Tuscan Tidings

Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year at Tuscan!

Tuscan New School Hours

Full Day 8:53 am – 3:23 pm

4 Hour Day 8:53 am – 12:53 pm

Dear Tuscan Family~

Welcome back to our returning Tuscan families, welcome to our new Tuscan families and a special welcome to Tuscan’s 2023-2024 Kindergarten Class!

We are extremely excited to welcome our students to a wonderful new school year at Tuscan! Know that we are diligently working to ensure a smooth and successful opening of school, for all Tuscan students, families, teachers and staff.

At Tuscan School

We are committed to creating and cultivating a safe, supportive and inclusive learning community that affirms and uplifts our students, families, faculty and staff. We deeply want our new to Tuscan families, and all Tuscan families, to feel a sense of belonging as valued members of a harmonious school community that genuinely seeks to work together in support of all Tuscan children.

Tuscan is a Wonderful School for Learning!

Tuscan is fortunate to have an abundance of talented, caring, compassionate, and hard-working teachers and staff all dedicated to meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of Tuscan’s children. In the delivery of instruction, we foster and encourage curiosity, creative thinking, problem-solving, persistence and perseverance. We are deeply dedicated to teaching in ways to expand our students’ capacity to demonstrate empathy, kindness, understanding, respect and appreciation for all members of our community. We are continuously working to ensure that your child’s school experience is filled with engaging, joyful and meaningful opportunities for learning. Please be assured that, Tuscan’s children will be deeply cared for and treated with dignity, respect and love.

Parent Involvement at Tuscan

Tuscan has supportive, actively engaged, and generous parents and we deeply value parent involvement and positive partnerships. Throughout the school year, the Tuscan PTA works closely with the school to provide enriching experiences for Tuscan’s children.

The Tuscan PTA website offers a wealth of information and reminders about Tuscan School and Tuscan PTA events. If you have not already done so please consider joining the Tuscan PTA and signing up for the Tuscan PTA newsletter.

We understand that as parents of school age children you face a myriad of challenges and we welcome your positive partnership, insight and voice. Please know that we are here to support you and your child in every way that is possible. Should you have any questions or concerns about the Tuscan experience please email us at RoarforTuscan@somsd.k12.nj.us. Please know that we will do our best to respond to emails as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, have a Happy Labor Day Weekend!

~Ms. Majeed, Tuscan School Principal

At this time, it is certainly understandable for parents to be curious about their child’s teacher assignment(s).

The SOMSD elementary school PowerSchool Parent Portal was expected to open on Friday, September 1st. However, the portal was inadvertently opened for parents to view their child’s class assignment on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at a time when classes were still being finalized.

The Information Technology Department will be sent Parent Portal information to all newly registered families.

If new or returning parents have any issues with the parent portal, please review the information found here or email parentportalhelp@somsd.k12.nj.us.

2023-2024 PowerSchool New Addresses

The updated PowerSchool links will be accessible under Quick Links on the district website. The Phone / Mobile apps will not be impacted.

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

• 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 issues with the parent portal, please review the information found here or email parentportalhelp@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Tuscan is fortunate to have a strong team of talented, caring and dedicated teachers who will diligently work to make the 2023-2024 school year as enjoyable and enriching as possible for all of our students.

Our low rate of staff turnover adds richly to our ability to consistently provide Tuscan’s children with high quality learning experiences. However, some school years, teaching assignment changes are inevitable. We invite you to join us in warmly welcoming the following teaching assignment changes, returning and new faculty/staff members for the 2023-2024 school year.

Returning & New Faculty Members & Teaching Assignment Changes

for the 2023-2024 School Year!

• Welcome back to Tuscan 1st Grade Teacher, Mrs. Terranova who is returning from maternity leave and looking forward to a fantastic school year.

• To teach a new section of Grade 2, we are pleased to welcome Mr. Paquette to the splendid 2nd Grade Team.

• We also have a new section of In-Class Support on the Grade 2 Team and we are excited to welcome Special Education Teacher Ms. Wajiha Bhatti to co-teach with Mrs. Thomas.

• This school year, Special Education Teacher Mrs. Vanessa Wilson will provide Pull-Out Resource Room instruction for 1st to 3rd Grades. Special Education Teacher Mrs. Lucille Mungiello will provide Pull-Out Resource Room instruction for 4th and 5th Grades. Please welcome Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Mungiello to their new roles.

• Welcome back to Tuscan 4th Grade ELA Teacher and new mom, Mrs. Gina Rodriguez (formerly Ms. Garofalo) who is returning from leave and looking forward to a wonderful school year of teaching and student learning.

• We have a new section of In-Class Support on the phenomenal 4th Grade Team. We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming a new Special Education Teacher, as soon as possible, to co-teach homeroom 4L with Mrs. Theresa Lee and Ms. Tivoli Hunt.

• Welcome to our new leave replacement Art teacher and part-time Music teacher! Ms. Caroline Snyder will serve as Leave Replacement Art Teacher for Mr. Dean. Ms. Josephine Porter will serve as Leave Replacement Music Teacher for two classes while Mrs. Vintschger is on maternity leave..

• Welcome World Language Teacher Ms. Karen Santos to teach Grade 4 and Grade 5 Spanish at Tuscan. We wish Señor Carberry all the best in his new role as a 2nd Grade Teacher at Seth Boyden.

Tuscan school administrators and support staff are profoundly grateful to have such an outstanding and talented team of teachers and specialists to work with in supporting and developing the academic, social and emotional needs of Tuscan’s children.

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 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/

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

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

SOMSD Withdrawals/Transfer Out of School District

If your child will be attending a private school or if your family will be moving out of the District at any 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.

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).

• September 7: First Day of School @ Tuscan Grades K - 5
• September 25: Yom Kippur —District Closed
• October 10: Tuscan 12:53 pm Dismissal/ PD for Staff
• October 12: Tuscan 12:53 pm Dismissal/ Back to School Night

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