News-Record's Highlights Tagged 'board' (26)

The administrative office of the South Orange-Maplewood school district sent an email May 31 on behalf of the Board of Education encouraging individuals to help develop the district goals, an annual process, through an online survey.

Read the district's call to action below:

Dear SOMSD Community:



The Board of Education invites you to participate in its annual process of developing the district goals by completing this survey at  …

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

A bill allowing South Orange-Maplewood to hold November school board elections starting next year must be amended to satisfy concerns of Gov. Chris Christie.

The governor conditionally vetoed the measure earlier this month and recommended technical changes, according to state Sen. Richard J. Codey, D-27th District. Codey, a sponsor of the measure, said the governor wants the Essex County clerk to be responsible for…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

Maplewood Mayor Vic De Luca has helped to broker an agreement between the Maplewood Village Alliance and Civic Association that allows a “public bulletin board” to join the new, locked kiosk near the post office on Maplewood Avenue.

In a prepared statement sent via email Friday, De Luca said the alliance and the association agreed to allow two bulletin boards downtown.

He noted that the…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

According to results posted on the Essex County Clerk’s website, one of the two incumbents running in this year’s Board of Education election will reclaim their seat.

Six candidates were vying for the three, three-year open seats on the nine-member school board. The results are unofficial because they do not include absentee or provisional ballots, which are tallied later this week.

Top…

Editor’s Note: Newcomer Amy Higer said she is running independently but shares the same views as incumbent Jennifer Payne-Parrish and newcomer Karen “Tia” Swanson. There are three seats open on the nine-member school board.

Amy Higer

Maplewood

We face two fundamental questions. Do we as a…

Editor’s Note: Incumbent Wayne Eastman and newcomers Jeff Bennett and Madhu Pai are running as a ticket in this year’s Board of Education election April 17. There are three seats open on the nine-member school board. 

Madhu Pai…

Editor’s Note: Incumbent Jennifer Payne-Parrish and newcomer Karen “Tia” Swanson are running as a slate. There are three open seats on the nine-member school board.

Jennifer Payne-Parrish

Maplewood…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

In recognition of the April 17 Board of Education elections, in which six candidates will vie for three, three-year seats, the News-Record will ask each of the candidates a question involving controversial issues in the South Orange-Maplewood school district.

The second of this four-part question-and-answer series focuses on the International Baccalaureate, or IB, program. The Board of Education recently…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

Although the proposed budget numbers presented in the February school board meeting will change, school officials are still expected to vote on the superintendent’s preliminary spending plan at its meeting March 5.

School board President Beth Daugherty noted that school officials will discuss the superintendent’s “specific” cuts to the spending plan, as well as the new state aid and budget…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

The local teachers union is staying out of the debate over whether the school district should delevel the middle and high schools.

Paula Bethea, president of the roughly 700-member South Orange-Maplewood Education Association, said it’s up to the school board to decide policy.

She said, as employees, her membership’s job is to “fulfill our contractual obligation.”

Her…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

The Woman’s Club of Maplewood is required to make its annual financial payment to the town this month, even as the sale of the club’s property is held up by a lawsuit.

Based on a 2010 agreement between the township and the…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

South Orange-Maplewood may not be eligible to move its annual school-board election from April to November, officials said Jan. 27.

School board President Beth Daugherty said the district fell through the “cracks” of a new law giving towns and school boards that option. Maplewood’s municipal legal department is researching the matter, said Township Committeeman Jerry Ryan.

“The law might not apply to…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

“Horrifying, ashamed, self-segregation, racism” was what some Columbia High School students described at the school board meeting Nov. 21 as the undercurrent of the student council-sponsored volleyball fundraiser held last week.

They referenced a group of classmates who called their team “The South” to participate in the friendly, one-day tourney. Students said they created “offensive” T-shirts that featured…

Suit claims zoning board abused its 'discretion'

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Eight residents who live near the Maplewood Woman’s Club on Woodland Road have sued to keep the next owner of the property from turning it…

A group of eight residents has sued to stop the Woman’s Club property on Woodland Road from being turned into a catering hall.

They want a Superior Court judge to overturn the use variance that the Maplewood Zoning Board granted this summer to Lamona LLC, owned by resident Tom…

School officials and the teachers’ union president confirmed on May 10 that a contract for the South Orange-Maplewood staff has been reached.

However, members of the Board of Education and South Orange-Maplewood Education Association, or SOMEA, need to ratify the contract before it can be set in stone. 

The contract length and terms haven’t been disclosed.

“There's not much I can say at this point,” said Mark Gleason, school board member, in an email on Tuesday. “The…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

Several parents — many holding back tears — said they were “disappointed” about the termination of two teachers at Marshall Elementary School in Maplewood and how the South Orange-Maplewood school district communicated the layoffs to them.

“We were left in the dark on how all this went down,” parent Bruce Hartley said during the public portion of the school board meeting on April 25. “There was an email chain — it was poorly…

Incumbents Andrea Wren-Hardin and Sandra Karriem and Challenger William Gaudelli have been selected by the public to fill the three open seats on the nine-member South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education.

As of 11 p.m. on April 27, school officials said, the unofficial results reported Wren-Hardin as the top vote-getter with 1,817, then Gaudelli followed with 1,816. Karriem received 1,733.

The other two challengers vying for a three-year term on the school board were Marian…

The contract purchaser of the Maplewood Woman’s Club property on Woodland Road is seeking a variance from the Maplewood Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Lamona LLC, an affiliate of  local nonprofit HK Community Fund, plans to have its main office there, and rent out the building for  events. The property…