input is welcome.
Should a community member wish to contact a specific Board member, they can be reached at the board member's individual district email address. This information can be found further above on the current board members page.