Press Releases

July 1, 2024

• District Wins Three NSPRA Awards For Publications and Digital Media Excellence

June 18, 2024

• Columbia High School Student Artist Wins Prestigious American Visions Award

June 14, 2024

• Two Columbia High School Art Students Exhibit Works At NJ Teen Arts Festival

June 13, 2024

• Acting Superintendent’s Statement On Grand Jury Declining To Indict Principal

June 11, 2024

• Marshall Second Grade Teacher Gets A Marathon-Sized Surprise

June 6, 2024

• Columbia High School Student Athletes Get District’s Best Wishes

June 5, 2024

• Board of Education Members Appoint Veteran Education Leader As Superintendent

May 23, 2024

• They Made The Columbia High School Orchestra A Family

May 21, 2024

• Columbia High School Senior Wins NJSIAA Scholar Athlete Of The Year

May 20, 2024

• South Mountain, Clinton Pen Pals Meet After A Year Of Handwritten Correspondence

May 17, 2024

• CHS Psychology Teacher Holds Inaugural Tri-State High School Psychology Workshop

May 15, 2024

• Columbia High School Students Win Special Jury Prize In Montclair Film’s Emerging Filmmaker Competition

May 13, 2024

• Two Columbia High School Student-Athletes Honored By The Essex County Athletic Directors Association
• Columbia High School Faculty Member Named NJ State Teen Arts Festival Art Educator Of The Year

May 9, 2024

• Columbia High School Student Artists To Be Featured In SOPAC’s “INSPIRED MINDS” Exhibit

May 6, 2024

• SOMSD Special Services Department Launches First-Ever Caregiver Series

May 1, 2024

• Maplewood Middle School’s Double Dutch Team Wins 3 First Place Prizes in State Championship

April 26, 2024

• Board of Education Members Adopt $182.3 Million District Budget For 2024-2025

April 19, 2024

• Columbia High School Students Win the 2024 N.J. Chinese Cultural Project Contest For Third Consecutive Year
• Shakespearian Traditions To Continue With Columbia High School 22nd Annual Shakespeare Festival

April 16, 2024

• Columbia High School Junior Wins National Journalism Award

April 15, 2024

• Columbia High School Senior Recognized As An Unsung Hero By Essex County School Boards Association

April 9, 2024

• Columbia High School Joins Together For The Solar Eclipse
• Award-Winning Art To Be Featured In 2024 Columbia High School AP Art Showcase at SOPAC

April 8, 2024

• Columbia High School’s Valedictorian and Salutatorian To Be Honored At Essex County Academic Awards Program

April 5, 2024

• Columbia High School Film Students Participate In Garden State Film Festival Career Day
• Columbia High School To Host College, Military, Gap Year, & Career Fair

April 3, 2024

• Acting Superintendent Gilbert Announces Restorative Justice Nights

April 2, 2024

• Thirty-Two Year Education Veteran Appointed Interim Principal of Columbia High School

April 1, 2024

• Delia Bolden Students’ Artwork Chosen To Be Displayed At The Essex County Hall of Records For “Youth Art Month”

March 20, 2024

• Acting Superintendent Gilbert Testifies Before State Assembly Budget Committee

March 14, 2024

• Board of Education Members Approve $182.6 Million Preliminary Budget for 2024-2025

March 13, 2024

• Columbia High School Senior Breaks School Record In The 1600 Set By MMS Principal

March 8, 2024

• District, School Board Increase Pay For Substitute Teachers

March 4, 2024

• Columbia High School’s Laurel Sackett Medals In U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships

March 2, 2024

• Board of School Estimate Meeting To Be Held On March 18th

February 28, 2024

• Columbia Girls Basketball’s 1000-Point Scorer Shooting For A Career In Medicine

February 27, 2024

• Board of School Estimate Meeting To Be Rescheduled

February 22, 2024

• SOMSD Elementary Students Participate in Maplewood Library’s Kids Speak Out

February 21, 2024

• Columbia High School Senior Is A Finalist For The National Merit Scholarship

February 20, 2024

• South Orange Middle School Preparing For Second Annual “My Black Is Beautiful” Celebration
• Columbia High School Junior Publishes Book That Beckons Children To Find Their Forests

February 19, 2024

• Columbia High School Students Are Spending Black History Month “Hunting” For Leaders

February 14, 2024

• In-Person Superintendent Search Community Forum To Be Held At South Orange Middle School

February 12, 2024

• Six Columbia High School Students Complete College Courses Through Kean Scholars Program

February 10, 2024

• THREE Chances Remain For the Public’s Voice To Be Heard In the Superintendent Search

February 9, 2024

• Two Last Chances Remain For the Public’s Voice To Be Heard In the Superintendent Search

February 1, 2024

• District, Board of Education Seek the Public’s Perspectives To Aid Superintendent Search

