New Security Measures Set for Tuscan Elementary School

Tuscan Elementary School in Maplewood has revised its security procedures after an NBC reporter was given access and was able to wander the halls of the Elementary School, stirring up concerns over school safety.

More than two-dozen concerned parents filled a Board of Education meeting in December, looking for answers.

In response, Tuscan Principal Malikah Tamar Majeed sent a letter home to parents detailing new security measures, according to the Maplewoodian.

The letter is as follows:

Dear Tuscan Family~ 

Happy New Year! I hope 2014 brings you happiness, health, peace, and prosperity. 
 
Tuscan School is a wonderful school for learning. The beginning of a New Year is a time for us to continue to reflect and capitalize on lessons learned about the importance of consistently following the protocols that were established to ensure the safety of our students and staff. The following efforts to closely monitor, limit and restrict access to Tuscan School should be noted and evident in our daily practices.  

• Unauthorized visitors are prohibited. No visitor will be allowed into the building without prior notification or prescheduled appointment. All school visits, including parent meetings, early pick-up of children and dropping off a forgotten lunch, must be arranged in advance to ensure that office staff will expect the visit.  

• Visitors should expect to experience a degree of screening and visitors without prior appointments will not gain entry to the building.  In addition to prior notice, the office staff is being instructed to verify information of the visitor against accessible databases, such as guardian information matched against student name and other information. The PTA was also asked to use discretion regarding the means of distribution of information in school directories to limit access to the type of information that may be used for verification. 

• During drop-off and pick-up or when parents are visiting the building for events and activities there will be adult supervision of students at each of the doors used for entry and exit of the building.  

• Should anyone witness a breach of security or suspicious behavior, please immediately notify the Tuscan office and please send an additional notification via email to schoolsafety@somsd.k12.nj.us. 

• When at the front door buzzing in, please announce your name and purpose for visiting to the front office staff. Be patient if clarifying questions are asked. 

• Please do not hold open the door for other visitors.Each visitor must announce themselves and state their purpose.  

• All visitors at any time during the day are to report directly to the front office.  Once there, visitors must sign in, announce their intention, and wait for direction.