Tuscan Tidings

Tuscan School Drop Off, Pick Up & Parking Safety Practices

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.

• 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.

If you drive, 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.

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.

We are looking forward to a great first day of school on Monday, September 13th, 2021!

Malikah Tamar Majeed, Tuscan School Principal

All families must submit an E-Signature for the 2021-22 Parent COVID 19 Compliance Agreement via PowerSchool for the upcoming school year by September 17, 2021. Click the link for more information: https://bit.ly/3gTC53z

• Todas las familias deben enviar una firma electrónica para el Acuerdo de cumplimiento de COVID 19 para padres de 2021-22 a través de PowerSchool SOLAMENTE para el próximo año escolar antes del 17 de septiembre de 2021.
  • Haga clic aquí para ver las instrucciones para acceder al Portal para padres y firmar el Acuerdo: Spanish

• Tout fanmi yo dwe soumèt yon E-Siyati pou Akò Konfòmite Paran 2021-22 COVID 19 via PowerSchool SÈLMAN pou ane lekòl k ap vini an anvan 17 septanm 2021.
• Klike la a pou wè direksyon pou jwenn aksè nan Pòtal Paran an pou siyen Akò a: Haitian Creole

As per Board policy the "Student Discipline/Code of Conduct Policy and Regulation" is to be disseminated annually to all school staff, students, and parents. Click the link to access the and view the District's 2021-22 Student Code of Conduct & Restorative Justice booklet: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/about/student-code-of-conduct/

SOMSD would like to announce that as we continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, the USDA has extended meal waivers for the upcoming school year and all District students will be able to receive free lunch at no charge for the 2021-2022 school year.

Although the District is providing free meals to all students who wish to participate, the Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals is still available and is used to determine eligibility for P-EBT benefits and state funding. We encourage you to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meal Program application for the 2021-2022 school year.

There are several options to complete the application – online or by printing the application, completing it & returning it to the district. Please see below for ways to submit applications:

1. Fill out Application Online:https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/food-services/freereducedapplication/
2. Print and Mail: Download the application from the website and mail it to the Administration Building, Attn: Business Office, 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, NJ, 07040 (faxed applications will not be accepted)
3. Pick-Up: Families can pick up paper applications at Columbia High School or Seth Boyden Elementary from 12 pm – 2 pm during Grab and Go lunch pick-ups

All students in the household must be included on one application. A new meal application is required for the 2021-2022 school year in the event that additional P-EBT cards are to be issued by the State of NJ. This must be completed by October 15, 2021.

If you received a Direct Certification letter from the District you do not have to complete an application.

As part of the District’s goal of continuing to integrate the use of technology into our K-12 curriculum and cultivating 21st-century skills, the 1:1 Chromebook initiative will continue to provide all students with Chromebook laptops to use both during the school day and at home as part of our evolving teaching and learning process.

Please refer to the Fall 2021 Return to School Guidebook for information regarding the District's 1:1 initiative (starting on pg. 25), Chromebook distribution schedules, general expectations for use, and other important information. Please note students in grades 3 - 12 (who have their Chromebooks in hand) are expected to begin bringing their devices to school beginning on Mon., September 13. PreK - 2 families will be alerted when to start bringing in devices to school.

Information can also be found on the District's 1:1 webpage:

Our partners are currently seeking to fill part-time and/or full-time job opportunities. If you are looking for a job opportunity or know of someone looking for work please share the information below with them (see flyers below).

South Mountain YMCA

• Our partners S. Mountain YMCA who offer before and after-care services are looking for talented staff to serve our members, program participants, and community. If you are looking for a new work opportunity, apply to the link below. If you know someone who would be a good addition to the South Mountain YMCA team, you are eligible to receive referral discount credits up to $500 to your account if you refer the candidate and they are hired! Please send the following link to prospective applicants to apply. A $500 sign-on bonus is being offered as well. Link: https://bit.ly/3D4YZ1A

Pomptonian

• Our food service provider, Pomptonian looks forward to welcoming our students back in September and offering them nutritious, tasty, and appealing meals each day. They are actively recruiting some new team members that are looking for a family-friendly schedule. If you are seeking a flexible and family-friendly schedule and the opportunity to work in the school nutrition program, Pomptonian Food Service wants you on their team. To apply for a position visit www.pomptonian.com/careers

September 13: First Day of School @ Tuscan Grades K - 5!

September 16: District Closed - Yom Kippur

September 29: Tuscan School 12:45 pm Dismissal/ Back to School Night

Construction work on the Tuscan blacktop beginning this summer is part of the District’s Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP).

To commemorate the launch of construction at Tuscan, the South Orange & Maplewood School District along with EPIC Construction hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, June 28, 2021.

Although we will deeply miss the Tuscan blacktop, we will hold dear in our hearts all the happy memories of the beloved space.

Please know that while construction is taking place, we will do our best to more fully utilize all available outdoor space at Tuscan. When construction is complete, the portable classrooms will be removed and the new space gained will be developed for safe outdoor play and arrival/dismissal. We are so excited that in the near future all Tuscan students and teachers will be connected under one roof.

New patterns for student arrival/morning line up and dismissal will be shared prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

• 8/16/2021 Tuscan Construction Update
• 8/9/2021 Tuscan Construction Update
• 8/8/2021 Tuscan Construction Manager Status Report
• 7/19/2021 Tuscan Construction Update

• Chromebook 1:1 District Initiative
• SOMSD Student Virtual Code of Conduct
• 2021-22 Student Discipline & Code of Conduct Policy
• District Mental Health & Wellness Resources
• SOMSD Intentional Integration Initiative (III) Microsite
• District Withdrawals/OOD Transfers
• Maplewood Township COVID-19 Resource Portal

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