Community Welcome to Provide Feedback in Superintendent-Selection Process

With the district searching for new superintendent to take the helm, parents, community members, staff and students are invited to voice their opinions and concerns regarding the future candidate.

Three focus groups centering around different groups of people by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates remain and take place Sept. 13, Oct. 6 and Oct. 9, respectively.

Those who wish to attend are asked to have answers ready for the following questions:

• What are the strengths of the South Orange-Maplewood School District?
• What are the challenges and issues that the District faces now and in the future?
• What are the characteristics you think are necessary for the next Superintendent?

The complete schedule is as follows:

Sept. 13

Location: District Meeting Room. 525 Academy Street, Maplewood

• Elementary School Parents, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Middle School Parents, 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
• High School Parents, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Community Coalition on Race/ SOMA Parents of Students of African Descent Workshop, 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
• Special Education Parents Advisory Committee, Special Education PTO, others in the special needs community, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Achieve Foundation, 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Oct. 6

Location: District Meeting Room. 525 Academy Street, Maplewood

• Elementary School Parents, 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
• Middle School Parents, 8:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Oct. 9

• Teachers & Support Staff, 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• High School Parents (CHS students also encouraged to attend), 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
• Open Forum (Open to the community), 8:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

If you can’t attend in person, input can also be given through an online survey that will be open until September 26th. The online survey can be found on the right menu bar of the home page of the District website www.somsd.k12.nj.us.