The Ultimate Back-to-School Guide for Summit, Short Hills, & SOMA

Families of Summit, Short Hills, South Orange, Maplewood, Millburn, Livingston, West Orange, and the rest of our local New Jersey towns! We're putting together the ultimate guide to kickstart the school year. Looking for school calendars in our area? Fun back-to-school events? Where to go back-to-school shopping? We'll continue adding more content in the coming weeks, so be sure to bookmark this page or look for it in our guide section, in case you can't find your calendars easily in the school websites! 

NJ Public School Calendars

• Chatham: School District of the Chathams Calendar
• Florham: Florham Park School District Calendar
• Livingston: Livingston Public Schools Calendar
• Maplewood: The School District of South Orange & Maplewood Calendar
• Millburn: Millburn Township Public Schools Calendar
• Orange: Orange Public Schools Calendar
• Short Hills: Millburn Township Public Schools Calendar
• South Orange: The School District of South Orange & Maplewood Calendar
• Summit: Summit Public Schools Calendar
• Vauxhall: Union Public School District Calendar
• West Orange: West Orange Public Schools Calendar

Religious Schools

• Mickey Fried Preschool – South Orange
  • Stay & Play for Extended Day at SOMA’s Mickey Fried Preschool (sponsored)

Back-To-School Events

• PAST
  • Back To School Bath & Body Haul at Good Bottle Refill Shop – Maplewood, Sat 8/31 & Sun 9/1
  • 🛍️ Welcome Back Summit, Fri 9/6  – Sun 9/8
  • Open House at Temple Sinai – Summit (sponsored), Mon 9/9, 7pm 
  • 🔬Career Carnival for Kids: STEAM Careers – Chatham – Sat 9/14
  • 🏫 Montclair Cooperative School's Early Ages - Middle School Open House (sponsored), Thu 9/26, 10am
    • From their full-day Early Ages program (starting at 2.5 years old), to their Kindergarten forest school program, to the Middle School service learning trips - there is so much to learn about Montclair Cooperative School!
      Go see their classrooms first hand and experience the magic of progressive education!

After School Programs

Be sure to check with your school, other parents, and local libraries for local recommendations. Here are some we like:

• Summit Public Library's CATSS (Grades 6-8) & Homework Helpers (Grades 1-8)

How About Ice Cream Shops After School?

• Scoops – Chatham
• Honey & Hive Artisanal Ice Cream – Maplewood
• Magic Fountain – Summit
• ZRolls Ice Cream – Summit
• Cold Stone Creamery – South Orange

Parks & Playgrounds

• The Top 5 Playgrounds and Parks in Summit / Short Hills / SOMA

Back-To-School Related Articles

• Capture the Moment: A Printable for That Special First Day of School
• What To Pack? 8 Parent-Approved Lunchbox & Afterschool Snack Picks
• Master Shoelace Tying in 60 Seconds: A Must-Know Skill for Every Kid
• 7 Tips to Prepare Your Child for Middle School
• Conquer Test Taking Anxiety: 7 Books for Kids That Ease the Pressure
• Neurodivergent Resources & Talking With Parent Advocate Danielle Ward
• Check This Out: 5 Reasons Your Kid Should Have Their Own Library Card
• Can You Speak Teen? Take Our Quiz and See If You’re Cool or Clueless

Resources

• NJ Dept. of Education: Back-To-School 2024-2025: Highlights and Initiatives

Know of a community back-to-school event? Know of a back-to-school haircut event or stylist special nearby? Have a favorite locally owned spot for back-to-school shopping you don't see listed here? Email glendar@macaronikid.com, and we'll get it added!

Do you run a local business or organization and wish you could sponsor this type of article? You sure can. Get in touch to hear about the many partnering options we offer. Let's work together!