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Full-Day Preschool Program Information
Press Release - Early Childhood Development Center
In 2022, the Voorhees Township Public Schools was awarded Preschool Expansion Aid (PEA) funding. PEA funding will be used to provide a high-quality preschool program for three and four-year-old students. A high-quality preschool program is defined as a full-day program with a certified teacher, an aide, and small classes that are inclusive of children with special needs. The program will include the use of researched-based curriculum The Creative Curriculum and its assessment program Teaching Strategies GOLD; materials and supplies to support the curriculum; differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all learners; professional development for teachers; parental support programs; and the extension of learning outside of the classroom walls through partnerships with community stakeholders.
Alongside Teaching Strategies Gold, Voorhees Township Public Schools integrates the Pyramid Model, complementing Creative Curriculum. The Pyramid Model is a proven framework rooted in evidence-based practices designed to foster healthy social and emotional development of young children. With over a decade of evaluation data supporting its efficacy, the Pyramid Model serves as a robust foundation for educational systems. The district has five (5) years to serve approximately 500 preschool students. For the 2023-2024 school year (year 2 of 5), the district will serve as many three and four-year-old students as possible.
The full-day preschool schedule consists of morning meeting, instructional small group time, large group time, shared reading, shared writing, learning centers, structured play, gross motor experiences, rest time, and lunch/snack time. Student learning will address the ten major categories listed below, which are critical for school success:● social and emotional development
● physical development and health
● language
● cognitive
● literacy
● mathematics
● creative arts
● science and technology
● social studies
● English language acquisition
Children will be immersed in a language-rich environment as they explore their world through play, literacy, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) activities.
Students enrolled in the three-year-old program must be 3 years old by October 1st.
Students enrolled in the four-year-old program must be 4 years old by October 1st.