January 31, 2024

• Columbia High School Literary Magazine Garners Two Awards

January 29, 2024

• Two Columbia High School Students Featured In the 2024 Emerging Artists Show

January 26, 2024

• District Responds To NJSIAA Decision On Bias Incident At Girls Basketball Game

January 25, 2024

• SOMS Security Guard Gets A New Post In A Classroom

January 23, 2024

• Acting Superintendent Gilbert Announces Upcoming Listening Tour

January 17, 2024

• Newark’s Runaway Bull Inspires CHS Student Art Show

January 15, 2024

• CHS Student Admitted Into Disney Dreamers Academy

January 9, 2024

• District Releases Statement After NJSIAA Refers Bias Complaint To N.J. Division of Civil Rights

January 8, 2024

• District Files Bias Complaint With NJSIAA After Student-Athlete Is Disqualified Due To Her Hair

January 4, 2024

• District Launches “Renewal & Reset” Initiative To Address Biased Speech And Graffiti

December 21, 2023

• CHS Science Teacher Turns Lobster Prank Into Teachable Moment
• District, Board Recognize 32 Staff Members Who Have Earned Tenure

December 19, 2023

• Book Breaks Bring Students Up Close With Children’s Book Authors
• Columbia Girls Basketball Coaches Are An Alumni “Court-et”

December 12, 2023

• CHS Boys Basketball Coach Deon Mingo Sets Sights On New Heights

December 4, 2023

• Delia Bolden Elementary School Student’s Artwork Featured in NJPAC Exhibition

November 30, 2023

• Dr. Gilbert Gets To 10 Schools (And One Annex) In 10 Days

• CHS Science Teacher Recovering After Going The Distance In The NYC Marathon

November 28, 2023

• Number of Columbia High School Seniors Scoring Three Or Higher On AP Exams Increases By 10 Percent

November 27, 2023

• Board of Education Meeting Scheduled For Nov. 30 To Be Held Virtually
• DMC Comes to MMS

November 21, 2023

• CHS Graduate Turned Medical School Student Comes Home To Inspire Students

November 17, 2023

• District’s Fourth-Graders Perform Beethoven's Fifth At SOPAC...With A Little Help From the Lux Orchestra

November 15, 2023

• Seth Boyden Elementary Students Hold The School’s First Ruby Bridges Walk To School Day

October 27, 2023

• CHS Parnassian Society To Present Fall Drama: DNA

October 18, 2023

• CHS Student Filmmakers To Be Featured At N.J. School Boards Association Convention
• District Students’ State Assessment Performance Ahead of State Averages

October 17, 2023

• CHS Marching Band Preps To Perform With Lauryn Hill At Prudential Center

October 10, 2023

• CHS Graduate Earns A Picture Perfect Score on AP Exam

October 6, 2023

• District Amends School-Sponsored Halloween Celebration Practices

October 4, 2023

• Maplewood Middle Schoolers Team Up With Maplewood Police Department To Bike Against Bullying

October 3, 2023

• District, Columbia High School Honor National Merit & College Board Honors Winners

October 2, 2023

• District Revamps Journalism Course To Meet State Graduation Requirements
• Clinton Elementary Fifth-Graders Chalk Up First Day Of Respect Week With Walk To Columbia High School

September 28, 2023

• Meet The New Student Representatives To The Board Of Education

September 27, 2023

• “Lightning” Strikes At Columbia High School Scholarship Fund 100th Anniversary Gala

September 26, 2023

• District Launches K To 3 Literacy Pilot Program

September 21, 2023

• First CHS Art Exhibition Features Works By Art Department Faculty
• District Releases Guide Transportation Data After Launch Of Expanded Busing
• District Discusses Behavioral Threat Assessment Management Teams During School Safety Forum

September 20, 2023

• District Releases Guide To Maintaining Positive School Climate & Culture

September 19, 2023

• Superintendent Taylor Reflects On Presentation by Dr. Edward Fergus

September 18, 2023

• CHS Psychology Teacher Leading Her Students To Study Like Champs

September 14, 2023

• CHS Biology Teacher’s Message After Traveling To Galapagos Islands: Don’t Go There

September 13, 2023

• Superintendent Taylor Commends District Staff For Seamless Efforts Toward Unpairing Two Schools

September 6, 2023

• Superintendent Taylor Calls Upon District To Keep “An Equitable Eye” On Students In Upcoming School Year

August 30, 2023

• District Launches Round The Clock Online Tutoring For Students
• Columbia High School Makes Dramatic Jump In U.S. News & World Report Ranking

August 24, 2023

• CHS’ Class of 2024 Scores Big In Graduation Readiness
• Board of Education Approves Additional Year Of Employment For Assistant Business Administrator
• Board of Education Approves New Columbia High School Graduation Date On 2023-2024 District Calendar

August 22, 2023

• CHS Girls Soccer Cougars Seek To Show Who They Really Are

August 21, 2023

• District Makes Teacher Recruiting Headway At Its Drop-In Job Fair

• Columbia High School Offices Return To High School Building Ahead Of Projected Date

August 15, 2023

• CHS Football Cougars Prepare For A Season Of Redemption

August 14, 2023

• VIDEOS: Meet The CHS Administrative Team for 2023-2023

August 1, 2023

• Hiring of Bilingual Assistant Principal Completes CHS Administrative Team
• Job Fair Scheduled To Recruit For Open Positions Throughout The District

