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(updated 6-9-08)
Community Forum an Enlightening Experience!
The Coalition organized an exciting forum on Language, Stereotype and
Communications on Tuesday, April
29th at the Columbia High School Cafeteria. The evening included improvisations based on stories provided by community members. These improvisations were performed by professional actors from Playwrights Theatre. Following the imrovisations were table discussions that explored how we use words-- and how perception always trumps intention.
If you would like to read some of the original anecdotes and stories that were used by the actors in improvising, click here.
Watching the improvisations...
The actors and director...See more photos at Coalition Photos!
Coalition elects new Executive Committee
The Community Coalition is governed by a Board of involved South Orange and Maplewood residents. The Board has elected the following executive Committee to guide th group for 2008: Chair Carol Barry-Austin and vice-chairs Marlon Brownlee, Linda Gadsby, Burt Liebman, nad Meredith Sue Willis.
Carol Barry-Austin, Burt Liebman, Marlon Brownlee, Linda Gadsby, Meredith Sue Willis
Realtor Tour April 16th
The Coalition sponsored a tour of our Two Towns Wednesday, April 16th for interested realtors who serve the South Orange and Maplewood community. The tour, by jitney, covered all neighborhoods and schools and gave realtors an opportunity to learn more about our towns. For information about the next tour, send a request to Info@TwoTowns.org.
Recent E-newsletters:
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Something New! Community Events There are a lot of things going on in the two towns-- take a look at a few of them here:
-- Don't Miss the Special Star-Ledger Online Fathers Day 2008 Article about South Orange-Maplewood!
-- Maplewoodstock July 12 & 13, 2008
-- I f you and your family have ever been spellbound by the HBO TV Series The Wire, you won’t want to miss the July 9th program sponsored by Maplewood Library and the Maplewood Municipal Alliance. The FREE program at the main library, 51 Baker St. in Maplewood, begins at 6 PM and features Wire cast member, Michael B. Jordan discussing differences between the fictional depiction and the reality of drug trafficking and abuse.
Understanding the Minority Achievement Gap Series will take place in September-October.
Watch this page and your email for information about the four session series led by the Schools Committee of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race. This will be an exciting series of speakers and facilitated discussions based on the latest research and readings on the Minority Achievement Gap. Join in the discussion and development of practical solutions for the major issue facing many school districts including our own. The series is offered free of charge, but registration and a commitment to the four sessions will be required. Participants will receive a reading list upon registration. In Service Credits for educators will be issued at the end of series. For information about the schedule and to register, call 973-761-6116, ext. 6.
Hold the date! Put October 4, 2008 in your calendar for the Coalition's Gala fall celebration! It will be the event of the season!
Columbia Students Score High in AP Exams
A report from the College Board shows 80% of Columbia students who took the AP (Advanced Placement) exams in 2007 scored 3 or better (on 5-point scale). Students who score 3 or higher on the tests usually receive  college credit for the course. Almost 300 students took the exams, compared to only 106 ten years ago. Columbia offers 21 different AP courses, one of the most extensive offerings in the state. They had 45 students named AP scholars for receiving grades of 3 or higher on three of more exams.
Five Steps for Achieving Superior Schools
The Coalition Board of Trustees has recommended a Five-Point Plan aimed at making our school district more equitable and excellent to the Board of Education. While the Coalition does not take positions on curriculum, we believe that these steps could create an atmosphere conducive to an increasingly superior school system. Click here to read the full platform.
Coalition article on
Civil Language in the Public Arena.
Coalition events always draw an interesting crowd! Below are Congressman Donald Payne, Congressman Bill Pascrell, Coalition Chair Carol Barry-Austin, and Rich Kuperman of the African-American-Jewish Coalition at our recent Martin Luther King Day celebration. See more recent Coalition Photos.
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