Columbia High School In Maplewood Gets New Activities/Athletic Supervisor

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — As students from Maplewood and South Orange return to Columbia High School this year, their studies won't be the only things on their mind. Extra-curriculars matter too, and to guide these programs, the school will have a new supervisor.

Richard "Rich" Porfido started work this month as the new Columbia High School CHS Supervisor of Athletics & Activities, leaving his post as athletic director at the Livingston public schools.

Before that, he served as athletic director at Caldwell High School for 11 years, and also had served as the athletic director at Wayne Hills in Passaic County for two years.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and an Advanced National Coaching Diploma for soccer from the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America.

He also has extensive coaching experience, the district noted:

• He coached two sports at the intercollegiate level, among them he served as Assistant women’s soccer coach at Troy State University in Alabama and served as assistant women’s basketball coach at Bloomfield College;
• Head coach at Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls for girls soccer, boys' track and field, and boys' tennis (where he also taught history).

The district said that Porfido had also been a voice-over actor on the PBS series American Experience, which inspired his initial job as a history teacher.

"American Experience is a television show that premieres re-enactments with commentary by historians and authors to present an absorbing look at the personalities, events, and resources that have had profound impact on the shaping of America’s past and present," Maplewood school officials said.

Find out more about Porfido here.

See details of the 2022-2023 Maplewood school calendar here.