Integrated Preschool Program in Cinnaminson School District Continues to Grow

Cinnaminson, NJ -- In its third year at the New Albany Elementary School, a preschool program for general and special education students continues to grow.

“Our first year, we had a lottery and every student made it in,” Supervisor of Special Services for the Cinnaminson Child Study Team Arlene Goldfarb said. “Last year we had a lottery, and we were only able to accept half the students.

During the 2013-14 school year, the Cinnaminson School District launched an integrated preschool program for 4-year-olds. The class combines 10 general education students (five girls, five boys) with five special needs preschoolers.

Special needs students are placed through their Individualized Education Plan (IEP), while enrollment for general education students is conducted via a lottery.

They are placed in one class taught by two teachers, from 12:55-3:34 p.m. each day.

The class is taught by Ms. Stephanie Galeone and Ms. Rebecca Sharma.

Although there is more interest, there are no current plans to expand the program beyond one class, in part because there aren’t enough special needs students who would qualify.

For those who do participate, it is good preparation for attending kindergarten in the Cinnaminson School District.

“It offers a smooth transition for the families and the children,” Goldfarb said. “It’s a quality program that’s in line with other pre-schools in the area.”

However, they don’t offer before and after school activities for children who have working parents, as other pre-schools do.

Before the integration, a special needs student had to go outside the district whose IEP called for them to be part of a general education classroom was taught outside the district.

Tuition for the program (for general education students) is $3,000. Parents can choose to make one payment for the entire cost of tuition, or set up a fee schedule with the district.

A birth certificate with a raised seal and two proofs of residency are required to apply and participate in the lottery and must be present when the application is submitted.

Parents can apply for the 2016-17 school year through the Cinnaminson School District website here, or in-person at New Albany Elementary.

Applications must be turned in no later than 3 p.m. on Feb. 25. To qualify, a child must be 4 years old by Oct. 1.

The lottery will be held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 29, in the conference room at the Memorial School Administration Building.