Seth Boyden Elementary School

District News & Announcements

Sign Up for 2021 SOMSD Summer Program Classes: Registration Deadline Extended to Tuesday, June 1

Click Here to create an account and sign up for 2021 Summer classes. The deadline to register is extended to Thurs., May 27 SUMMER PROGRAM QUESTIONS: Parents/Guardians please reach out to the respective Point of Contact(s) listed for each program for any questions/inquiries (Click here to view) FOR HIGH SCHOOL ONLY: Columbia High School Scholarship Information – If you are requesting a scholarship, you must first create an account, once your account is activated, log in, click on the scholarship link and follow the directions. You should contact Assistant Principal Woolard (twoolard@nullsomsd.k12.nj.us), for the CHS Credit Recovery Program class and STEM Supervisor Misbahuddin (jmisbahu@nullsomsd.k12.nj.us), Math Advancement or AP Chemistry summer classes if you need scholarship assistance for these summer courses.

2021 Summer Program Offerings

Dear SOMSD Families,

This has truly been a school year like no other.  Our students, staff, administration and community experienced learning in ways we never have before.  While there have been many successes we realize there have been challenges along the way as well.  Because of that,   we have been working on creating as many summer opportunities for our students as possible.  After reviewing the data from the tremendous response to our Summer Interest Survey we were able to create programs that will meet the needs of our SOMSD students in order to better prepare them for the upcoming school year.

This summer will also bring about the exciting start to our highly anticipated renovation projects across the district.  Some of our District buildings (Clinton, Jefferson, Marshall, & Tuscan) will be undergoing renovations throughout the summer.  This will make having every summer program in person a difficult task, but we are committed to using every available classroom to offer as much in-person learning as possible.  We are excited that student interest in these summer programs is very high and have been working to fill the necessary positions to accommodate our needs.  While we are not capping our student numbers at this time, each registration will be time-stamped and each class (excluding CHS credit recovery) will be filled on a first come first serve basis.  

Important – All academic classes are offered in the mornings to allow for students to attend academic classes and music (grades 5-12), book club (grades 3-8) and or STEM design thinking classes (grades 3-8) in the afternoons or evenings.  Students may sign up for as many classes as they would like.

 

Curriculum & Instruction Department

 

Message from School Nurses: Travel And Updated Quarantine Guidance for Upcoming Memorial Weekend

Dear South Orange & Maplewood School District Community,

As the long Memorial Day Holiday weekend (May 28 – 31) is coming upon us (District schools will be closed) we want to share a message from our school nurses regarding travel and updated quarantine guidance for staff/and or families who are planning to travel.

In an updated travel clarification for K-12 Schools on May 20, 2021 from NJDOH:  
“While the NJ Travel Advisory is no longer in effect, individuals should follow CDC guidance regarding domestic https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html
 and international https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html travel. For the purpose of this guidance, domestic travel is defined as travel lasting 24 hours or longer to states or US territories other than contiguous states (i.e., Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware). “

What Does Quarantine Mean?

  • This is when someone who might have been exposed to the virus but has no symptoms needs to stay home. This is because they could be infected and could spread the virus, even though they feel well. Someone who starts to feel sick during quarantine should contact their Health Care Provider and consider getting tested.  

What is the updated guidance from NJDOH for domestic travel?

  • UNVACCINATED PERSONS and Domestic Travel

New Jersey continues to strongly discourage all non-essential interstate travel at this time. Unvaccinated travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC:

  • If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip.
  •  If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time.
  •  If travelers test negative, they should still quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
  • If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for a full 10 days after travel.
  •  FULLY VACCINATED PERSONS* and Domestic Travel

You no longer need to quarantine or get tested before/after domestic travel if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months.  Fully vaccinated is defined as:

  • It has been more than two weeks since you received your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine; or
  • It has been more than two weeks since you received your first and only dose of the Janssen/Johnson and Johnson vaccine; or,
  • You have clinically recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months.

