BERKELEY – The Berkeley Township School District will be offering free, full day preschool to local residents.
Students who are 4 years old before Oct. 1, 2018 will be eligible to enroll and will be provided free transportation, according to the district. The classes will be held in Clara B. Worth School, H & M Potter School and Bayville School. The preschool times will match the schedules of the elementary schools they are housed in.
This is made possible through a $2.2 million Preschool Education Expansion Aid grant from the New Jersey Department of Education, Superintendent James Roselli said. This money is promised by the state to be added to the district’s state aid going forward, to keep the program going.
The district is crafting a long-term plan based on what the needs of the district are for these students, he said. There is an expectation to expand it to 3-year-olds in the future.
The classes are being taught in existing classrooms, he said. Berkeley Township School District’s Preschool Program uses a state approved curriculum and certified teachers.
Educational experts have said that preschool forms the building blocks of education, and serves as a tool to identify difficulties children may be having before they start kindergarten.
Interested families can register at the Administrative Annex Office at 62 Veeder Lane in Bayville between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. throughout the month of September. An original birth certificate and two proofs of residency are required.
