TOWNSHIP ISSUES STORM PREP TIPS

                                   From the Township:

PSE&G Prepares for Hurricane Joaquin What can you do to prepare? PSE&G is making preparations for a possible landfall of Hurricane Joaquin. We are also closely monitoring the expected heavy rains and high winds over the next several days. While it is too early to know with any certainty when and where Joaquin will make landfall – and the strength of the storm when it does – we take every storm with the potential for outages seriously. We are activating our emergency protocol and personnel, and performing system checks on critical transmission and distribution equipment. Also, we are requesting mutual aid from other utilities, securing additional tree crews and ensuring the availability of materials and supplies. What can you do? Stay connected: Register for our free MyAlerts service ahead of time to receive email or text notifications about an outage at pseg.com/myalerts. Sign up for My Account at pseg.com and bookmark the mobile-friendly homepage on your smart phone to report outages and check restoration progress. Compile a list of emergency phone numbers, including PSE&G's Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. "Like" PSEG on Facebook and follow PSEG on Twitter @PSEGdelivers for tips and information about storm progress. Be ready to report and track outages on PSE&G's "Outage Center" at pseg.com/outagecenter For information on how to prepare an emergency plan and kit, visit www.ready.gov

OUR LET'S TALK TEST PROVES WELL

We decided to test the new Let's Talk communications system that has been instituted on a pilot basis in the South Orange Maplewood School District.

Superintendent John Ramos has said the new program, which gives residents online tabs in which to direct inquiries and concerns, will have a goal of responding to all inquiries within two days.

Try it yourself HERE.

We tested it with an inquiry asking what the district enrollment was last year and what it is this year.

The inquiry was submitted on Monday at 8:28 a.m. The response below came in on Tuesday at 12:55 p.m:

Original Message

Sent by Joe Strupp on Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 8:15 AM

I am wanting to find out what is the enrollment for the district for the 2015-2016 school year and what was it for the 2014-2015 school year?  Tue 9/29/2015 12:55 PM Hi Joe, Enrollment numbers are reported as of October 15th each year.  The enrollment for 2014-2015 is available here: http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/domain/43 We will update that page with the 2015-2016 numbers in a few weeks. Enrollment for both years will also be included in the baseline budget information, which is usually reported to the Board of Education in November. Hope this is helpful! Sincerely, Suzanne Suzanne M. Turner Director of Strategic Communications South Orange Maplewood School District 525 Academy Street * Maplewood, NJ 07040 T 973-762-5600 ext. 1834 * F 973-378-9464 sturner@somsd.k12.nj.us * www.somsd.k12.nj.us

MMS SIGNAGE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR

Whoever oversees the Maplewood Middle School signage is getting a sense of humor.

First, they made fun of their delays in kicking off the new year.

Then we find this promotion for their great Home School Association (or HSA). Keep 'em comin'!

MIDDLE SCHOOL TRAVEL BASKETBALL TRYOUTS TONIGHT

From Maplewood Recreation:

***REMINDER***

Tryouts for the 7th and 8th Grade Boys Travel Basketball teams begin tonight!
7th Grade Boys: 6:00pm-7:30pm
8th Grade Boys: 7:30pm-9:00pm

TRYOUTS ARE HELD AT MAPLEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Players MUST be a resident of Maplewood, regardless of which school you attend. 

For any questions, please contact Coach Eddie Starzynski at: estarzynski@twp.maplewood.nj.us

THANK YOU and We will See you on the court!

"BURNING ODOR" PROMPTS CHS EVACUATION FOR 40 MINUTES TODAY

From CHS Principal Elizabeth Aaron today:

Good day, CHS families. 

Today we conducted 40-minute evacuation of our building due to a burning odor in several classrooms. The source was identified by Maplewood Fire Department members, and the building was cleared our alarms were reset as per emergency procedures before we re-entered the building to resume our day. 

Please be aware and share with your students that in the event of an evacuation, we act on the premise of a ‘frozen’ schedule –that is, students stay with the teacher and class during and after the evacuation and re-entry until directed otherwise. Even if the time that passes would have moved students to lunch, a free period, or the end of their day, they are not excused. They remain with that teacher until further direction is given. This procedure is designed so that we may account for each and every student during an emergency. 

 We hope to see you this evening at Back to School Night.....

Best regards, 

Elizabeth Aaron

CHS CORRECTS DISTRICT SCHEDULE MISTAKES

From Columbia High School today:

Good Morning CHS Community!

It has come to my attention that the dates of some Guidance Department events are erroneous on the CHS/District website(s), as well as in the district calendar. We apologize for any confusion and hope that this email will clarify and confirm the timing of all upcoming departmental programming. 

Junior Parent Night – October 7, 2015                                     7:00 in the  CHS Auditorium

Sophomore Parent Night – October 14, 2015               7:00 in the  CHS Auditorium

Freshman Parent Night – October 28, 2015                   7:00 in the  CHS Auditorium

Financial Aid Seminar – November 18, 2015                          7:00 in the  CHS Auditorium
(Guest Speaker: Doug Wilson, Senior Financial Aid Officer, Rutgers University)

College and Career Fair - March 16, 2016                       7:00 in the CHS Main Gym and throughout the building

8^th to 9^th Grade Transition Night - May 25, 2016           6:30 in the  CHS Auditorium

Senior Recognition Night - June 8, 2016                         7:00 in the  CHS Auditorium

COFFEE WITH A COP BROUGHT OUT A FEW MEN, AND WOMEN, IN BLUE

We stopped by to see the Coffee With a Cop event at Prospect Church Wednesday night.

We found a few cops, as well as Chief Robert Cimino, Mayor Vic De Luca and TC Candidate Greg Lembrich.

The men, and women, in blue offered up great information to residents and urged them to remember they are there to serve.

POLICE ISSUE ALERT FOR MISSING ELDERLY MAN

From Maplewood Police: 

Elderly male, white, 84, Alzheimers patient missing from the 400 block of Ridgewood Rd. Gone since Sept. 30 driving a 2005 Lexus RX wagon, N.J. license plate SKN15V 

Contact police at 973-762-3400.