Administration
Ms. Malikah Majeed
Principal
e: mmajeed@somsd.k12.nj.us
p: (973) 378 5221 ext 7002
Tuscan School Principal, Ms. Malikah Majeed, has a laser-like focus on teaching and learning.
Ms. Malikah Majeed earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Pennsylvania State University and her M.S. in Educational Administration from Kean University. Ms. Majeed began her teaching career as a mathematics teacher at Irvington High School. She also worked for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Seton Hall University as a mathematics tutor for the Pre-Freshman Summer Enrichment program. During her, 10 year tenure, with Irvington Public Schools, Ms. Majeed also served as a high school Staff Developer and was appointed Assistant Principal of Grove Street School. Subsequently, Ms. Majeed served as the Assistant Principal for Instruction at Hackensack Middle School, for four years, where she was primarily responsible for improving curriculum, instruction and staff development for Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
Ms. Majeed joined the South Orange/Maplewood School District in 2000 as an Assistant Principal of Columbia High School and subsequently served as Assistant Principal of Clinton School. In 2002, Ms. Majeed welcomed the opportunity to join the faculty and staff at Tuscan School, where her son was a second grader.
Ms. Majeed has served as Principal of Tuscan School since 2006. Ms. Majeed is intentional about building leadership capacity in her staff, and tapping the expertise that exists in her school, which has a stable and dedicated teaching staff. Genuine concern for students, high regard for collegial collaboration; open-door communication and knowledge of curriculum and instruction are cornerstones of Ms. Majeed’s leadership style.
Ms. Majeed is a highly skilled and resourceful instructional leader with an unwavering commitment to advancing teaching and learning. Her early research and implementation of the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program was highly successful at Tuscan School. The LLI reading intervention program continues to be implemented in all elementary schools districtwide. Ms. Majeed’s laser-like focus on improving teaching and learning enables Tuscan’s faculty to remain student-centered. Ms. Majeed believes that when teachers remain student-centered, Tuscan’s children will continue to thrive as well-educated, joyful, inquisitive, creative, innovative, compassionate and persistent learners, critical thinkers, effective communicators and skillful problem-solvers within a warm, nurturing and supportive learning environment.
Mr. Michael Calissi
Assistant Principal
e: mcalissi@somsd.k12.nj.us
p: (973) 378 5221 ext 7005
Michael Calissi is the Assistant Principal at Tuscan School, where he is dedicated to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.
Michael earned his B.S. in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University, culminated by an Outstanding Potential in Educational Leadership Award and 4.0 GPA.
With over 15 years of experience as an educator, Michael has a passion for developing programs that encourage academic excellence, emotional growth, and community involvement. He began teaching at MPTCS in Newark, NJ as a 4th grade teacher, focusing on Mathematics. He then transitioned to Elmwood Park Public Schools where he continued to hone his skill set serving as a 4th grade teacher, 5th grade teacher, and most recently Basic Skills Math Instructor. Having also served as the Technology Assistant and Testing Coordinator for several years, Michael prides himself on educational technology integration and data driven instruction. School safety is paramount to Michael and as such, he has served on the School Safety Team multiple years running to ensure that best practices are being implemented and reviewed for improvement.
Michael joined South Orange-Maplewood School District in 2024 as the Assistant Principal of Tuscan School. His hands-on approach includes working closely with teachers to implement innovative teaching strategies, supporting students through social and emotional learning initiatives, building strong relationships with parents and the wider community, and ensuring that students and staff feel safe and secure.
Known for his compassionate leadership and commitment to student success, Michael believes in creating a school culture where every child feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter and their dog, cooking, and playing golf. This helps him maintain a balanced perspective both inside and outside the school.