District News & Announcements
The School District of South Orange & Maplewood proudly serves around 7,000 students across ten schools, including one early childhood center, six elementary schools, and two middle schools that prepare students to succeed at Columbia High School – New Jersey’s oldest public high school.
Public information, updates, and critical messaging from SOMSD can be found below. District news includes fascinating chronicles of student achievement under the leadership of Superintendent Jason Bing, beginning September 2024. Maintained by the district's communications office.
All Headlines
With special thanks to the Achieve Foundation, Columbia High School performers took the spotlight and offered a captivating preview of their upcoming production of "The Prom." The talented students performed two numbers from the show, building anticipation for opening night on Thursday, March 13th, at 7:30 pm. With seven performances scheduled, community members are encouraged to secure tickets quickly at columbia.somsdk12.org/musicals/tickets
Columbia High School hosted an impactful assembly during Black History Month that showcased unique experiences that reflected the African Cuban heritage, encompassing art, architecture, music, people, and culture, allowing students to explore these experiences and gain a deeper understanding of the Cuban roots from art teacher Curtis Grayson's trip to Havana, Cuba.
This celebration of Black History through the Arts is a vibrant and multifaceted event that pays homage to the rich and diverse heritage of Black culture, achievements, and contributions. This celebration will serve as a powerful platform to showcase our students’ various artistic expressions, including music, dance, visual arts, literature, and more. Obtain tickets at https://soms.somsdk12.org/bhm
At the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, two Columbia High School alumni from New Jersey stood at the pinnacle of the music industry, adding to their growing collection of GRAMMY awards.
We are excited to share an opportunity for you to help shape the future of SOMSD. We are partnering with Seton Hall University on a market research project to better understand families’ perceptions of our district—what’s working, what could be improved, and how we can better serve our students and community.
The South Orange & Maplewood School District mourns the loss of Carol Barry-Austin, a founding trustee and former chair of the South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race. She was a wonderful collaborator and supporter of our district. She understood the power of education and the importance of equity.
We have been completely overhauling our district website and will release a reimagined experience in 2025. We’re preparing for a fast-loading, interactive platform to revolutionize how you stay connected and receive information from our schools.
The New Jersey Department of Education has designated the South Orange & Maplewood School District as "high performing" in its recent NJQSAC evaluation, recognizing excellence in key areas of district functions.
"At moments like these, we understand how unsettling it can be for educators who have dedicated themselves to their students and schools," said Human Resources Director Tunde Adedoyin. "
Superintendent's Corner
We are pleased to share an update on the ongoing work on the Columbia High School stage. Progress continues, and last week, the rigging company was on-site with a lift to take additional measurements to incorporate changes requested by our community action group.
As you may be aware, the NJDOH has confirmed three cases of the measles in Bergen County, NJ for 2025. Here is an important message from the Maplewood and South Orange Health Departments.
September 26, 2024
September 27, 2024
View the full presentation from the September 26, 2024, Board of Education meeting.
September 27, 2024
September 27, 2024 Dear South Orange & Maplewood Community, Over the last week, our new transportation partner, ERESC, has been making big moves, not just routing students but also reorganizing transportation for several schools. At Delia Bolden School, they've taken action to shorten bus routes, eliminate overlaps, and make everything...
September 9, 2024
View the full message in a new tab
September 13, 2024
NJGPA results are now available from the district's Department of Curriculum and Instruction: NJGPA Extended Results Available September 9, 2024 NJGPA Results - Shortened Presentation Available August 29, 2024
September 13, 2024
Dear Parent or Guardian, The South Orange Maplewood School District will be using a new parent app, Stopfinder, for the 2024 – 2025 school year. Stopfinder is the easy-to-use, all-in-one app that allows you to have the most accurate information about your student’s bus schedule at any time from anywhere...
Kindergarten Transition Resources (2)
School Announcements
We have a couple of busy weeks at Columbia High School, so I wanted to just review our course selection process, which is wrapping up, and our testing schedule for next week.
Dear CHS Families: The email below was sent to all students informing them of a neat, new opportunity if they are interested in local history. I worked with a community resident (and former colleague from another district), Mr. Ron Nash, and our invitation to join the Smithsonian's Dialogue in Democracy project and Columbia High School was invited to participate. If your child if interested in local history, this new "club" might be something they may want to check out! Thanks, Frank
At the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, two Columbia High School alumni from New Jersey stood at the pinnacle of the music industry, adding to their growing collection of GRAMMY awards.
MMS will participate in Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action February 3-7, 2025. This week inspires our theme for the entire month. Our theme for Black History Month is taken from this year’s Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action: “All Ages of Activism.” Look for more information on how we will recognize this theme through the month through learning experiences, music, art installations, social media highlights, and more!
This is a reminder that we have midterms from Tuesday, January 28 - Friday.
Please continue reading about the CHS midterm protocols, our schedule, and the CHS StuCo mindfulness schedule.
Spring Athletic Registration is now open! The spring registration online application will close on Friday, 2/28/25.