MEET THE PTA

2023-24 PTA EXECUTIVE BOARD

President: Amanda Durett Cercone

Amanda is a lifelong Jersey Girl, minus a brief residency in Philadelphia. After moving from the border of Sussex Country to Maplewood in 2016 to be closer to her day job in New York City as a television editor, she joined the Tuscan community with her husband and two children. Aiden is currently a 7th grader at MMS and Juliet is currently a 3rd grader.

She has been a Class Coordinator several times and is also known around the Tuscan community for her involvement in the Tuscan Show, where she both edits the beloved teacher video and directs skits. Special education and mental health are a passion of hers, especially when it comes to inclusion into the Tuscan community. Last year, in addition to being Vice President and Social Media Manager for the Tuscan PTA, she was a SEPAC co-liaison for the MMS HSA.

When she’s not editing television shows or volunteering her time at Tuscan, you will find her rocking out at random concerts in the city or enjoying the local Maplewood scene.

Questions, comments, and criticisms are encouraged so she can do her best to make Tuscan a welcome environment for all.

Vice President/President Elect: Jessie Kaye

jessielynnkaye@gmail.com

Jessie landed in Maplewood from Hoboken in 2016 with her husband Marco. She fell in love with the town’s artistic and inclusive community. She’s thrilled to have 3 Tuscan Tigers all under one roof—Miles (5th grade), Wyatt (2nd grade) and Vince (Kindergarten). For 3 years, Jessie served as communications director at Morrow Memorial Preschool and helped design fundraising/social events. She’s enjoyed volunteering for Mend, Isaiah House, and clean-ups at South Mountain reservation. She’s currently an art director at Penguin Random House, specializing in Gift at Clarkson Potter. She designs unique books for child-favorites Eric Carle, Richard Scarry and Dragons Love Tacos. You can find her cheering at the baseball fields, trying new tricks at the skate park or running a 5K for a good cause. She can’t wait to bring her high spirit to Tuscan to make it the best school it can be.

Treasurer: Doug Doble

tuscanptatreasurer@gmail.com

Doug moved to Maplewood with his family nearly 8 years ago from...you guessed it...Brooklyn. His wife Cara works for a non-profit and is an avid reader and they have 2 kids - Josephine (7th grader at MMS) and Maximillian (3rd grader at Tuscan). Both kids are on travel soccer teams and also love playing basketball. Doug is a big sports nut...football (Jets), basketball (76ers) & soccer (still searching for his club but his kids like Man City & Real Madrid).

Doug served as Co-President of the PTO of his kids' preschool in South Orange for 3 years so it's not his first rodeo in this type of volunteer role and he is very excited to contribute to a super fun 2023-24 school year!

Recording Secretary: Julie Hamilton

julielhamilton@gmail.com

Julie Hamilton is a writer, educator, and mom to a Tuscan tiger second-grade cub and a seventh-grade mustang. She believes community matters and involvement is essential, which is why she was thrilled to rejoin the PTA as the Recording Secretary for the 2023-2024 school year.

Communications Secretary: Lela Moore

tuscanschoolpta@gmail.com

Lela moved to Maplewood two years ago with her family after a couple of decades knocking around Manhattan and Brooklyn and 15 years as a staffer at The New York Times. Her son Ned is a first-grader at Tuscan.

She is a freelance journalist (you may have seen her byline locally in Village Green, where she covers the Board of Ed) and also works part-time at the Maplewood Library while pursing a Masters of Information degree at Rutgers. She’s a member of the board of the South Mountain YMCA and a member of the SOMA Fox Running Club. She’s been a frequent recess and lunch volunteer at Tuscan and loves our community here.

Last year she copyedited the Tuscan PTA newsletter and is excited to write it this year as Communications Secretary.

Co-VP Diversity Equity & Inclusion: Clifford Rogers

rogerscliff@ymail.com

Cliff Rogers is currently a Fire Captain with the East Orange Fire Department, where he has served for the past 15 years. He has a 4th grade daughter, Amara, who is part of the special education community. He has served on the PTO board at her previous school and has previously been a class coordinator at Tuscan.

Co-VP Diversity Equity & Inclusion: Kyle Andrews

KyleMAndrews@gmail.com

Ex-Officio: Nóra C. O'Rourke

COMMITTEES and chairpeople

SEPAC Chair

Christy Mendoza cristyme@gmail.com

SOMA Shares

Elizabeth Schuppe eschuppe@gmail.com

Website Manager

Regina Eckert reginaveckert@gmail.com

Social Media

Amanda Durett Cercone amandatheeditor@gmail.com

Membership Chair

Donny Levit donnylevit@gmail.com

Spirit Wear

Erica Dagley erica.dagley@gmail.com

Laura Carney laurakatecarney@gmail.com

Yearbook tuscanyearbook@gmail.com

Arielle Betlyon arielle.kepler@gmail.com

Jennifer Padley jenniferkantor@gmail.com

Book Fair

Kate Bassel kabassel@gmail.com

Farmers Market

Laura Carney (lead) laurakatecarney@gmail.com

Laurie Rothenberg Laur1121@gmail.com

Fundraising

Ambika Pandya ambika.pandya@yahoo.com

Harvest Festival

Jessica Fox (lead) jbefox@gmail.com

Memorial Day Parade

Lizzie Callahan elizabeth.zink@gmail.com

Mike Callahan mike@campuncommon.org

Picture Day

Vanessa Parvin vanessajuneparvin@gmail.com

Carrie McGee carrieleemcgee@gmail.com

Tuscan Show tuscanshow@gmail.com

Katie Rickard rickard.katie@gmail.com

Missy Wahlers misswahlers@gmail.com

5th Grade Committee

Kimberly Soane ksoane@gmail.com

Fabiana Glasby fabi.glasby@gmail.com

Lead Class Coordinator

Angela Jin angela.jin.s@gmail.com

Garden Committee

Jenn Dugan dugan.jennifer@gmail.com

Corinne Maulsby corinne.maulsby@gmail.com

Hannah Sharpiro Lewis hannahrsshapiro@gmail.com

Green Team

Regina Eckert reginaveckert@gmail.com

Teacher Liaisons

Stefanie Wrembel

Jennifer Thomas

The following positions are currently open. Please sign up here or email tuscanptapres@gmail.com if you or anyone you know might be interested in learning more about the role.

Green Team (Sustainability, Clothing Swaps, etc)

Harvest Festival

5th Grade Committee

International Festival (Celebrating all cultures)

Lost & Found

Lunch & Recess (Organize volunteers for lunch & recess duties)

Tuscan Tiger Mascot Committee (Maintain the costume and organize volunteers to wear it at events during the school year)

Playground Equipment (Stock and maintain playground equipment)

Programming/Assemblies/Cultural Arts (Finding and booking assemblies)

Sunshine Committee (Welcome Back Coffee, Appreciation Days, etc)

Teacher Appreciation Week (May)

Tuscan Fair (Spring)