Tuscan Tidings

The health, safety and wellbeing of Tuscan students is a responsibility that we share. If you drive to/from Tuscan School, please take time to review and abide by the following Tuscan School Traffic, Pedestrian Safety & Parking Practices.

If you drive to/from Tuscan School, please take a route that allows you to follow the established school arrival/dismissal traffic pattern around Tuscan School and will remain in effect on school days as follows:

8:00 am to 9:00 am

12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on 4 hour days when applicable

2:45 pm to 3:45 pm

• Harvard Avenue will be blocked off with barricades at Valley Street preventing east bound traffic (uphill) on Harvard Ave

• Osborne Terrace will be blocked off with barricades at Girard Place preventing north bound traffic towards Harvard Ave

• All children should exit vehicles onto a sidewalk, never into the street. Allowing children to exit vehicles into traffic to cross the street, especially between stopped or parked cars is illegal and extremely unsafe.

• There is No Parking permitted in the designated fire zone in front of Tuscan School only charter buses, police, fire, or school district vehicles are permitted to stop directly in front of the school.

• There is No Parking in the space directly in front of the bridge. Please do not park or idle in this area to ensure access to the sidewalk ramp.

We strongly recommend that you walk your child to and from school.

· If feasible and as often as possible, please walk to Tuscan School or park a few blocks away from the school.

· Plan a safe walking route to cross intersections under the direction of a Crossing Guard.

· Crossing Guards are on duty at the following corners: Harvard and Osborne, Harvard and Prospect, Prospect and Tuscan, and Tuscan and Valley.

· If your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader walks to Tuscan without adult supervision, please discuss the safest route to Tuscan.

Tuscan Road & The Bridge

• Children should not cross Tuscan Road unsupervised.
• The staff parking lot is the only pathway to/from the Bridge on Tuscan Road to the front of the school.

The Drop Off Zone is designated for students in Grades 3 – 5 only.

Students in Grades K- 2 must not be dropped off at the Drop Off Zone. K-2 students must be escorted directly to their teacher at the designated morning line up location or to the front door of Tuscan upon tardy arrival.

• Please arrive to the Drop Off Zone with your 3rd – 5th Grader ready to exit the car.
• Children must never exit vehicles into the street.
• In order for traffic to flow quickly and efficiently, drivers should not park in the Drop Off Zone or exit vehicles.

We appreciate your continued partnership and commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of Tuscan’s children. Should you have a concern about any aspect of your child’s Tuscan experience, please continue to email your child’s classroom teacher and when needed school administration at RoarforTuscan@somsd.k12.nj.us.

In partnership,

Malikah Tamar Majeed, Tuscan School Principal

Dear Parents and Families:

Get Ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns rewards for our school.

Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place from Monday, March 6 through Wednesday, March 8 in the Tuscan Auditorium. Children will shop the fair during the day with their teachers, and parents will have the opportunity to shop the fair Wednesday night, during parent-teacher conferences.

This year, say hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before the Fair, set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Note: cash will still be accepted!

If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Online Book Fair beginning Friday, March 3. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit Tuscan.

Visit our Tuscan Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping:

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/tuscanelementaryschool1

The countdown is on! Catch you at the Fair!

Happy reading,

Ms. Majeed

Principal

Tuscan Elementary

Tuscan School 12:45 pm Early Dismissal 4 Hour School Days

Lunch is not served on 4-hour days.

If your child will be attending YMCA After School Care please remember to send a lunch.

Dear Tuscan Family~

As a reminder, next week, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 through Friday, March 10, 2023 Tuscan students will be dismissed at 12:45 pm for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please remember that lunch is not served on 4-hour days. If your child will be attending YMCA After School Care please remember to pack a lunch for your child.

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled times for teachers and parents to collaboratively work on our shared commitment to enhance the academic, social, emotional and behavioral growth of our students /your children.

Although parent/teacher conferences may be a brief ten to fifteen minutes, these essential conversations can be highly insightful and productive for discussing your child’s strengths and their opportunities for growth.

Please contact your child’s teacher(s), if you need to reschedule your conference for another date or time.

