NEW CHS PRINCIPAL APPOINTED, AMONG OTHER ISSUES AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

The Board of Education on Monday night formally approved the hiring of a new Columbia High School principal, Elizabeth Aaron, who has served as an assistant principal at the school for several years.

She replaces Kirk E. Smith, who held the position following the retirement last year of longtime principal Lovie Lilly.

At the same school board meeting, several South Orange Middle School staffers continued their complaints about management of the school, which also includes some Maplewood students, under principal Joseph Uglialoro.

And the board also received a petition from 191 students asking the district to push back the start of school at Columbia, claiming an earlier schedule of 8:25 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. would work better than the current school day that often begins for some at 7:30 a.m. 

This comes as some studies, including hose highlighted in a New York Times story today, have shown that students perform better when they get more sleep.