Local testing/vaccination options:

  • Please note, for middle school and high school students:  Students 12 years and older who live in New Jersey are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.  To find vaccine locations: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/finder
  • Testing is presently available at 1850 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood for drop-in appointments.  NJCOVID Team. Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00PM (973-268-4319)
  • For information on local vaccination and additional testing sites click here: https://bit.ly/3eMmxOr

For further guidance on travel, please visit the official site of the State of NJ: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey

South Orange & Maplewood School District

Virtual Welcome to Middle School Events for 5th Grade Families

Dear Parents/Guardians of 5th Grade Students,

You are invited to preview the middle school experience, with Principals Dara Gronau, Maplewood Middle School (MMS) and Lynn Irby, South Orange Middle School (SOMS). Each school will host a virtual welcome event, where they will provide you with an overview of what you need to know as you prepare for the next chapter of your child’s educational journey, including:

  • Scheduling
  • Curriculum Overview
  • Academic Placement
  • Wellness Initiatives
  • Extracurricular Activities

South Orange Middle School

Date:  Wednesday, April 21 | 7pm – 8:30pm

Event #: 129 873 2412

Password: Village2021 (84552432 from phones)

Call-in #: 408-418-9388

Maplewood Middle School

Event #: 129 920 6828

Password: Maplewood2021 (62753966 from phones)

Call-in #: 408-418-9388

Sincerely, Dara Gronau, Principal, Maplewood Middle School Lynn Irby, Principal, South Orange Middle School

Reminder: Middle School Math Course Selection is due by Friday, March 26 | Parent Q&A Pop-In Office Hours Available

SOMSD 5th, 6th and 7th Grade Families,
As a reminder, Middle School Math Course Selection is due by Friday, March 26.  Make your selection in Forms in PowerSchool.  Below is information to assist in your decision-making.
Ms. Beane the Math Supervisor will hold pop-in office hours for parents to ask questions on the following dates below:
  • Tuesday March 23, 6:30pm – 8pm
  • Wednesday, March 24, 8am – 9am
  • Wednesday, March 24, 4pm – 6pm
  • Friday, March 26, 4pm – 6pm
Connect with this link: meet.google.com/jmx-gqkr-mck

SOMSD Statement on Violence Against AAPI Community, March 22, 2021

Dear SOMSD Community,

We have been following the events and senseless acts of violence that have occurred against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Georgia, New York and across our country. As a community, our hearts are broken. We are disheartened over the senseless loss of life of eight human beings, six of whom were women of Asian descent. 

Over the past year, we have witnessed how words, fear, intolerance, and lack of empathy have led to a rise in hate crimes, injustice, discrimination, harassment, and bullying against the AAPI community.   Hate crimes against the AAPI community have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A report released by “Stop AAPI Hate” revealed that there have been at least 3,795 hate incidents targeting the AAPI community between March 2020 and February 2021; more than 500 occurred in 2021.

The Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, shared, “On behalf of the Board and District leadership, we condemn any acts that would seek to diminish the worth of any one group due to their race, gender, nationality or heritage….”  The deaths of these eight people, six of whom were Asian American women, on Tuesday in Atlanta was an unspeakable tragedy for the families of the victims, first and foremost, and also for the AAPI community, who have been faced with high levels of racial discrimination.”

As a District, we stand in solidarity with our AAPI community, our staff, students, families, community partners, and any group that has faced injustice and racism. There is no place for hate and discrimination in our community and schools.  The victims of this shooting were mothers, wives, daughters, aunts, friends, a grandmother, an Army veteran, and a husband. We will not forget the names of those whose lives were tragically cut short on Tuesday, March 16, among them:

  1. Soon Chung Park, 74;
  2. Hyun Jung Grant, 51;
  3. Suncha Kim, 69; 
  4. Yong Ae Yue, 63;
  5. Delaina Yaun, 33;
  6. Xiaojie Tan, 49;
  7. Paul Andre Michels, 52; and
  8. Daoyou Feng, 44.

Internal Resources for Students:

We encourage members of our student/parent community to reach out to their school social workers and/or counseling department for individual & group counseling services for students.

  1. Elementary Schools:  Click here for more information: bit.ly/SOMSDElemSW
  2. Middle School & High School:  Your child’s  Guidance Counselor can provide counseling for your child, connect you with resources available in the Secondary Schools as well as provide referrals to an outside therapist.  Students with IEP’s should contact their case manager.

Additional external resources.

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Gretel Perez, Assistant Superintendent, Access & Equity

South Orange & Maplewood Board of Education

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