Tuscan School PTA

2017-18 Kindergarten Summer Play Dates

7/22/2017

The 2017-18 Kindergarten summer play dates organized by the PTA have been scheduled for Saturday, July 22 from 9:30am to 11:30am and Saturday, August 12 from 9:30am to 11:30am.

Join us at the Tuscan playground. Incoming kindergarteners and their caregivers can meet up before the start of school. PTA members will be there to answer questions. Please remember to bring water and that there is no access to the building for bathrooms.

Tuscan Rainbow

6/21/2017

We are officially starting a tradition! On the last day of school, Wednesday June 21, we are going to create our Tuscan rainbow! Please have your students wear the following shirt colors for our photo!

Fifth grade: Red
Fourth grade: Orange
Third grade: Yellow
Second grade: Green
First grade: Blue
Kindergarten: Purple

This will look so cool for our clap out of the Fifth graders too! If you notice, last year our rainbow was inverted so we would like it to be correct going forward

Donations for Specials Teacher Gifts

6/19/2017

As class parents coordinate end-of-year gifts for classroom teachers, we are collecting separate donations for gifts for specials teachers (art, music, P.E., etc.) If you would like to participate, please send a cash donation via backpack in an envelope marked "PTA - Specials Teachers."
Questions? Email Alicia Duran (duran.alicia@verizon.net)

Lost and Found: Last Chance!

6/19/2017

Don't forget to check for items at the lost and found! We will bring everything to the blacktop on Monday, June 19, at pickup. This is the last full day of school. Anything left at the end of the year will be donated, so be sure to reclaim anything your kids may have left behind!

SOMSD Summer Reading Lists

6/18/2017

Below are links to the SOMSD Summer Reading Lists for
Grades K-2

https://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/main/uploads/2017-Grades-K-to-2-Summer-Reading-List.compressed.pdf

Grades 3-5

https://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/main/uploads/2017-Grades-3-to-5-Summer-Reading-List.compressed.pdf

Rising MMS 6th Grade Volunteer Activities for Students & Families

6/17/2017

The MMS Library Media Center needs volunteers for upcoming special projects like turning a storage space into a SOUND BOOTH, sorting books and brainstorming ideas to help transform the space!

When: Starting this summer and occasional afternoons from 3:00-5:00 PM.
Where: Maplewood Middle School Library Media Center (LMC)

Interested? Please contact Mr. Degnan, the MMS Media Specialist/Librarian edegnan@somsd.k12.nj.us 973-378-7600 X: 3036 or MMS HSA Special Projects: Tracey Clarke tlclarke226@gmail.com

Visit the MMS HSA Facebook Page for Updates on Summer Volunteer Activities!

Order a complete school supply kit now and relax in August!

6/16/2017

The SchoolKidz school supply sale is happening now!
Just visit www.shopttkits.com and enter the Tuscan code: 88823. Choose the grade your child will be in next year. This is a great time saver, and your child will have exactly what he or she needs on the first day of school.
Sale ends 6/16. Email Jessica.Yunker@gmail.com with any questions.

Transition to Maplewood Middle School

6/14/2017

Here are some links MMS sent us for all our 5th grade grownups:

Tuscan Tiger Times submission deadline!

6/9/2017

Deadline: June 9, 2017

Tuscan Tiger Times is seeking submissions for the final issue of the year! Students in all grades may participate. Meetings in the art room for 4th and 5th graders will take place during recess on Thurs. May 25 and Fri June 9. Submit articles, drawings, stories, poems, teacher interviews, reviews of books, restaurants, movies, or almost anything! Details for submitting work, click here. Questions? Please email tuscantigertimes@yahoo.com.

Memorial Service for Caitlin Evan Jones

6/9/2017

Friday, June 9, 2017 5:00 PM
NJ Performing Arts Center
Victoria Theater One Center Street Newark, NJ

Please join us in celebrating Caitlin's life and achievements. NJPAC is where she pursued her passion for creating, promoting and providing scholastic arts education
in New Jersey for over 14 years. Reception to follow at the Center for Arts Education with refreshments and cold buffet.

Mabel's Labels Fundraiser

6/5/2017

Mabels Label's - Label your stuff, support our PTA.
Get ready for Summer camps or get a head start for the next school year! Buy name tags and a portion of your purchase will support our PTA....and your lost and found items can be returned to you! Simply visit mabelslabels.com!

Honor Your Teacher - Achieve Foundation

6/5/2017

It’s time to order Honor Your Teacher cards from the Achieve Foundation! This is the gift that truly gives back.

What better way to show you’re your appreciation than to write a personal thank you card along with a donation toward the Achieve Foundation’s Teacher Grant Program. Achieve’s grant program has awarded more than $700,000 in grants to teachers in our district to date, including standing desks for our first graders (Ms. Koltenuk) and Chrome books for our library (Ms. Popp). So your child has benefitted from one or more of these grants!

The $5 (or more) donation per card goes to the Teacher Grant Program, which funds exciting initiatives across the district. The deadline for ordering is June 5.
***The deadline for ordering is EXTENDED to June 9 - but don't delay, order today!
Order today! ($10 minimum for online orders)

The Tuscan Art Show - Volunteer!

6/2/2017

Friday, June 2, 5:30-7:30pm

Please join the Tuscan School Students to celebrate all the artistic accomplishments from this school year! Sign Up Genius Volunteer link

Please consider helping to fill the halls of Tuscan with art work. This is a wonderful event that is made possible by our very supportive community. The work is not difficult & the kids really appreciate when they see you working on their Art Show.

