ARRIVAL PROCEDURES

The safety and well-being of our students / your children is a responsibility that we share and hold in high regard. The following arrival and dismissal procedures are designed to increase student safety at Tuscan School.

Tuscan School Hours

Full Day 8:53 am – 3:23 pm

4 Hour Day 8:53 am – 12:53 pm

Supervision is not available before or after school hours

To keep our children safe, please ensure that students are not left unattended on school grounds before 8:53 a.m. or after 3:23 p.m., as supervision is not available outside of school hours.

Before School and After School Childcare Programs

The South Mountain YMCA offers Before and After School Programs to provide a safe and supervised place for your child outside of school hours. For more information, please contact them directly.

Staff Parking Lot

Please note, for safety, students should never walk through the staff parking lot without adult supervision. This includes students attending YMCA Before/After Care.

The staff parking lot is for Tuscan staff only between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. It is not to be used for drop-off or pick-up. Handicapped drivers with valid plates may use designated spaces at the rear. Unauthorized vehicles may be ticketed or towed.

Drop of Zone

The Drop Off Zone is a no parking area and designated for dropping off students in Grades 3 – 5 only.

Students in Grades K-2 must be escorted directly to their teacher at the designated morning line up location or to the front door if arriving late.

Arrival/Dismissal Map

The Arrival/Dismissal Map shows general line-up locations for each grade level. Please remind students to line up at their assigned location, as indicated by teacher signs. Students in Grades 3–5 are expected to stand independently in line and wait briefly for their teacher.

To keep all children safe, students may not play on the blacktop or use playground equipment during morning arrival.

Morning Line-Up

Please be reminded that upon arrival, students should report to the blacktop and line up in front of their teacher’s sign. Grade K–2 teachers will pick up students at 8:53 a.m. from the designated line-up location and escort them quickly into the building. Parents are kindly asked to avoid lengthy face-to-face conversations at this time, as teachers need to monitor student arrival and ensure a timely start to the day.

Students in Grades 3–5 are expected to stand independently in line and wait briefly for their teachers to escort them to class. After the first few weeks, school staff may direct Grade 3–5 students to enter the building and walk independently to class in an orderly manner. Teachers will be at classroom doors at 8:53 a.m. to greet students.

Late Arrival
Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. must check in at the main office before going to their classrooms.

Inclement Weather
Please note that there is no supervision or indoor line-up for students arriving on campus before 8:50 a.m.

Dismissal PROCEDURES

Normal School Day Dismissal

We strongly encourage consistent routines for after-school dismissal to ensure a safe and stress-free experience for all students.

All changes to your child’s dismissal must be communicated in advance via email to your child’s classroom teacher and the main office at TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Grade K-2 Dismissal

Daily non-emergency changes for K–2 student pick-up are strongly discouraged. Students enrolled in the YMCA Aftercare program will be escorted to the Café at dismissal daily.

Parents/Guardians are asked to stand away from the doors while students are dismissed.
Teachers will escort students in Grades K – 2 to their same morning line up location.
Grade K - 2 Teachers remain outside to monitor student pick up. If students are not picked up on time, they will be escorted to the main office.
Please understand that during dismissal teachers are actively monitoring student pick up. Teachers are not able to engage in lengthy face to face conversations or remain outside to converse. Please email your child’s teacher if you have a question or concern that needs to be addressed.

Grade 3-5 Dismissal

Students in Grades 3–5 may be dismissed from their classrooms to independently proceed the Tuscan Café for YMCA Aftercare or to the blacktop. They should follow their parent/guardian’s after-school instructions—whether attending YMCA Aftercare, walking home, or waiting for pick-up. Students who are unsure of their after-school plan should report to the main office for guidance.

For everyone’s safety, students should not be left unattended on school grounds after 3:23 p.m., as staff supervision is not available.

School Bus Transportation

Students waiting for school bus pick-up will remain inside the building under the supervision of school staff.

StopFinder (Parent App): StopFinder is an easy-to-use app that provides parents/guardians with accurate, real-time information about their child’s bus schedule from anywhere.

For questions or concerns regarding transportation, please visit the district transportation website: https://www.somsdk12.org/district/transportation.

EARLY PICK UP

Early Pick-Up from the School Nurse
If you are picking up a sick child, please report to the front door, ring the doorbell, and indicate that you are picking up your child from the School Nurse. Your child will be escorted from the Nurse’s Office to the front door for pick-up.

Early Pick-Up Procedures & TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us

To ensure safe and stress-free early pick-ups, all changes to your child’s dismissal must be communicated in advance via email to your child’s classroom teacher and the main office at TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Tuscan School follows a “no appointment, no entry” safety protocol. Therefore, parents/guardians must provide early pick-up notification in advance through email to your child’s classroom teacher and the main office at TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us.

When arriving for early pick-up:

Please report to the front door and ring the doorbell.
State your name, your child’s name, and indicate that you are picking up your child.
Your child will be escorted to meet you at the front door. You (or your designee) may be asked to show identification (e.g., driver’s license) before your child is released.

AFTER SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE PICK UP

To keep our students safe and ensure smooth dismissal routines, please note the following:

Parents/guardians or their designees may not pick-up another child without written consent from that child’s parent. Written consent should be sent in advance via email to the classroom teacher and the main office at TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Any changes to your child’s after-school pick-up should be communicated in advance via email to the classroom teacher and the main office at TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us.

In the event of a family emergency, office staff are available to help coordinate communication between parents/guardians, teachers, and students.

To maintain safety and minimize classroom interruptions to teaching and learning, office staff cannot deliver messages regarding after-school playdates or non-emergency pick-up changes.

Consistent routines are important, so daily non-emergency changes for Grade K–2 pick-up are strongly discouraged.

Grade K–2 students enrolled in YMCA Aftercare will be escorted to the Café each day at dismissal.

Students should not use office phones to call home to arrange after-school playdates.

LATE PICK UP

If a parent/guardian or their designee will be late for pick up, please email your child’s teacher and TuscanASAP@somsd.k12.nj.us or call the main office at 973-378-5221.
Repeated late pick-ups may lead to a meeting to discuss strategies for ensuring consistent daily pick-up and supporting your child’s routine.
Chronic late pick-ups may be considered a child safety concern and a form of child neglect, which would require involvement from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) | Child Protection and Permanency, CP&P.