Board President's Monthly Statement
The school board meeting is a business meeting in public and not a meeting with the public. Oftentimes it may appear to members of our audience that the Board of Education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the Administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the Superintendent of Schools/Chief School Administrator (CSA). If the Superintendent of Schools/Chief School Administrator is satisfied that the matter is ready to be presented to the Board of Education, it is then referred to the appropriate Board Committee. The Members of the Board Committee work with Administration and the Superintendent to assure that the members fully understand the matter. After the committee discusses the matter, it is presented to the full Board for discussion before any action is taken. Only then, is it placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting.
Congratulations to 35 Newly Tenured SOMSD Staff
During the November 17 Board meeting, 35 SOMSD educators were acknowledged for achieving tenure with the District since the beginning the 2022-23 SY (starting in July 2022). The honorees were invited attend the Board meeting to receive this inaugural recognition (only five of educators were able to attend in person). All honoree's received a certificate of recognition from the District. Moving forward the District will acknowledge tenured staff in the fall and spring of each school year.
In the State of New Jersey under the TEACHNJ Act, the earning and keeping of tenure is linked to the results of a teacher or principal's annual summative evaluation. Effective August 6, 2012, teachers, principals, and assistant/vice principals must complete four years of employment to be eligible for tenure under the following evaluation requirements:
- To earn tenure, a new teacher must complete a district mentorship program during his/her first year of employment. After completion of this program, the teacher must be rated either effective or highly effective in two of the three subsequent years.
- To earn tenure, a new principal, assistant principal, or vice principal must be rated either effective or highly effective in two annual summative evaluations within the first three years of employment, with the first effective rating on or after completion of the second year.
SOMSD educators who received tenure are listed below:
- Karen Thomany
- Kristin Auriemma
- Daniel Bailey-Yavonditte
- Sarah Benenati
- Kathleen Carlsen-Gaffney
- Giulia Catalano
- Marissa DeMartino
- Sarah Fakhoury
- Avis Gibbons-Williams
- Jesse Hein
- Marc Kessler
- Christine Kleinwaks
- Juliana Kong
- Dominique Laing-Rogers
- Nicole Massoud
- Sara Miller
- Karen Murphy
- Danielle Patterson
- Nicholas Picillo
- Brianna Quatrone
- Jessica Rothbard
- Nancy Sabato
- Amy Schwinder
- Bianca Silver
- Katherine Subbie
- Nicole Thomas
- Hannah Waxman
- Christina Whalen
- Mary Feeney
- Bonnie Hellstern
- Shane Zeigler
- Nicole Diluzio
- Susan Jurist
- Molly Maggiore
- Nicole Chirlo
South Orange & Maplewood School District
The mission of the South Orange Maplewood School District is to empower and inspire each student to explore and imagine, to pursue personal passions, and to collectively create a better future by creating a learner-centered environment through multiple pathways; reimagined structures, systems and supports; innovative teaching; partnering with families; and maximizing community expertise and resources.