"Before the Trees Was Strange"

5/30/2017

TUESDAY, MAY 30th; 7pm – 9:30pm
Where: Columbia High School Auditorium

“Before the Trees Was Strange” is One man's story about love, family, racism and forgiveness.

The film will be introduced by Dr. John Ramos, Superintendent of Schools
and will be followed by a “talk back” moderated by Budd Mishkin (NY1-TV)
along with filmmaker Derek Burrows and historian Khalil Gibran Muhammad.

Tuscan Wants You! March in the Memorial Day Parade!

5/29/2017

When: Monday, May 29, 8:30am
Where: Meet at Columbia HS student parking lot on
W. Parker Avenue (across the street from Gleason’s Cleaners)

Show Your Support for your School, Your Community & Your Country By Marching with us in the Maplewood Memorial Day Parade!

#HASHTAGS (Highly Able Support Hub for Talented & Gifted Students)

5/25/2017

Thursday, May 25 - Time: 7:30 - 9:00

There are many faces of highly able, talented and gifted students. Not all highly able students are immediately successful in school; not all talented students allow their strengths and talents to be seen. This support group aims to provide a hub of information, shared experiences, resources and support for parents, teachers and students. All interested are welcome to attend.
Questions: Contact Alison Brown: alisonbrownnj@gmail.com.

TV Turnoff Completion Form (Extended to May 23rd)

5/23/2017

The deadline to complete this form is Monday, May 15th so that we have time to give prizes to students before the end of school.

*(Extended to TUESDAY, May 23rd)

As we draw near to the completion of the Sixteenth Annual Ultimate Tuscan TV Turnoff, please ask your child how they did on TV Turnoff and complete the
Tuscan School's TV Turnoff Completion Form.
*Please fill out a form for each child who is participating in TV Turnoff.

Last Special Education PTO meeting

5/23/2017

Tuesday, May 23; 2017; 7:30-9 pm
BOE Building, 525 Academy, Maplewood, NJ 07040

Come to the SPED PTO's last meeting of the year...

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AS A PARENT
Beth Giladi, LCSW at Maplewood Middle, will share tips on how to combat stress and calm down. Also there will be a final opportunity to ask individual questions, voice concerns, seek resource suggestions and connect with other members of the special education community.

ALL ARE WELCOME! PLEASE JOIN US!

Book Drive to Help SOMSD Make Our Libraries Reflect Our Community

5/22/2017

Please consider donating new and diverse books to SOMSD elementary schools by purchasing books on our wish list at [words] bookstore or on Amazon.com. This wish list is just a beginning -- it will continue to grow and change and remain current. We will happily review suggestions for future additions -- please email cmoore@somsd.k12.nj.us with suggestions or special requests.

PTA Meeting & Board Nominations

5/22/2017

Monday, May 22; 7:30pm Tuscan Library

All are welcome to attend! We will be voting on our PTA board nominations and discussing changes to our by-laws. Please note that we can take PTA board nominations from the floor of the meeting, but you must be a member of the Tuscan PTA.

SEPAC Meeting with Interim Director of Special Services

5/17/2017

Wednesday May 17, 7:30 pm

Please join SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Committee) in the Black Box Theatre @ C.H.S. where our guest will be Mr. David Lieberman, interim director of special services for South Orange Maplewood School District.

We are asking our membership to submit questions in advance that you would like to address to Mr. Lieberman during that meeting. This will allow SEPAC officers to combine similar questions and ideas as to try to get as many questions answered in the limited time that we have with Mr. Lieberman. You can email your questions in advance to: info@sepacsoma.org. We hope to fill every seat! Please come and join in the conversation, and bring a friend.

Yearbook orders & updates (DUE: MAY 15th)

5/15/2017

DUE: MAY 15, 2017
Sneak peak of this year's yearbook!! It's still a work in progress and definitely a labor of love, but will be a nice memory for all of us! Yearbook Main Page

The deadline is FAST approaching, so make sure you:

Register if you haven't already:
1. http://www.treering.com/validate?
2. using Passcode=1014732707163566
Decide if you want to customize your child's page if you don't customize, a generic spread I am creating will be included instead.
You must click "pay" for the yearbook ($20, with every $4.50 going to a PTA fundraiser, all fifth graders will receive a book regardless, but I purchased mine to be included in the fundraiser)

Open PTA Board Positions

5/12/2017

The following PTA Executive Board positions will be open and available for 2017-2018. If you would like to nominate someone or yourself for any of the positions, please contact Whitney Swain: wcs9977@gmail.com

President-Elect
Membership
Fundraising Co-Chair
Fundraising Co-Chair
Committee Co-Chair
Student Programs Chair
Treasurer
Special Ed Representative

Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 12, 2017.

New Books for the Tuscan Library

5/9/2017

Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Tuscan PTA and Tuscan families, the Tuscan Library has just received over 80 NEW books!

The titles that were selected are diverse and represent various cultures and disciplines. Books were also chosen based on reviews from School Library Journal and other educational publications.

Thanks so much to the AMAZING Tuscan PTA and Tuscan families for these wonderful books that will enrich the education of Tuscan students.

-- Ms. Popp

The Tuscan Fair

5/6/2017

Save the Date: Saturday, May 6th; 10:30am-2:30pm

Rides, Games, Activites, Food and Much More!

It’s time for 17th annual Tuscan Fair! As you all know, this fair cannot run without the help of parents, students, and all who would like to pitch in. Do as much or as little as you can and if you can't volunteer your time, you can donate food items. Sign up to volunteer here.

Thank you in advance for your support!
Contact Holly Keith at phkeith@gmail.com or Mel Rose at melrosenj@gmail.com

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