Three Columbia High School Students were recently named as semifinalist in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Congratulations to Ryanne Barrett, Alexander Glynn, and Zubin Kremer Guha. Click here to view the Tap Into SOMA article regarding the National Merit Scholarship Program.
District News & Announcements
Top 99 NJ High School Coaches Of All Time!
The School District of South Orange and Maplewood is happy to announce that 3 Columbia High School alumni staff are part of NJ.com’s list of top 99 coaches of all time.Please join us in celebrating Daryl White (Fencing), Gene Chyzowych (Boys Soccer), and Johanna Wright (Girls Basketball).
SOMSD Departmental Updates
The SOMSD Departmental Updates newsletter is now available!
Click here or on the picture below to view the newsletter.
Welcome Letter By Dr. Ronald G. Taylor
SOMSD Parent Portal Announcement
To Parents / Guardians,
The South Orange Maplewood School District is happy to announce the launch of two new enhancements to the PowerSchool parent portal.
- Back To School / Welcome Forms: Each school year, families must fill out a variety of forms and permission slips for their children. Some of these forms include: emergency contact information, parent contact information, acceptable use policy acknowledgements, & consent for publicity. This year, the forms will be made available through the PowerSchool parent portal. To ensure your child’s records are up to date, all families are encouraged to fill out these forms online. Additional information and instructions will be sent to all families during the week of August 26th.
- Elementary School Parent Portal: During the 2019 – 2020 school year, elementary school parents will have the ability to view attendance, demographic information, schedule information, and complete back to school / welcome forms through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. During the week of August 26th, elementary parents will be mailed their PowerSchool parent portal login credentials and instructions. Email support will be available to parents who need assistance.
More information will be available during the week of August 26th.
Preschool Program FAQ Available
Dear Preschool Parents/Guardians,
The new school year will bring about a new experience for all students and their families attending the District’s Preschool Program. The implementation of the Preschool Education Expansion Aid (PEEA), designed to offer high-quality early learning, is allowing the district to serve even more resident students for the 2019-2020 school year.
While we had an unprecedented interest in the program, a random selection of applicants led to the assignment of students to three sites thus far, Applecore Learning Early Childhood Center, Marshall Elementary portable classroom and Montrose Early Childhood Center. New students were selected based on a lottery system drawn in accordance with the District’s Registration Policy and Regulations. Our commitment to preschool education is fostering partnerships with local child care providers to secure additional classroom space for South Orange and Maplewood students to have access to a high-quality preschool experience.
As the program continues to grow, the research-based curriculum (Tools of the Mind) and developmentally appropriate assessment practices (Teaching Strategies GOLD) will be implemented with uniformity across all sites. An oversight team has been assembled to provide program leadership, professional development and support for the staff throughout the year.
An FAQ has been prepared by educators and parents as a tool to answer essential questions the community may have. Click here to view the online FAQ or click here to download a printable copy. Please review it and if you have any further questions, let me know. I can be reached at (973) 762-5600, Extension 1841 or you may send an email to lmorana@nullsomsd.k12-.nj.us.
Additionally, we have reserved next Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 7:00-8:30pm at Columbia’s High School’s Auditorium, 17 Parker Ave, Maplewood, to address any further questions or concerns from our parents and families. I hope that you will join me then.
Sincerely,
Laura C. Morana
Interim Assistant Superintendent for Special Services
08-28-2019 10:33 pm | Download |