| Don't Miss the Community Sing-In on Sunday, November 22 at 3:00 |
 You're invited to listen, perhaps to sing! This Sunday the Two Towns Sing-in workshop series ends with a concert at Prospect Presbyterian Church, 646 Prospect Street, Maplewood at 3:00 pm. Singers from all over the community have gathered to learn music from local professional conductors and performers over the last five weeks and now they're ready to share the fun with everyone. They have rehearsed music ranging from gospel, Jewish traditional, American traditional, and global heritage genres. The guest conductors--Tina Marshall, Vicki Carter, Ahmondylla Best, and Cantor Riki Lippitz--will lead and also perform on Sunday. The music this year is beautiful, fun, engaging, and full of surprises. Each week the singers report what a joyful, moving experience it has been to meet new people and learn music beyond what they know. This promises to be a special experience for the audience and a great way to begin the Thanksgiving holiday!
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Holiday Party December 17
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Annual
Holiday
Party!
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race
cordially invites all volunteers and contributors to join together for our tenth annual Coalition Holiday Party!
We will also have a brief Annual Meeting where a slate of new trustees and officers will be voted on and special recognitions given for individuals whose support have benefitted the mission of the Coalition.
December 17, 2009 7:00 pm
Cryan's Restaurant
24 First Street,South Orange, NJ
Good Cheer
Dinner/Coffee & Dessert/Soda, Wine & Beer
$25/ per person (at the door)RSVP by December 14
973-761-6116 x 6 info@twotowns.org
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| A Coalition Wish List |
In these times of tightened belts and slashed budgets, the South Orange/ Maplewood Community Coalition on Race is turning to you, our supporters to ask for the donation of:
-- A new or very gently used high speed laser printer
-- special gift of funds for special software to increase our efficiency in running community programs and managing our volunteer lists (for more information, please call the office 973-761-6116)
We are so grateful to be part of a community that supports Inclusion and Stable Integration in so many ways-- including computer hardware and time and energy as well as financial contributions.
Please call the office as soon as possible-- 973-761-6116!
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Coalition Month Celebrated Integration
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South Orange Village President Doug Newman; Coalition Chair Marlon Brownlee; Coalition Executive Director Nancy Gagnier; Governor Jon Corzine; Honoree Assemblywoman Mila Jasey; Coalition Vice-Chair Carol Barry-Austin; Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca
On Saturday, October 3rd, the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race hosted Celebrating Integration: Building Inclusive Communities. This annual celebration brings together residents, local businesses, and government, school, and civic leaders for an evening of music, food, and conversation in support of the Coalition and its goals: to work toward a community where people of all races enjoy the benefits of participation in civic life and where the leadership of civic, governmental, business and community organizations is racially inclusive and values integration in policy and practice.
This year it was the Coalition's great privilege to honor Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey for her commitment to the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race and its work toward establishing our towns as models of racial integration. The Integration Award was presented to Ms. Jasey by Executive Director Nancy Gagnier and past Coalition Chair Carol Barry-Austin along with other friends who spoke about the Assemblywoman's many volunteer roles over the years in both Maplewood and South Orange. Assemblyman John McKeon spoke about her current role as assemblywoman for the 27th District and her devotion to educational issues. She has supported the efforts of the Coalition since its inception.
Governor Jon Corzine also came to honor the pro-integrative work of the Coalition as well as to congratulate Assemblywoman Jasey. The Governor talked about how our programs, forums, and committees serve the cause of integration. According to Executive Nancy Gagnier, "Governor Corzine was particularly interested in how we engage volunteers and youth and was impressed with the level of community involvement."
After watching the Coalition's promotional video, Governor Corzine gave a short address and noted: "This is not a labor; this is an action of love, a belief in what our society should be like." The Coalition's passion for integration came across loud and clear and we are grateful that Governor Corzine appreciates our mission and witnessed our commitment to building a community that is truly integrated.
Honoree Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Governonr
Jon Corzine, and Coalition Vice-Chair Carol Barry-Austin
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Schools Committee Letter on Racial Make-Up of New Teachers for 2009-2010
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This letter from the Schools Committee of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race was read to the Board of Education and the public at the Board of Education Meeting of November 16, 2009:
The Schools Committee of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race has had the pleasure of participating in the School District of South Orange & Maplewood's New Teacher Orientation for five years. Our purpose in going to the orientation has been both to speak about the unique qualities of our intentionally integrated and inclusive community and to introduce the work of the Coalition on Race to new teachers. We also speak about our Schools Committee's particular commitment to narrowing the academic achievement gap as one of the ways to improve true integration in our schools and thus in our community.
One extremely important element for ameliorating the academic achievement gap is to provide students with role models among their teachers and other leaders in the schools and in the community. After five years of participation in the new teacher orientation, we continue to be dismayed by the lack of diversity among newly hired teachers. This year, in 2009, we saw the fewest non-white new teachers in all the years we have been coming. The teachers were young and enthusiastic, but they were not reflective of the student body of our community.
