Dear Parents,

The end of the year TV-Turnoff forms have been distributed to all of this year’s participants.  The completed forms need to be back by May 23rd.  This will allow me (and the library volunteers) enough time to re-tally the number of medals, prepare them with labels, add the accompanying rewards (pencil for bronze, pencil and eraser for silver, pencil, eraser and minipad for gold), sort them by class, and have them ready by mid June. 

Please remember that your signature is required as well as that of your child.  I have reminded the students to write their first and last name, and the name of their classroom teacher.  When forms have complete information, it makes the process move along efficiently. 

Just to be clear:
o   Gold – no TV/video or computer games (exceptions: educational games, such as ST Math, keyboarding, programming) on school days/nights (Sunday evening through Friday morning)
o   Silver – 30 minutes total/day of TV/video or computer games… (see above)
o   Bronze – 60 minutes total/day of TV/video or computer games … (see above)

           Students must have completed their level 90% of the time. 

Thank you so much!      Roberta Baltin, Tuscan Library Media Specialist

From our Library and Media Specialist, Roberta Baltin:
On December 5th:  author, Geoff Rodkey,  will be holding assemblies at Tuscan School for the 4th and 5th graders only.  He is a phenomenal writer, who won an Emmy for his writing for Daddy Daycare, and both the Amazon Best Book of the Year award and the Chicago Library Best Book of the Year award for Deadweather and Sunrise, Book one of the Chronicles of Egg trilogy.     He will be talking about The Chronicles of Egg, as well as the writing process. Fourth and fifth grade students will have the opportunity to pre-order copies of his books.  Pre-order forms have been distributed to the fourth and fifth graders.  It is also available here.  He will be signing copies of his books (either ones students already own, as well as purchased ones) on the day of the assembly, December 5th.  Pre-order forms and payment must be sent back to Mrs. Baltin no later than Monday, November 25.

On Monday, September 23, we were very fortunate to have child advocate and best-selling children’s author, Trudy Ludwig share her books, research, and words of wisdom with the Tuscan community.  Since 2002, Ms. Ludwig has been writing books that provide children with insights and strategies to deal with bullying behavior.  And not just the classic case of bullying that involves physical aggression, but verbal aggression, and relational aggression (using relationships to manipulate or harm others).  According to Ms. Ludwig, research indicates that relational aggression is much more of a concern to children and teenagers than the physical kind.  Ms. Ludwig’s mission is to give children mental tools to deal with bullying behavior in safe and

The 2013 Book Fair is fast approaching and we are so excited!  Children will visit the Book Fair with their classes.  Students may purchase books at the time of their visit or with the help of parent volunteers, may fill out a book wish list. This wish list will come home in your child’s backpack along with an order form.  If you choose to purchase books, simply return it in your child’s backpack with payment. 
Mark your calendars for Family Night on Wednesday, October 16th from 5 – 8 PM.  Kids can bring their grown-ups to visit with friends and shop 

From our Library and Media Specialist, Roberta Baltin:
You know the school year is truly underway when Tuscan is ready and “roaring” to go with the Ultimate TV Turnoff Challenge!  It’s hard to believe that this is our thirteenth year.  

This voluntary program helps students to evaluate their screen-time habits and decide what’s worth watching and doing on screen.   It celebrates a well-rounded lifestyle, and encourages constructive values like setting goals, determination, creativity, and resourcefulness.  

Be on the lookout for the official TV Turnoff flyer.  Starting this week, it will be sent

Reminder for Monday evening!
September 23 at 7:00pm, children’s advocate and best-selling author, Trudy Ludwig will visit Tuscan School will speak at our evening PTA Meeting after meeting with students throughout the day. This author visit is sponsored by the PTA in partnership with Library and Media Specialist Mrs. Baltin and Principal Majeed.   Childcare is available for this event - please come!

On September 23, children’s advocate and best-selling author, Trudy Ludwig will visit Tuscan School to present to students in kindergarten through 5th grade and at our evening PTA Meeting. This author visit is sponsored by the PTA in partnership with Mrs. Baltin and Principal Majeed.  
To pre-order books for author signings, please complete this form, include a check made payable to Tuscan School PTA and have your student return it to the school librarian, Mrs. Baltin. Feel free to visit the author’s website, www.trudyludwig.com, for a description of each book. Since there will be a limited number of each title on the day of the presentation, orders will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. Should we run out of copies, additional books will be ordered as soon as possible through Words bookstore, (also signed by the author). 
Ms. Ludwig is our featured speaker at our first PTA Meeting the evening of September 23rd as part of Mrs. Baltin's ROAR Book in a Bag program - reminder that babysitting will be available onsite through the YMCA for adults to attend.  Find the information here for childcare.

Dear Tuscan Families,
We are pleased to share that we have arranged to have childcare for chidren ages 3 and up provided onsite at Tuscan for both Back to School Night and our first PTA Meeting with visiting author Trudy Ludwig.

Reminder that Back to School Night is a 4-Hour day and hours are:
    Grades K-2    6:30pm-7:15pm
    Grades 3-5     7:30pm-8:15pm

Our first PTA Meeting on 9/23 is a partnership with our Librarian Roberta Baltin and the ROAR - Respect Others, Act Responsibly program - please join us for an informative night on supporting our kids in their social world.
Find details and the signup for Back to School Night Childcare here
Find details and the signup for Childcare for PTA Meeting: Trudy Ludwig & ROAR here 

Your PTA President,
Alan Stephenson

Two Updates:
Childcare available for $10/child by the YMCA at Tuscan signup here

Books can be ordered for Visiting Author Trudy Ludwig's - and 10% of sales will go to Tuscan PTA.  Orders are due to librarian Mrs. Baltin by September 20th (sent in an envelope in your child's backpack marked "For Mrs. Baltin - Book Order")Find the order form here.   

Save the date for our first PTA meeting of the year with award winning children's advocate and author Trudy Ludwig on Understanding our Kids' Online & Offline Social World: Friendships, Cliques & Power Plays.
Monday September 23rd  7:00-8:30pm
Tuscan School Auditorium.
Click the icon for a full flyer and for details on what students will experience with the author that day in school.   This talk is an extension of the ROAR Book in a Bag program.
Babysitting will be offered by the YMCA, signups will be required.

Resources to engage children's reading skills over the summer months for every age:

Elementary School Summer Reading Lists are posted and can also be found in the Children's Room of the Maplewood Memorial and Hilton Branch LIbraries:

Link to article on SOMSD District site here for summer reading  
     this article has PDF documents for elementary and middle grade lists (6/25/13)

From our Librarian Mrs. Baltin:
Summer Reading and READ, READ, READ
http://www.tuscanpta.org/1/post/2013/06/summer-keyboarding-and-read-read-read.html

Online Resources for Summer Readinghttp://www.tuscanpta.org/1/post/2013/06/summer-online-resources-for-reading.html

Intermediate Summer Reading