Tuscan Tidings

Tuscan Rainbow 2023 photos and video with much appreciation to Mason Levinson!!

Dear Tuscan Family~

Thank you for a wonderful 2022 – 2023 school year, as we enjoyed a nearly normal school year while working to adjust to the completion of a significant construction project at Tuscan School. Once again, in spite of imperfect conditions, individually and collectively we remained dedicated to providing your children/our students with productive, memorable and joyful learning experiences at Tuscan!

Congratulations to Tuscan's 5th Grade Class of 2023!!

We can’t wait to hear about your future accomplishments!!

Always remember….

“Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one!”

~ ‘Doc’ Brown

Congratulations to Tuscan’s 2023 Retirees!

‘Farewell Dear’ Mrs. O’Connor! Tuscan will deeply miss your Kindergarten magic and we wish you all the best for a happy and healthy retirement!!

All Best Wishes to Tuscan’s retiring School Custodian Mr. Leonel! We will miss you and your wonderful selfies at Tuscan!!

Thank you to our 2022-2023 Tuscan PTA President Nóra O’Rourke for your amazing work, positive partnership and heartfelt support! Kudos to the entire 2022-2023 Tuscan PTA Executive Board for your outstanding work and dedication to Tuscan’s children, faculty and staff.

As always, thank you to all Tuscan teachers and staff for your diligent work and especially for your unwavering dedication to keeping Tuscan’s children safe and well educated during a nearly normal school year!

Applause to Tuscan Specialists, Mr. Panayoutou and Mrs. Sullivan for working to ensure that our end of school year traditions remain a memorable and festive way to chalk it up to another school year!

Special thanks to Mason Levinson for the exciting drone flyover and photos that beautifully captured the 2023 Tuscan Rainbow!

This summer ….

As a reminder, Tuscan’s Summer Jubilee Program, for registered students, will be held at Tuscan School, July 5th – July 28th from 8:30am – 12:30pm. Any questions? Reach out to Jennifer Thomas, Tuscan Summer Jubilee Lead Teacher at jthomas@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Over the summer months, we will be diligently working to ensure that all of our students, teachers, staff and families will experience an awesome and memorable 2023 – 2024 school year at Tuscan. We look forward to warmly welcoming all of our Tuscan students to the first day of school on Thursday, September 7th, 2023.

In the meantime, wishing you and your loved ones an enjoyable and restorative summer break filled with family fun, friends, love, laughter and good books!

~Ms. Majeed, Tuscan School Principal

SOMSD Withdrawals/Transfer Out of School District

If your child will be attending a private school in September or if your family will be moving out of the District at the close of the school year (or at any other time within the school year) you must officially withdraw your child(ren) from the District.

Please email Ms. Bethea via TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us for assistance with the withdrawal process and to make arrangements to have your children’s academic and health records forwarded to your new school.

If you are in possession of a District issued Chromebook, arrangements will be made for the safe return of the device. Please advise us of the need to return the device during the withdrawal process.

On Behalf of the C&I Department

Summer Reading Lists 2023!

Good afternoon SOMSD families,

As the school year comes to an end, we hope that your days are filled with exciting and fun activities to do with your families and friends! We are excited to share the SOMSD reading list for the 2023 summer. While you and your families are out and enjoying sun-filled days please stop by your local libraries and pick up one (or several) recommended books for the summer.

We look forward to our students returning in the fall to share their adventures with their friends and school staff.

Happy Summer!

Sincerely,

C&I Team

Summer Reading Lists 2023!

2023 Primary Summer Reading List K-2

2023 Intermediate Summer Reading List 3-5

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.

Tuscan PTA membership is $12 per person.

We hope all 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).

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.

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/.

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

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/

• September 7: First Day of School @ Tuscan Grades K - 5!
• September TBD: Tuscan 12:45 pm Dismissal/ Back to School Night
• September 25: Yom Kippur —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