SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Every year, the South Orange-Maplewood School District schedules three emergency school closing days. If the district uses fewer than the allotted three days, then “give back days” are scheduled near Memorial Day Weekend.
This year, the district, so far, was only closed for one day — Monday, Jan. 25 — though South Orange Middle School was closed an additional two days due to water main breaks in the neighborhood.
Therefore, according to the school district in a release, unless the district uses an emergency closing day in the meantime, the district will be closed for both Friday, May 27, and Tuesday, May 31.
SOMS will have additional time added on at the end of the year to account for the two days closed for the water main breaks. June 21 and 22 are scheduled half days. Rather than having a staggered end of year, with students in grades six and seven ending on June 21 and eighth-grade students ending on June 22, all students and staff will report on both days, which makes up one day.
All SOMS students and staff will also report on June 23 to make up the second day. Therefore, school will be in session on a four-hour day schedule for all grades on Monday through Thursday, June 20 through 23.
This is being done instead of any other option, after consultation with the county superintendent, in order to minimize any impact on families over Memorial Day weekend.