Always remember that your insights are important to us and we value and appreciate your positive partnership. Should you have a concern about any aspect of your child’s Tuscan experience, please continue to email your child’s classroom teacher and when needed school administration at RoarforTuscan@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Warm regards,

Ms. Majeed, Tuscan School Principal

The South Orange Maplewood School District provides all parents / guardians access to the district’s PowerSchool parent portal.

Having access to the parent portal allows you to view important information regarding your child.

Parents / Guardians can:

• View daily attendance records.
• View marking period grades.
• View printable report cards and progress reports.
• View school welcome letters (elementary schools).
• View schedules (secondary schools).
• View student Google account information (new students).
• View locker information (High School)
• Make changes to contact information.
• Review and acknowledge forms and documents.

If parents have any difficulties accessing a parent portal account, please review the information found here: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/information-technology/parentportalhelp/.

Opt-In For Text Messages

In order to participate in the text messaging service, you must indicate your willingness to receive text messages to your phone, even if you received text messages this year. You must do this whether you have a child in the school system or belong to a community organization that wants to keep up-to-date with our alerts.

To learn more about signing up for SMS text messaging visit: website: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/headlines/district-news/2019/12/16/sms-text-message-communications-from-the-district/

REMINDER! Update Contact Information for All Parties Via School Messenger:

In order to communicate with you through School Messenger, it is important that we have the most up-to-date contact information available for all parties.

• Parents/Guardianss, if you have not yet completed the annual online parent portal forms, we are requesting you do so as soon as possible. More information for parents is found here.
• All staff members are asked to communicate any telephone number changes to the Human Resources department using the “Change staff contact information” form found on the Human Resources website.

Chromebook Distribution (New Students):

• Grades K - 2 Chromebook distribution will occur near the end of September (if not sooner).
• Grade 3 - 12 families of new students and students that will need upgraded devices were notified via email that appointments are required for families to pick up Chromebooks from the Technology Office starting August 29th, 2022.
• Chromebook appointment sign up and pick up location can be found here: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/information-technology/1to1/

Chromebook Information (Returning Students):

• Students who attended the district during the 2021 - 2022 school year and were assigned a Chromebook should continue to use that Chromebook during the 2022 - 2023 school year.
• The Technology Department will reach out to families to coordinate any device replacements for Chromebooks that are no longer compatible with current requirements.

Chromebook Repairs:

• Chromebook repairs will be coordinated through classroom teachers in the elementary schools.
• Elementary school students that have broken Chromebooks should bring their devices into the classroom and leave them in the class.
• Teachers will submit request for Chromebooks repairs to the school IT technicians.

Additional Chromebook info for families can be found here: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/information-technology/1to1/

As per Board policy the "Student Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice" information is to be disseminated annually to all school staff, students, and parents. This Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice is presented to assist students, staff, and parents/guardians to understand the expectations for acceptable conduct while in school or attending school-sponsored activities, on school grounds, and while on the way to and from school. All students are expected to follow the Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice. K-12 Principals will review core principles and key components of the Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice with their staff and students (as developmentally appropriate) at the beginning of each school year, and as needed throughout the year. We ask families to do the same with their children. It is the collective responsibility of students, staff, and parents/guardians to ensure that the expectations set forth in this Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice are adhered to.

Click the link to view the 2022-23 SY Guide

Tuscan School 12:45 pm Early Dismissal 4 Hour School Days

Lunch is not served on 4-hour days.

If your child will be attending YMCA After School Care please remember to send a lunch.

• March 8: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal / Evening Conferences

• March 9: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal / Evening Conferences

• March 10: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal / Afternoon Conferences

• March 21: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal / Staff Professional Development

• April 3 -6 Spring Break / Schools Closed

• April 7 Good Friday / District Closed

• April 21 Eid al Fitr / District Closed
  

The School District of South Orange and Maplewood

Email: ROARforTuscan@somsd.k12.nj.us
Website: www.somsd.k12.nj.us/tuscan/
Location: 25 Harvard Avenue, Maplewood, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-378-5221