West Orange Teacher Suspended After Sex Assault Charges

Interim Superintendent Jim O'Neill said a certified teacher will replace Christopher Yonitch, 36, of Livingston, for the remainder of the school year.

A West Orange fifth-grade teacher has been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested last week on charges he sexually assaulted a student.  "Our highest priority is student safety," Interim Superintendent Jim O'Neill said in a statement. "We will closely monitor the case and the charges." The Washington School teacher, Christopher Yonitch, 36, of Livingston, was arrested Feb. 7 on charges of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to officials at the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.  According to officials, the child is a 10-year-old student of Yonitch. A certified teacher will take on Yonitch's class for the remainder of the school year, O'Neill said.  O’Neill issued the following statement from the district …

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In Good Company

West Orange Food Bank Joins the Community FoodBank of New Jersey

It all started in 2002 with four bags of groceries

Charitable non-profit organizations are businesses, too. Instead of marketing, they rely on public relations; instead of paying many salaries, they rely upon a few paid administrators and the work of volunteers. They don’t pay taxes, but they do have to keep records and file tax returns. Unlike for-profit businesses, they don’t aim to please their shareholders; they aim to fulfill their mission of service. This week, my son was invited to a birthday party, where the parents requested that instead of gifts, guests bring canned goods to donate to the West Orange Food Pantry. This is the second birthday party we’ve been to with this request. (In both cases, we were assured that the birthday boys would be getting plenty of gifts from relatives…

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Cynthia Cumming

3:43 pm on Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Jennifer, thanks for the great article!   more ›