Tuscan Tidings

At Tuscan School the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. The following drop off, pick up, and parking guidelines are designed to increase student safety at Tuscan School.

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

Tuscan Road & The Bridge

• Children should not cross Tuscan Road unsupervised.

• 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.

If driving is required, please park a few blocks away and walk to 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, frequently discuss the safest route to Tuscan.

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:

8:30 am to 9:00 am

12:30 pm to 1:15 pm on 4 hour days

2:50 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 school buses, charter buses, police, fire, or school district vehicles are permitted to stop directly in front of the school.

The Drop Off Zone is 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.

The Drop-Off Zone for students in Grades 3 – 5 is located on Harvard Avenue beyond the Tuscan School staff parking lot.

• 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.

Staff Parking Lot

Please remind children not to walk/run through the staff parking lot at any time. YMCA Before/After Care students must not walk through the parking lot without adult supervision.

Between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm, only regular Tuscan Staff can drive their vehicles into the parking lot. The staff parking lot is not to be used as a drop-off or pick-up area. Handicapped drivers with the appropriate license plates may use the staff parking lot and the handicapped spaces at the rear of the lot. All unauthorized vehicles parked in the staff lot may be ticketed and/or towed.

Please know that we appreciate your continued partnership and commitment to keeping Tuscan’s children safe!

In partnership,

Tuscan School Administration

​The children's books on the websites listed below have been carefully selected by librarians, editors, and educators. Most of these titles are available at the Maplewood or South Orange Public Libraries or through MackinVIA.

Enjoy!

• The 2023 New York Times/NYPL Best Illustrated Children's Books

• The 2023 New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids

• Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) - Notable Children’s Books - 2023

• The Best Books of 2023 from Bank Street College (There are several lists, divided by age level.)

• The Best Picture Books of 2023 from School Library Journal

• The Best Middle Grade Books of 2023 from School Library Journal

Additional Resources:

• Social Justice Books

• We Need Diverse Books

• December 21: Tuscan Pajama Day & Pajama Drive
• December 22: Tuscan 12:53 pm Dismissal | Holiday Recess
• December 25, 26: District Closed | Holiday Recess
• December 27 - 28: Schools Closed | Holiday Recess
  
• December 29: District Closed | Holiday Recess
• January 1: District Closed | New Year's Day
• January 15: District Closed | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

While we appreciate the companionship pets can provide, it is important to note some individuals may have allergies or fears related to animals. To ensure the comfort of everyone, we must maintain a pet-free environment. Therefore, we kindly request everyone's cooperation in adhering to

District Policy 7490 – Animals on School Property.

This policy is designed to promote the well-being and safety of our students, staff, and visitors. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

South Orange Maplewood School District

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.

As per Board policy the "Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct" information is to be disseminated annually to all school staff, students, and parents.

The "Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct" 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 "Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct". K-12 Principals will review core principles and key components of the "Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct" with their staff. In developmentally appropriate ways, beginning on the first day of school of each school year and frequently throughout the year, teachers will create and cultivate a community of learners based on the importance of kindness and respect.

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 the "Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct" are practiced and reinforced in our school on a daily basis.

Click the link to view the 2023-2024 SY Guide to Positive School Culture, Climate, & Code of Conduct

Visit the Tuscan PTA website at https://tuscanpta.membershiptoolkit.com.

From there you will be able to opt-in to Tuscan PTA weekly newsletter, volunteer for events, purchase spirit wear and receive important communications.

We hope all Tuscan parents will become a member of the PTA. If cost is prohibiting your participation, please reach out confidentially to Principal Ms. Majeed (mmajeed@somsd.k12.nj.us) or Social Worker Ms. Buggy (ebuggy@somsd.k12.nj.us).

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 end of August 2023.
• 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 current school year and were assigned a Chromebook should continue to use that Chromebook during the next 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/

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