Originally delivered on 6/5/2022 9:39 pm

SUBJECT: Tuscan PTA Newsletter 6/5

Happy Pride Month everyone! Our community was bursting at the seams this weekend with so many great events to mark the beginning of Pride Month, including the SOMA Equality March and the North Jersey Pride Run. Love is love, people!

Excited about next year? We need you!

The end of the school year is upon us and we’re preparing for next year all at the same time! The more volunteers we have for the Tuscan PTA, the more we can do for our community. There are some amazing folks staying on for next year and others who are ‘graduating’ as their kids move on to middle school. Interested in any of the positions listed below? Please email Ronni @ TuscanPTAPres@gmail.com to express interest. And, while you’re thinking about it - please come to our last PTA meeting of the school year and the election of next year’s officers on Wednesday, June 15 at 7:30 pm via Zoom or dial in to 646-876-9923, Meeting ID: 848 8571 8747, Passcode: 817553


We are voting on:

  • Vice President

  • SEPAC representative

  • Membership chairs

  • Yearbook editor

  • Fundraising

  • Picture day co-chair

  • Teacher appreciation committee

  • 5th grade committee (to organize special events for 5th graders next year)

  • Sunshine Committee

A HUGE BIG Walk-A-Thon Thank You

What a success our first Walk-A-Thon was! We raised an incredible amount, $35,807 at the last count, and could not have done it without the support, pledges, and cooperation of so many including: 

  • Mr P and all the staff for helping to organize as well as walk (often dance) with their classes

  • parent volunteers on the day including Mike Lehrer who DJ'd all morning

  • sponsorship from Tuscan parent-owned businesses CKO Kickboxing, Little Apple Arts, Stephan Wrembel, Kate Elliott, General Co-operative Store, Oh! Canary, 

  • the Walk-A-Thon committee: Nora O'Rourke, Melissa Francis, Kristen LaGrua, Jay Fox, and Adrienne MacWhannell

  • and most importantly to all of you and your family and friends for the pledges and of course to our students who walked, skipped, danced, and smiled their way through the Walk-A-Thon.

Such a fun morning and so important to have raised funds for the Tuscan PTA so we can continue to offer key events and initiatives, including assemblies and book fairs, the Tuscan Show and Fair, as well as, supporting class-specific needs. Thank you, thank you to the wonderful Tuscan community. Please check out the Tuscan Families Facebook group for more photos.

School Supply Boxes are back for next school year!

The PTA is partnering with a new school supply vendor, Bright SchoolKitz® to provide supply kits to match your teacher’s supply list for the 2022-23 school year. Thank you to our wonderful teachers for already putting together the supply lists! Order now and eliminate the back-to-school shopping hassle. Kits are filled with brand names (Crayola, Elmer's, etc.) and quality products that are competitively priced with local and large retailers. Hurry! The earlier you order, the lower the price! 

  • Use this link to order your supplies.

  • All kits ordered before 6/24, the last day of school, are discounted, though they will be available to order through early October. Kits ordered by families will be shipped to your home. 

  • NOTE: Kits will be provided by the Tuscan PTA to all Tuscan students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. We will make arrangements with Ms. Buggy to get kits to the children before school starts. Questions about this process? Please contact Ms. Buggy. 


Questions? Contact info@schoolkitz.com or 1-844-937-5489.


Tuscan specific questions? Feel free to contact Laurie Gates.

STEM Program open to 4th and 5th Graders

Columbia High School Presents: Junior Scientists! Make your own rocket, then compete with others for prizes! Launching will take place in the parking lot.

When: Tuesday, June 14, from 3:15-4:30

Where: Tuscan Art Room

Questions? Contact Mr. Misbahuddin at jmisbahu@somsd.k12.nj.us or contact us directly at chsjuniorscientists@gmail.com


Sign up here!

Calling parent volunteers interested in one-time volunteer opportunities!

These are:

  1. We need some volunteers to organize and attend the outdoor social for rising K parents for the in-person Kindergarten Orientation being held on Friday, June 10 this year. There will be multiple sessions and it will look different from years past, but we are so excited it will be in person! While the incoming K children are inside meeting with the teachers, their parents will be outside socializing. We plan to have some spirit wear for sale as well. The ask:

  • For 4-6 parents with flexibility to attend from 9:00-11:30 am and/or 12:30-2:45 pm. You'll be volunteering to join us on the lawn and help welcome the parents of the rising Kindergarteners.  

If you're interested,  please email TuscanPTAPres@gmail.com

 

  1. Parents of 4th graders: the 5th grade families would love your help with our moving up reception scheduled right after the clap-out on the front lawn on Friday, June 24 at 12:15 pm. The ask:

  • Help organize the snacks and drinks for the festivities so we can join in the celebration! 

If you’re interested, please email Jennifer Roszell.

Bring the Tuscan Show to your home

Recordings are $10 per USB thumb drive.  They will be delivered to your child's classroom before the last day of school. 

All funds will help fund the PTA...which funds the show...so please consider supporting our show AND the PTA!

Please be sure to purchase by June 10 at 9:00pm!


Purchase them here.  

Teacher and Staff Gifting Time!

At the end of each school year, we organize gifts for all our amazing teachers and staff. Please watch for your class coordinators to send a note soon about gifting for your classroom teachers. In addition, the PTA board centrally collects to provide gifts for our ‘specials’ teachers (art, P.E., music, library and Spanish) and staff (including the front office, nurse,admins, academic interventionists, social workers, lunch aides, custodians and crossing guards,etc.) Click here by Friday, June 17 to contribute specifically to the specials teachers and staff gifts.


From the MMS HSA: Welcome!

If you have an incoming 6th grader going to Maplewood Middle School this fall, the Home and School Association (HSA) would like to welcome you! We are a partnership of parents, teachers, and school administrators working together to support our teachers and students in a multitude of ways. 

We are looking to fill several board positions and would love for YOU to get involved! Board positions are open to any parents or guardians of currently enrolled MMS students. Being on the board is a great way to have a direct impact on the 742 children in our diverse student body.

The open board positions are: 

  • Treasurer

  • Communications Co-Chair 

  • Events Co-Chair (2 seats open)

  • Fundraising Chair

  • 6th Grade Coordinators (1 seats open)

  • Sunshine Committee (2 seats open)

 

Feel free to reach out with any questions you have to the incoming HSA Co-Presidents, Vanessa Llana and Jennifer Melone at mmshsainfo@gmail.com.

 

Can’t join the board? Don’t worry, there are plenty of opportunities for you to participate next year! We invite you to visit our website, www.mmshsa.org, join the HSA, and follow our unofficial page on Facebook, MMS Families to stay tuned for upcoming events! 

 

In the meantime, stay cool this summer and we look forward to welcoming our new families to the MMS community in the fall!!

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