New Preschool Program Could be 'Life-Changer' for Students

A new preschool program at Cinnaminson School District will offer a rich learning experience to both general and special education students.

Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, the district will launch an integrated preschool program for 4-year-olds, bringing general education students and those with learning disabilities into the same classroom.

Presently, a learning-disabled preschool student in Cinnaminson whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) calls for them to be part of a general education classroom is taught outside the district, because Cinnaminson doesn't have a model for integrated preschool, said New Albany Elementary principal John Layden. 

With the new program, those students will stay in-district, and be taught by Cinnaminson teachers—a welcome change for Layden.

"I'm happy to see them come back," he said. "I don't like to send any student out of district."

As well as being a plus for special education students, the new program will also benefit general education preschoolers. Not only will they be taught by two teachers—one for general education, another specializing in special education—but they'll be exposed to a more rounded, and perhaps even more tolerant learning experience.

"(The general education students) learn, right from the beginning, how to deal with all different kinds of kids," said Dr. Loyola Garcia, Cinnaminson's director of special services. "That child is benefiting from that rich environment ... The benefit to the general education students is as much as, if not more than, the special education students."

Layden said the program, for both general and special education, "could be a life-changer."

The program will, at least initially, be just one class, held from 12:55-3:34 p.m. each day at New Albany Elementary. It will be made up of 10 general education students (five girls, five boys) and five special needs preschoolers.

Special needs students will be placed through their IEP, while enrollment for general education students will be conducted via a lottery. 

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.

Parents can apply through the Cinnaminson School District website here, or in-person at New Albany Elementary. (A copy of the application is attached to this story in the form of a PDF.)

Applications must be turned in no later than 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. To qualify, a child must be 4 years old by Oct. 1. 

The lottery will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in the conference room at the Memorial School Administration Building.