Welcome Tuscan Class of 2027!

Kindergarten placement letters were emailed to families Friday June 25. We are excited to host a few playdates for our new Tigers over the summer, and to welcome these kindergartners to school when we go back on Thursday September 9. 

Until then, please share these links with any Tuscan K families! We don't do all communication via Facebook... but it is a fast and fun tool for most!

Tuscan PTA. Follow Us! Like Us! 
Tuscan Families. A private group run by Tuscan parents. 
Tuscan Rising K 2021 - 2022. Just for families starting kindergarten in Fall 2022 at Tuscan, plus a few PTA volunteer mentors/reps.

Didn't get your letter??!! 
Current Tuscan families coming up from a SOMSD preschool, but didn't receive an e-letter, first check your spam folder. If not there, then please email your SOMSD preschool administrator AND Mr. Leroy Johnson, head of the preK programs ljohnso3@somsd.k12.nj.us AND the registrar's office (Ms. Tiffani Barnes) registration@somsd.k12.nj.us. You could also cc: our principal Mrs. Majeed (mmajeed@somsd.k12.nj.us AND roarfortuscan@somsd.k12.nj.us)

Current Tuscan families with a now rising 1st - 5th grader AND a rising K placed somewhere other than Tuscan (unless the placement is linked to your child's IEP): Technically decisions are final, BUT our understanding is that the littles - for this one year at least - should have been grandfathered in. Email Mrs. Majeed  and Ms. Barnes, as above. 

Busy, exciting week! We have school Monday through Wednesday. Each day will be the typical pandemic schedule: 8:45 am - 12:45 pm. A few calendar notes.

1. We need CHALK. If you have some handy, please deliver to your child's teacher tomorrow, Tuesday, for some chalk-the-walk all little Tigers will do on Wednesday.

2. You need SPIRIT. Another sale tomorrow, Tuesday. 8 - 9am and 5:30 - 7pm in front of 663 Prospect. Cash or PayPal.

​3. Get FREE BOOKS. SOMA Shares is hosting another book giveaway for ALL children Tuesday from 1 - 3pm. Yes, they need more volunteers.

4. Love the RAINBOW. Wednesday is the day for all Tigers to wear their grade's color. The big picture (literally) will be at 9am. Virtual families welcome (look for an email!) Purple - K; Blue - 1st; Green - 2nd; Yellow - 3rd; Orange - 4th; Red - 5th. If you have a shirt to pass onto a younger kiddo, leave it at the SPIRIT sale (see #2).

5. Celebrate our FIFTH GRADERS. Check this weekend's Tuscan Tidings - details on how to click and watch their virtual moving up ceremony are included. Available from 2pm Tuesday.

6. Hold tight for YEARBOOK distribution info. They're coming, they're amazing!

Join us TUESDAY June 15 (note new date) @ 7pm for the last PTA meeting of the school year.

Our meeting will include electing our 2021 - 2022 board, and celebrating some longtime teachers and parents who are leaving Tuscan due to retirement or graduating out. 

As always, this General Membership Meeting is open to all. Log in details here.  

TreeRing granted Tuscan a very generous yearbook deadline extension! MONDAY MAY 24th is the final date to order and/or design custom pages! 

If you were late with portraits, or photo submissions to the general yearbook, send them right now to our dedicated, talented yearbook editor, Liz Zenobi @ tuscanyearbook@gmail.com
Creating and buying a yearbook is easy. Visit TreeRing and enter Tuscan's code: 1014732707163566
Note: If you are creating more than one yearbook (for more than one kiddo) create a parent - not a student account.

Join SOMSD in partnership with SOMA Shares this weekend for massive, FREE, outdoor book sharing events open to all PreK – 12 students and their families. 

Saturday May 22 @ Seth Boyden, 12 pm - 2 pm 
Sunday May 23 @ the South Orange Middle School (SOMS), 12 pm - 2 pm 

Click here for more info.

These book fairs can only happen with volunteer help! Please donate an hour this weekend to help get books to kids. Click here!

Don't mask your appreciation for our fabulous Tiger Team! 
Because of Covid precautions and scheduling shifts this year, the PTA is adjusting our usual recognition week in May to "Staff Appreciation Week".  We will have some very special treats for the whole team this week, but we would still really LOVE students to be able to share their thanks directly.  Rather than increase risk for additional close contact  - we have an easy way for students to show their appreciation!  See below!
Each day will have a "theme" and a spotlighted staff group.

Things you can do RIGHT NOW to help our small Tigers deliver BIG JOY to our big Tigers:
1) CHALK THE WALKS!
If you have chalk & time today, Sunday, there are MANY entrances to Tuscan.
All could use a little bit of extra color! 

2) KUDOBOARDS!
Submit pictures, videos and photos. There are A LOT of boards for a lot of people. Full list below. 

3) DONATE DOLLARS FOR THESE TUSCAN TREATS!
We are so thankful to have so many people to celebrate, and so many small businesses to engage.
Help underwrite the costs by contributing via this PayPal link. 
​
Monday - Specials Teachers Day 
Kudoboard for special teachers (combined)  
https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/OiVhr2FL 

Tuesday - Teacher's Day
Kudo board by grade level (K, 1, 2 3, 4, 5)
Team K: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/y49LVmEC
1st: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/uPWjBUaC
2nd: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/OoKBqBTh
3rd: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/g3DtQvoE
4th: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/BiiyrBiK
5th: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/tEts6EuA 

Wednesday  - Custodial Appreciation Day
https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/hQHtiyKd 

Thursday - Admin Assistants' Day (Miss Fay and Miss Sabrina) + Nurse Thompson Too. 
https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/ALtpxCtR

Friday - Principals' Day 
Kudoboard for Malikah Majeed and Brad Bertani

Thank you to the twenty parents, teachers, and board members who attended last night's Zoom PTA meeting.

A draft of the minutes can be found here (top right). Our next meeting is Thursday May 6 at 7 pm, via Zoom. 

Key takeaways from our April meeting:
- We need volunteers to help with bookkeeping, teacher appreciation week (May 3 - 7), and this weekend's class photos. 
- Several important Tuscan projects need new leadership for next year, as the team leads are graduating out of Tuscan. Help out now to see if it might be a role for you! Tuscan Cares donation drives and our Yearbook are both ready for support. 

- We are actively recruiting for next year's board! Position descriptions are here and the five officer positions, in particular the two Treasury roles, are a priority. The slate of proposed officers is expected to be announced on May 6, with the election on June 10. Look for more info, soon.

- Though hybrid resumes April 19, there is no guarantee all grades will go back. A recent proposal from the teachers union, SOMEA, was discussed as a possible solution/stop-gap.  

Join us if you can! Dial in detail are on the lefthand side, here: http://www.tuscanpta.org/pta-minutes.html