CHS Student Arrested for Terroristic Threat, Cops Say

Arrest stemmed from report of hazardous substance two days ago which led to school's evacuation.

  A Columbia High School student was arrested Tuesday and will be charged with making a terroristic threat after he allegedly placed an envelope filled with white powder under a dean's office door, said Capt. John M. Perna of the Maplewood Police Department. The incident led to the school's evacuation on Tuesday. The student, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested Tuesday afternoon by Youth Aid and Detective Bureau officers after being identified by school administrators, said Perna, who would not comment on how the boy was identified. Shortly after the dean reported a potential hazardous substance at around 1:30 p.m., the administrators evacuated the school and alerted the police. The incident drew the Maplewood Police Department, the Maplewood …

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Competition Postponed: Columbia HS Robotics Teams Head for State Tourney

Both CHS teams will compete on Saturday

Updated:  Due to predictions of foul weather, the competition will be postponed, date TBD.      Two robotics teams from Columbia High School teams have qualified for Saturday’s New Jersey State Championship at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, officials said Wednesday. The teams, Team 4102 (the Cougars) and Team 5332 (Cougar Current), will participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) division of the US FIRST robotics organization championship. Two teams from the state will qualify for the world championship in St. Louis.  In addition to the robots, two CHS students are competing in the "video challenge" and in the "PTC design challenge." The video challenge has teams submit a team video that promotes robotics, the team and what the …

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HK Project Seeks Donations for Family of Deceased CHS Grad

Family of Cassandra Duke '11 need help to afford her burial.

  HK Project is coordinating a fundraising drive to help the family of a recently deceased Columbia High School alumna to bury their granddaughter. Cassandra Duke, 20 years old, passed away on January 23 from complications of the flu and pneumonia. After her parents died (her mother passed away just six weeks after she was born), Cassandra was raised by her grandmother, Carolyn. Raised in Maplewood, Cassandra went to Seth Boyden Elementary School and Maplewood Middle School. As a child, she studied dance at the Burgdorff Center and was a pee-wee cheerleader. She graduated from CHS in 2011. Her family has held a small family service at the Chapels of Eden Funeral Home in East Orange, but are unable to complete the funeral arrangements. HK …

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Budget Talks and More in SOM School District

A recap of recent issues and discussions, ahead of next week's BOE meeting.

It's a busy time in the South Orange-Maplewood School District, as the Board of Education (BOE) is in the thick of budget discussions for the 2013-14 school year. The board has been discussing the upcoming budget since the beginning of this school year. The next board meeting is on Monday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. (in the District Meeting Room at 525 Academy St.) If you'd like to get up to speed before then, here is a brief summary of what's going on in the district: State of the District Superintendent Brian Osborne recently gave his annual State of the District address; for more information click here. International Baccalaureate/Middle Years Program The district is currently training teachers and staff in anticipation of launching the IB/…

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Superintendent Gives State of the District

Meeting on Wednesday is open to public.

  Superintendent Brian Osborne will give his annual State of the District Report on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Columbia High School Library (17 Parker Avenue). According to an email from the district:  This is a great opportunity to hear from the superintendent about the achievements and accomplishments of the past year, the challenges we face, and our plans and vision for the future.  There will also be time for questions.  We hope you will join us for the report. The report will not be broadcast live but will be available on the website on Friday.

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CHS Senior Continues Tradition of Helping Others

Timur Alimov, 18, is the youngest member of the South Orange Rescue Squad.

Timur Alimov isn't your average high school senior.  While most students participate in after-school activities such as sports, theater and arts and even after-school academics, Columbia High School's Alimov chose to go in a unique direction.  After school, he saves lives. Alimov is the youngest member of the South Orange Rescue Squad.  Since becoming an EMT in June, he has been on over 70 medical calls and hopes his squad experience leads to a career in medicine. “I started EMT school because my mom wanted me to,” said Alimov.  “Once I got into it, it sort of pulled me into the emergency medical field.  I want to help people.” Alimov is continuing a family tradition of being involved in the medical field.  His great grandmother was the …

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Columbia HS Hosts 20th Annual Italian Dinner & Music Night

The event is open to the public

NJ children's author and classical singer Patricia Brady-Danzig will be the very special guest of The Italian Cultural Club of Columbia High School for the 20th Edition of Italian Dinner & Music Night, which will celebrate the local regions of Italy. Brady-Danzig, who will be the guest of honor at the invitation of Italian teacher, Domenico Tancredi, will read "Fabrizio’s Fable” (La Favola di Fabrizio) written in English and Italian, to the dinner guests and will play her rendition with full orchestra from her CD, "Sharing” of the Italian aria, "Vissi D'Arte" from the opera “Tosca” by the famous Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini. Brady-Danzig will also tell the story of the Puccini opera to the audience before she plays the piece. “Tosca” …

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Columbia HS Evacuated Briefly; Students Now Back in Class

The Maplewood Fire Department was on scene

Columbia High School was evacuated briefly on Thursday, due to "the improper use of an extension cord in one of our conference rooms," according to an email released by principal Dr. Lovie Lilly. According to Lilly:  Today, Columbia High School was evacuated at approximately 7:45AM due to the improper use of an extension cord in one of our conference rooms.  Students and staff were safely evacuated while the fire department investigated. The danger was averted, and the Maplewood Fire Department deemed it safe for our return at approximately 8:00AM.  We have resumed our instructional schedule for the day.  As always, student safety remains a top priority in our district.  We are grateful to the Maplewood Fire Department for their quick …

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CHS Alum Benjamin Greenfield Dies at 29

A security engineer for Google, Inc., extreme rock climber and snowboarder, Greenfield grew up in South Orange.