The importance of a racially and ethnically integrated teaching staff cannot be over-stated. Children need to see adults who look like them in their classrooms. White children as well as children of color need the experience of seeing teachers of color in their schools. Is it possible that there were so few teachers of color available to our District this year? What are our hiring practices and who actually does the hiring?
The importance of these issues is not something new or foreign to our District. Take a look at the admirable District goals on the website, particularly Professional Staff-Objective C: Recruitment and hiring of qualified and diverse professional staff (http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/somsd/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=280962 ). Clearly, it is a goal of our District to have a diverse teaching staff. But is it a high priority?
We are aware that Mr. Memoli presented a report to the Superintendent and Board of Education at the October 19, 2009 BOE meeting, and we know that the District has begun to do outreach to some historically black colleges. This is a beginning, but it is not enough to ensure that the District meets its own goal.
The Schools Committee of the Coalition and the Coalition itself, as always, stand ready to support inclusion and true integration with suggestions and dialogue.
Sincerely,
Carol Barry-Austin, Co-chair Schools Committee
Meredith Sue Willis, Co-chair Schools Committee
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| Schools Committee gives workshop to South Mountain PTA! |
On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Schools Committee Co-Chair Sue Willis and Program Director Audrey Rowe met with 48 members of the South  Mountain School PTA to discuss the "Top Ten Tips for Your Child's Academic Success." (See article below on the "Top Ten Tips" brochure).
After role plays and a reading of the Ten Top Tips, the PTA, led by their program chairs Marietta Zacker and Patricia Canning (also a Schools Committee member and one of the writers of the Top Ten Tips), discussed issues around getting the best out of our School District for our children.
This program is part of the Schools Committee's work to bridge the Academic Achievement Gap in our schools.
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| Ten Top Tips for Supporting Your Child's Academic Achievement!eadline |
The Schools Committee of the Coaltion, as part of its Aim High! Focus on the Minority Academic Achievement Gap program, has distributed thousands of brochures to the elementary school community with concrete ideas for getting the most out of our schools for your child. The tips ar  e the result of the committee's research combined with the wisdom of teachers and parents who know our schools. The Tips range from #1- Set high expectations for your child to # 8- Advocate for your child and #10- Plan ahead for your child's academic career.
As Superintendent of the School Disctict Brian Osborne says in the brochure, "Your Involvement will have a profound effect on your child's success in school."
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| Pre-School Open House Was November 16 |
On Monday, November 16, 2009, the Schools Committee of the Coalition an  d the Neighborhood and Civic Life Associations of the Coalition sponsored its Eighth annual Pre-School Open House in Columbia High School's cafeteria. This popular event brings a member of the School District's administrative team to talk with families about kindergarten readiness. Meanwhile, representatives from 25 or more local pre-
schools and day-care centers are available at tables to discuss their services with parents like the gentlemen with their children in the photo above.
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| What does the Coalition have to do with Environmental Action? |
The Community Coalition was on hand with an information table at the third annual Green Day Fair at Memorial Park on Saturday, October 10th. The fair had live music, how-to workshops, organic food, green businesses, interactive children's activities, and representatives from community organizations that contribute to making Maplewood a green town. Part of the mission of the Green Day Fair is to share with the community specific ways that they can put Maplewood's Environmental Action plan to work in their households and daily living, share information about climate change, and educate youth and empower them on ways they can keep the planet clean. Part of becoming certified by Sustainable New Jersey as a sustainable municipality is evidence of diversity and equity on boards and commissions. That's where the Community Coalition on Race comes in: part of our goal is to promote racial integration and inclusion in government, civic, and business organizations. Our trustees-- and young friends!-- spent the day delivering that message to all who passed by our table.
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We're In The News!!
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See an article about our community in Newsweek Magazine! Also online is an article about our 2009 Report to the Community with lots of good pictures! Take a look at articles on Patch about our Sing-Ins. Patch also came to our Celebrating Integration event on Saturday, October 3, 2009. And-- In hard copy-- New Jersey Monthly Magazine featured out community in the November 2009 issue, p. 84, "Dateline: Maplewood How One Small Suburban Town Became A Big Testing Ground for Online News Reporting"
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| If this is your first issue of the Coalition's E-Newsletter.... |
...Welcome! This newsletter is one way we let people know what we are doing, and what we are planning. These  e-newsletters come out three or four times a year, and we also publish a yearly annual report/hard copy newsletter that goes to every home in the community via Matters Magazine. Please let us know what you think-- call us at 973-761-6116 or email us at info@twotowns.org. We are thrilled to have you with us. |
Join Us--We Need You!
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 The Coalition needs your help. If you're a grant writer, a fund raiser, a web consultant, a graphic designer or a photographer (especially one whose digital camera is always handy!), please let us hear from you. If you want to support the Coalition's efforts to create true integration in our Two Towns, please call the office at 973-761-6116 and VOLUNTEER! |
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