This has been a busy week for Tuscan, and for America. For the first time in nine months, dozens of children and families mingled on the blacktop (At a distance! Fully masked!); Students and teachers came together in our classrooms.
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For all our teachers, and many staff and children, the move to in-person learning includes accessing and using technology in new places and in new ways. Briefly at the PTA’s virtual meeting on January 14, and extensively online within many SOMA Facebook groups, there have been vibrant discussions about connecting technology to teachers, so they in turn can teach and support our children.

It should go without saying that we – all the members of the Tuscan and SOMa community - are deeply committed to getting the right technology into the hands of these adults and students. Our PTA wants this too! Yet, there are parameters around which we can support technology requests.

​These details, and my full comments can be found here. 

Thank you to PTA board members, teachers, class coordinators, administrators, and YOU for attending the PTA meeting on Thursday January 14.

More than 50 people joined the virtual meeting, and heard committee updates from November and December 2020, Winter 2021 volunteer opportunities, and agreement to fund a new web platform, Membership Toolkit.

Reports from our Treasurers, SEPAC, teachers, principal and the parent members of Tuscan's Pandemic Response Team were also presented. More details here.

Our next general membership meeting (GMM) is scheduled for
TONIGHT, Thursday January 14, 2021 from 8 - 9 pm.

This meeting will include committee updates from November
and December 2020, Winter 2021 volunteer opportunities,
and a proposal to adopt and fund a new web platform, 
Membership Toolkit, which is used by several SOMSD
elementary schools including Clinton, Marshall,
Jefferson and South Mountain.

We will also have time to speak about the school's reopening plan,
as well as recent work by Tuscan's Pandemic Response Team.

Thursday January 14, 8 - 9 pm
Click to Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 864 5659 4783
Passcode: 282174

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If you plan to send your K - 2 child(ren) back to school on January 19, and/or your 3 - 5 grade child(ren) on January 25, the following forms are due TODAY, January 12.

The e-letter of compliance is required for all students. More information can also be found in this Village Green NJ Article.

The e-request for transportation (which may apply to just a few of our students) can be found here. 

If you did not opt into hybrid learning for January, but want to opt in later this winter, "As school begins, across all grade levels parent/guardian request for changes should follow the deadlines and request format below:

1. Tuesday, February 16, 2021: Parent/guardians must submit change requests to their building principals/administrators (you must provide your child's name, teacher, and ID #). Please note all requests are based on capacity (more information will follow in early February).
2. Monday, March 1, 2021: Students will begin hybrid instruction

This is an especially busy week for our district. If you have not yet review Dr. Taylor's weekly newsletter, ​As A Matter of Fact, please take a few minutes to read and complete any relevant forms for you child(ren) from the January 8 edition.

​This includes:
- COVID-19 Compliance Form (due 1/12)
- Transportation Request Form (due 1/12)
- Chromebook Request Email (ongoing)
 

Some FAQs about the anticipated re-entry can be found here, including the attached *sample* schedule for elementary schools. 

A video recording of Dr. Taylor's December 17 presentation is available here. 

​It's time to sign up for the 2021 Tuscan Show, "And the Winner is...!"  Registration will close on January 17 at 12pm so sign up now. 

Critical updates from SOMSD should have arrived in your inbox yesterday. 
1) Pre-K – 8 Return to School (RTS) Preference Form (Jan. 2021)

• English: https://bit.ly/3moN1q0
• Spanish - Distrito Escolar de South Orange y Maplewood PreK - 8 Forma de preferencia de retorno a la escuela (Enero 2021): https://bit.ly/3o7jIt9
• Haitian Creole - Distri Lekòl South Orange & Maplewood: PreK - 8 Fòm Preferans Pou Retounen Lekòl la (Janvye 2021): https://bit.ly/3mpw3s9

2) Recorded 'Town Hall' with RTS Detail: https://youtu.be/iP8Hs4wAEkw
Video Timestamps:

• 0:00 Introduction & Overview (Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, Superintendent)
• 1:13 Reminder: What RTS Will Look Like (from 8/8 Restart & Recovery Plan)
• 17:30 School Closure Guidelines
• 19:11 Key Considerations
• 27:30 HVAC & Facilities Update (Business Administrator Paul Roth)
• 33:55 Health & Safety Update (Head Nurse Julie Porter)
• 45:44 Special Services Update (Asst. Superintendent Dr. Melody Alegria)
• 53:40 Technology Update (Director of Technology Keith Bonds)
• 1:08:42 Staffing Update (Human Resources Director Stacey Robinson)
• 1:10:43 Scheduling Updates (Asst. Superintendent Dr. Matt Friedman; Supervisor of Pre-School Education Leroy Johnson; Director of Curriculum Ann Bodnar; CHS Principal Frank Sanchez)
• 1:11:36 Instructional Models: Hybrid vs. Virtual
• 1:19:07 Preschool Program
• 1:22:34 Elementary Schools
• 1:25:14 Middle Schools
• 1:25:50 CHS
• 1:35:20 Closing (FAQs, Upcoming Deadlines) - Dr.Taylor

3) Live Q & A on Monday 12/21 @ 7:30 pm. You can submit questions for this event through Monday 12/21 @ 12 noon. 
https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/headlines/2020/12/17/live-qa-post-somsd-return-to-school-town-hall-webex/