SOMSD & SOMEA are happy to announce that SEED Seminars will be returning for the school year 2022-2023. If you are not familiar with the National Seed Project, please click the link for more information.  Some history behind SEED is that its roots are actually right here in South Orange & Maplewood!  Emily Style, long time South Orange resident was part of the initiation of the project as she worked with Dr. Peggy Mcintosh. The very first SEED seminar was held at Seton Hall University and the first parent SEED group was held in Maplewood.

This year I (Marcia Hicks)  will be facilitating our SEED Seminars. They are open on a first-come, first-served basis and we will be capping the number of participants at 25 (we might be able to squeeze a few more).  These seminars are open to ANY and ALL faculty and staff so sign up soon in order to reserve your spot! The perks for joining us as we learn to have difficult conversations and face our own histories is that this will count as your PLC and Ann Bodnar will grant each person a certificate for completing 14 hours of Professional Development.  SEED participation is completely VOLUNTARY. 

Our feedback on past SEED sessions has always been tremendously positive.  Folks feel that it’s time for “them” and the seminars are not like any typical PD sessions. They are designed for conversation and sharing and building emotional callouses in order to grow as educators to serve our students, to learn as people to have difficult conversations and to expand our experiences in order to be better colleagues.  SEED requires your presence at EVERY session however, and although we understand life’s challenges because the relationships are so so valuable it’s quite difficult to “catch” up if you miss more than one session.  The time will always be from 4pm-7pm with a dinner break in between. Please be as committed as the facilitators will be and to that end, here are the dates you will be committing to!

Wednesday 10/19/22
Wednesday 11/16/22
Wednesday 12/14/22
Wednesday 1/18/23
Wednesday 2/22/23
Wednesday 3/22/23
Wednesday 4/19/23
Wednesday 5/10/23

Although we do not have a meeting spot as of yet, it will be within the district.

Attached you will find a Google Form that will serve as your “application”.  Please fill it out (no administrator will have access to it) and I will get back to you before the seminars begin. 

Thank you all and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Marcia Hicks
Guidance Dept./MAC Director
Columbia High School