Tuscan Tidings

For the 2022-2023 school year, free meals to all SOMSD students will not be provided.

For 2022-2023 School Year SOMSD will offer students healthy meals daily at a reasonable price:

· Elementary: $3.25

· Middle: $3.50

· High School: $3.75

Free & Reduced Lunch Application

You can now complete an Online Free and Reduced Price School Meal Household Application. OneSource Online Instant Processor application entry makes it easy and convenient to apply for meal benefits for your child(ren). Simply enter the requested information as accurately as possible, and all data will be instantly and securely sent to your child(ren)'s school district for processing.

There are several options to complete the application – online or by printing the application (see links below), completing it & returning it to the district. Please see below for more information.

Ways to Submit Applications:

1. Fill out Application Online (see link below)
2. Print and Mail: Download the application below 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 from their schools

Lunch Applications:

• Free and Reduced Lunch Online Application
• Free and Reduced Lunch Paper Application - English
• Free and Reduced Lunch Paper Application - Spanish

Meal Pay Plus Online Portal

MealpayPlus® provides an easy-to-use, efficient way to make payments quickly and securely anytime using a simple Internet connection. You can say goodbye to the hassles of sending in multiple checks to multiple locations for multiple students. It can all be done with one payment on MealpayPlus. MealpayPlus also allows the ability to receive free low balance emails and in most cases view the purchases made in the cafeteria online.

Click Here

Related Documents:

• Meal Pay Plus - Parent Flyer
• Meal Pay Plus - Quick Reference Guide
• Meal Pay Plus - Frequently Asked Questions

To be considered a complete meal, at least 3 of the 5 Food Components must be selected.

At least 1 of the selections must be a fruit or a vegetable component.

Take a Trip to The Farm Stand!

The Farm Stand comes with each meal offered and includes vegetables from 5 specific sub groups each week (Dark Green, Red/Orange, Beans/Peas, Starchy, Other).

Everyone is encouraged to take all the items that make up a balanced meal. To be considered a meal it must contain a minimum ½ cup serving of fruit or vegetable.

https://southorangemaplewood.fdmealplanner.com/MENUS

Pomptonian designs our menus to offer well-balanced, appealing and appetizing meals. See what's cooking!

Click here to view Interactive Menus

School Nutrition Association Video for Families

English Spanish

CLICK HERE for

Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals

We are pleased to announce a Mobile Menu App that offers an easy way to view menus and nutrient information for products right from your smart phone.

National School Lunch Program

Studies have proven that children who eat a hearty breakfast and lunch are more focused and peaceful in their studies and social settings.

The National School Lunch Program, established in 1946, provides federal support to schools that serve USDA approved meals to their students. This support is provided both financially and in the form of surplus foods. Since the National School Lunch Act was enacted in 1946 over 180 billion meals have been served to children across the country. In the 2000-2001 school year alone approximately 8,000 schools -- 27.4 million children -- participated.

For many children, their school lunch will be the most important meal of their day. Children depend upon their warm school lunch for 1/3 to 1/2 of their nutritional intake. Healthy diets help children grow, develop, and do well in school. Thus, the intent of the National School Lunch Program is that all children receive a daily, warm, healthy meal that meets approved nutritional requirements.

Ms. Colleen Thaler

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/

September 26 & 27: Rosh Hashanah —District Closed

October 5: Yom Kippur —District Closed

October 11: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal (PD for staff)

October 13: 4 Hour School Day/12:45 pm Dismissal / Back to School Night 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

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