Books And Pencil Shavings Return As Maplewood Schools Reopen

The 2026-27 school year begins Tuesday, followed by a long Labor Day weekend.

NJ Student Earns 4.0 At Howard, Secures Financial Analyst Role With Google

From a brand partner: Jaelen Clyburn graduates summa cum laude after internships with PVH and the Chicago Bulls, heading to Chicago.

School Tax Hike, Staff Cuts On The Table In South Orange-Maplewood

A total of 23 positions are potentially on the chopping block. Most would come through not filling vacancies.

School Cuts Coming In South Orange-Maplewood, Superintendent Says

There is some belt-tightening taking place in SOMA. For local homeowners, it will likely mean a tax hike, a school official said.

NJ Child Sex Abuse Victims Can Sue Their Schools, Supreme Court Says

The court said districts can be sued for sexual abuse committed by staff members – even if it didn’t take place on school grounds.

How Much State School Aid For South Orange-Maplewood? NJ Releases Latest Totals

Experts say that a decrease in school aid – or even a flat number – can trigger an increase in property taxes for a town’s homeowners.

Maplewood Students Invent Mechanized Gate, School Uses Their Project To Boost Safety

Students captured drone footage of the area, tracked traffic patterns and built prototypes of their mechanical crossing guard.

New Traffic Pattern At Columbia High School Launches This Year In South Orange-Maplewood

View a map of the new traffic pattern at Columbia High School here.

WATCH: South Orange-Maplewood Students Graduate High School

More than 500 graduates of Columbia High School are moving on to the next chapter of their lives.

Charges Against Maplewood School Principal Dropped, Court Tosses Suit

A principal in the SOMA school district was accused of assaulting a student and arrested – but later cleared of the charges.

How Much State Aid For SOMA Schools? NJ Releases Totals

Some school districts will see more state aid, others will lose funding. Here are the 2025-2026 numbers for South Orange-Maplewood.

South Orange-Maplewood Schools Closed Thursday Due To Winter Storm

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory and a hazardous weather outlook for the South Orange-Maplewood area.

NJ School District Faces Slew Of Teacher Sex Abuse Lawsuits: Report

The lawsuits were filed in connection with decade-old sex abuse charges against a former teacher in Essex County.

SOMA Art Teacher’s Painting Picked For Prestigious Exhibit In Cuba

"This honor is shared with my students," a talented teacher in the South Orange-Maplewood school district said.

Social Media Threat To South Orange, Maplewood School District: UPDATE

The social media threat in South Orange and Maplewood is the fourth such incident reported in Essex County in the span of a week.

High Honors For These 47 Columbia High School Students

“Working with such brilliant and motivated students is truly a privilege,” their school principal said.

South Orange-Maplewood 2024 School Board Election: See Candidate List

Here's who filed petitions to run in the SOMA board of education race this November.

Accused NJ Principal Still Faces Assault Charge In Maplewood (UPDATE)

Frank Sanchez has been accused of pushing a student against the wall. His supporters claim he was trying to break up a fight.

Charge Dropped For NJ Principal Accused Of Assaulting Student

Maplewood principal Frank Sanchez was accused of grabbing and pushing a student. His supporters claim he was trying to break up a fight.

SOMA Schools Will Give Ax To 28 Staff Positions, Raise Taxes

Homeowners in Maplewood and South Orange will see their taxes increase, despite the elimination of dozens of staff jobs.

‘Unsung Heroes’ In Essex County: Students Inspire School Communities

The Essex County School Boards Association is shining a well-deserved spotlight on inspiring young people throughout the area.

Student Assaulted In South Orange-Maplewood School District: Police

A youth (or youths) from a different school were allegedly behind the assault at Columbia High School, authorities said.

South Orange-Maplewood Schools Earn Award For Music Program

It’s music to SOMA's ears.

Maplewood School Evacuated After Gas Main Break: Authorities

The gas main break also caused road closures in the area, Maplewood police said.

Dozens Of Jobs On Chopping Block In South Orange-Maplewood Schools

Between 30 and 40 positions are in jeopardy under the district’s proposed budget due to a $2.7 million deficit. Here’s what happens next.

Inspiring Maplewood Teacher 'Makes Everyone Feel Included'

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to celebrate awesome teachers in New Jersey, including Maplewood.

Two Columbia Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced For 2023 In Maplewood

Celebrities and leaders have graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood. An Olympic medalist and an author will join the Hall of Fame.

Toddlers In Maplewood See Their Morning Announcements Go Viral

"He was so shy at first," said one commenter, of a pre-schooler's morning announcement at a Maplewood school. The post got 41K likes.

Teens In Maplewood Nab Prestigious Paper Mill Playhouse Nominations

Which school has the fairest teen thespians of them all? Columbia High School in the South Orange-Maplewood district has several nominees.

'Active Shooter' At Maplewood School Was Teen With Fireworks: Police

A student with fireworks was arrested on three charges after causing a lockdown at his high school in the South Orange-Maplewood district.

Maplewood School Board To Meet Thursday For Reorganization, More

The South Orange-Maplewood school board will meet in person and virtually Thursday. Get the agenda items and links to watch here.

Rally Planned To Support Boy, 4, After Maplewood Schools Incident

Family members say a boy on the autism spectrum was held upside down by a teacher in the South Orange-Maplewood schools.

St. Rose Of Lima Students Receive Record Number Of Scholarships

More than 70 percent of the academy's eight graders are award recipients.

Maplewood Public Schools Get High Marks In New NJ School Ratings

Each South Orange-Maplewood public school got a cumulative rating based on scores during the last (2021-2022) school year. See scores below.

Jewish School In Essex County Gets Grant To Offer Free Tuition

South Orange-based synagogue Oheb Shalom Congregation received funding from the Arthur Schechner Charitable Foundation.

Teacher In South Orange-Maplewood Schools Suspended: Reports

A teacher in the South Orange-Maplewood schools has been suspended after holding a child with autism upside down, reports said.

Maplewood Adds Eid, Spring Election To School Calendar

The South Orange-Maplewood schools will close for two holidays that were added last month to the school calendar for spring 2023.

New Lawsuit Alleges Abuse From Maplewood School Administrator: Report

A fifth lawsuit has been filed containing abuse allegations against a former administrator in Maplewood who also taught in Bergen County.

South Orange-Maplewood Pre-K Programs Get $6.67M In Gov's Next Budget

Registration for South Orange-Maplewood's preschool programs runs through this Friday, March 10. Find out about that and other registration.

Washington Post Dives Deep Into Maplewood Hijab Debate A Year Later

The Washington Post followed up on a Maplewood story about a teacher, a hijab, social media, and some newer claims of antisemitism.