District wins state preschool grant, opens two full‑day classrooms and maps a phased expansion

Cinnaminson Township School District officials on Wednesday told the Board of Education that the district’s application for a New Jersey Department of Education preschool grant was approved and that two free, full‑day preschool classrooms opened May 1.

Sherry Spear, the district’s special projects administrator, said she submitted the grant application on Jan. 12 and that the award covers a five‑year expansion plan. “The grant application covers the preschool expansion over the next 5 years,” Spear said. She said the program’s stated goal is to provide full‑day preschool to about 90% of the community’s 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds; based on current kindergarten and first‑grade enrollment that 90% target equals about 358 children.

Speakers described the program requirements and the practical limits the district faces. Each classroom must be no smaller than 950 square feet (including a bathroom or one visible from the classroom doorway), maximum class size is 15, and the program must be operational before the end of the school year for initial funding. Spear said the district opened two full‑day classrooms this year and plans to keep them for 2024–25; the goal is to add at least one more by January 2025 as the district works toward a long‑term target of 24 classrooms to reach 90% coverage.

Superintendent Capello told the board the facilities challenge will require retrofitting and repurposing existing space rather than large new construction. “We’re not talking about large scale brick and mortar construction, but rather retrofitting some existing space and taking better advantage of the space we have at Memorial School,” he said. Capello and preschool staff said the district also has submitted an application for a separate DOE facilities expansion grant that would cover a minimum of 40% of approved eligible project costs; districts must demonstrate local matching funds for the balance.

District staff outlined operational details: the preschool day runs roughly 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the HighScope curriculum was selected for active, participatory learning, and state funds will support staffing while food services and transportation plans were adjusted to meet the new schedule. The district said families who previously paid tuition for half‑day preschool will receive refunds as required by the grant award.

Board members and parents asked for follow‑up details on classroom locations, funding for facility work and hiring timelines. Administration said some office space would be repurposed and some capital funds already budgeted would be used for in‑house renovations where feasible; they emphasized that larger renovations will require the facilities grant plus documented local match funds.

What’s next: the district said it will continue pursuing the facilities grant, create an advisory council to involve parents and the community next year, and report back to the board when additional classrooms and facility plans are finalized.