July 27, 2023

• District Officials Present Results Of The Second-Round Intentional Integration Initiative Experience Survey
• Board of Education Approves New Administrative Assignments for 2023-2024

July 25, 2023

• Columbia High School Improvement Projects Moving Forward

July 24, 2023

• Summer Music Enrichment Program Draws Greater Numbers In Its Third Year

July 17, 2023

• Maplewood Middle Schoolers Are Getting An MMS Summer Experience

July 14, 2023

• District Receives $2.9 Million In FEMA Reimbursement For Items To Fight The Spread Of COVID-19

July 12, 2023

• School District Leaders Participate In Launch of Statewide Student Support Services Program

July 10, 2023

• DISTRICT ANNOUNCES NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHEDULES
• DISTRICT LAUNCHES FIRST RADIO AD CAMPAIGN TO ATTRACT TEACHERS

July 6, 2023

• RISING STARS SUMMER PROGRAM UNDERWAY AT SETH BOYDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• Columbia High School Offices To Relocate During Asbestos Abatement

July 5, 2023

• SUPERINTENDENT TAYLOR CONGRATULATES CHS STUDENT-ATHLETES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE FOURTH OF JULY 5K RUN THROUGH MAPLEWOOD

June 30, 2023

• SUPERINTENDENT TAYLOR ISSUES STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF LGBTQ+ PRIDE

December 2022

• Board of Education Approves the Hiring of Directors of Curriculum & Instruction (Zoila Correa), Human Resources (Tunde Adedoyin) and Access & Equity (Kerri Weibel) for SOMSD (12/16/22)

November 2022

• South Orange Middle School (SOMS) the First School in Essex County to Attain River-Friendly Certification (10//27/22)

October 2022

• Fifteen Columbia High School (CHS) Students Awarded with Academic Honors from College Board National Recognition Programs (10/14/22)

September 2022

• Columbia High School Senior, Reeves, Named 2023 National Merit Semifinalists; Twenty-one CHS Seniors Named Commended Students (9/22/23)

August 2022

• Long-Time SOMSD Staff, Ann Bodnar Appointed as New SOMSD Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction Effective Immediately (8/30/22)

June 2022

• Jefferson Elementary School Renamed to Delia Bolden Elementary School (7/1/22)
• CHS Hall of Fame Committee Announces Four New Inductees Into the 2022 Hall of Fame:  CHS Ultimate Frisbee Founders, Bernard “Buzzy” Hellring, Jr. (CHS ‘70), Joel Silver (CHS ‘70)  and Jonathan H. “Jonny” Hines (CHS ‘70); and former Vogue, Editor-in-Chief, Grace Mirabella (CHS ‘46) to Join the Hall of Fame (6/7/22)

May 2022

• SOMSD Earns 2022 Best Community for Music Education Designation for Another Year from the National Association of Music Merchants - NAMM (5/4/22)

April 2022

• Columbia High School Ranked Among the Top 100 Best High Schools in NJ in the US News & World Report Ranking (4/27/22)

March 2022

• SOMSD Board of Education Reaches Agreement in Principle with Teachers’ Union, SOMEA (3/25/22)
• Media Advisory:  SOMSD to Hold Monumental Groundbreaking Ceremony at South Mountain Elementary School Annex on Monday, March 28 (3/24/22)
• Media Advisory: South Mountain Elementary School Ground Breaking Ceremony to take place on March 22 (3/17/22)
• SOMSD Announces Finalists in 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program:  Ten Columbia High Students Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists (3/15/22)

February 2022

• CHS Junior, Lindsey Minor, Wins 3rd Place @ 2022 NJSIAA Fencing Competition (2/18/22)

October 2021

• District Statement Regarding Allegation of Discrimination (10/7/21)

August 2021

• BOE President, Joshua Thair Releases Statement on New Contract for Superintendent, Dr. Ronald G. Taylor (August 27, 2021)
• SOMSD Launches Atlas, First-Ever Public-Facing Website for the District’s K-12 Curriculum (August 10, 2021)

July 2021:

• Five Candidates Submit Materials to Fill SOMSD Board of Education Vacancy Seat (July 12, 2021)

June 2021:

• South Orange & Maplewood School District Partners with the Kean University Scholar Academy to Offer Dual-Enrollment Program to Students (June 17, 2021)

May 2021:

• The South Orange & Maplewood School District along with the Township of Maplewood and the Village of South Orange to honor local LGBTQIA+ and allied High School Graduating Seniors from 2021 and the class of 2020 (May 13, 2021)

April 2021:

• CHS Named One of the Most Influential Public High Schools by Academic Influence (April 28, 2021)

March 2021:

• Cougars Varsity Girls Basketball Team named Essex County Team of the Year and Coach Keegan named Coach of the Year (March 24, 2021)
• SOMSD Grade 6 & 9 Students to Return for Hybrid In-Person Learning (March 16, 2021)
• Columbia High Announces 108 Students from the Class of 2022 for National Honor Society Induction (March 11, 2021)

February 2021:

• South Orange & Maplewood School District Hopes For A Positive Outcome in SOMEA Disagreement (February 19, 2021)