Full Day Preschool Expansion Approved By Warren Township Schools

WARREN, NJ — Warren is expanding its full-day preschool program to more students in the township following a successful pilot.

The Warren Township Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of the pilot expansion at its Monday, Feb. 7 meeting.

Warren School Supervisor of Special Education Melissa Smolenski previously gave a presentation on the proposed expansion at the board's Jan. 24 meeting.

Smolenski noted that 100 percent of teachers who participated in a district survey were in favor of the full-day preschool.

The half-day pilot program had 24 students attending the three full days with four teachers utilizing three classrooms. This had a ratio of eight students class.

The expansion will have 36 students attending the four full days with five teachers utilizing four classrooms. This had a ratio of nine students class.

The pilot program costs $93,750 whereas the expansion will cost the district around $297,500 to run.

The cost breakdown includes:

• Teacher salary/benefits - $200,000
• Paraprofessionals salary/benefits - $75,000
• Transportation - $20,000
• Supplies - $2,500

The district is currently not generating money from the program but that is expected to change over the next three years. The district is expecting the program "to grow to have the program pay for itself," said Smolenski.

In total, the district is expected to be spending $297,000 for the expanded program but is also expected to bring in $270,000 revenue. This would be a difference of roughly $27,000, board member Daniel Croson said at the Jan. 24 meeting.

"It's really exciting and encouraging to see," said Croson. "Not a lot of districts do this and so being one of those providing that to the community in Warren I think is really important."

Watch the full presentation on the expansion below (begins around 18:30):

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