Six File To Run For South Orange-Maplewood Board Of Education – Maplewood, NJ Patch

SOUTH ORANGE AND MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Six people filed to run for three seats on the South Orange-Maplewood Township Board of Education late last month. The general election will be held Nov. 3.

The six candidates are:

• Susan Lewis Bergin (Collaborate, Belong, Thrive)
• Courtney Winkfield (Collaborate, Belong, Thrive)
• Melanie Finnern (Parent for Progress)
• Elissa Malespina (Choice for Change)
• Deborah Engel
• Kamaljit Zubieta (For All Children)

(Candidates who need to update their information with Patch can email this address.)

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, there will be a lot of new decisions to make and problems to solve.

The district announced the school reopening plan on July 31, although state mandates may change. (Read the plan and information here.)

The district also voted unanimously last month to a lawsuit settlement with the Black Parents’ Workshop, meaning they’ll attempt to address racial iniquities in the district. Read more here.

The state has said that all schools must offer an all-remote option for reopening, in addition to any in-person plans.

Rocio Lopez, the president of the South Orange-Maplewood Education Association, recently joined other Essex County union representatives in stating concerns about school reopening. READ MORE: Millburn, Other Teachers’ Unions Want Learning To Stay Remote

Schools in the district will open on Sept. 7 and 8, by grade level. Check with the district to confirm that your child’s reopening date hasn’t changed.

Read recent coronavirus information about the Maplewood and South Orange area here, including testing and statistics.

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