Cherry Hill is expanding its preschool classrooms, hundreds on the waiting list

For an hour every day, the preschoolers in Beth Garofola’s class get to choose their favorite activity — from reading to playing with water and sand.

The rambunctious 3- and 4-year-olds rotated through seven stations set up in their brightly decorated classroom in Cherry Hill School District’s Estelle V. Malberg Early Childhood Center.

They are allowed to choose how to spend their time during the period. Some sat comfortably in a reading nook; others opted for toys and games, art, discovery, and dramatic play.

“Their growth is so incredible,” said Garofola, a veteran educator teaching preschool for the first time. “This is for sure the most fun I have had teaching.”

The routine is built into the curriculum in every preschool classroom in Cherry Hill, where youngsters learn through play, said Assistant Superintendent Farrah Mahan.

“We provide a high-quality preschool program with a rigorous curriculum. It is not daycare at all,” Mahan said.

Cherry Hill is among a growing number of New Jersey school districts that are expanding their preschool programs under a push by Gov. Phil Murphy to offer universal free preschool in every public school system.

The district initially received $3.4 million in preschool expansion aid in 2023 for building projects and was given five years to add enough classrooms to accommodate most of the anticipated 1,700 eligible preschoolers.

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Under Murphy, who has prioritized state-sponsored preschool and full-day kindergarten, the state picks up a large portion of the cost for preschool, leaving districts responsible for transportation and some instruction costs. It requires districts to partner with Head Start centers and local private providers to meet the need.

Statewide, about 62,000 children were enrolled in state-sponsored preschool programs for the 2023-24 school year, according to a recent report by the Education Law Center.

For the upcoming school year, Cherry Hill’s preschool program will cost $11.6 million, with $7.4 million in state funding.

There has been some pushback against preschool from residents who have questioned whether funding should be earmarked for other mandated programs, especially amid recent budget shortfalls.

“It just makes sense. It’s a good investment for the future” said Zeynep Isik-Ercan, chair of the Department of Early Childhood Education at Rowan University. “It’s good for families. It’s good for schools.”

Mahan said the state preschool funds are from a different funding source than the district’s general operating fund. Preschool promotes early literacy and offers intervention such as speech and occupational therapy that will help students in K-12, she said.

“We’re trying to develop well-rounded learners,” Mahan said.

The available slots are in high demand so the district uses a lottery system to select students. This year, 580 parents applied and 250 are on a wait-list, Mahan said.

“It really did feel like we won the lottery,” said Danene Pletcher, 41, whose daughter, Sienna, has been enrolled at the Discovery Corner since January 2024.

Yonaton Yares, a father of seven, said the program has helped with learning loss from the pandemic. Free preschool also saves families thousands of dollars in daycare costs.

“We need to get them in school longer,” said Yares, a high school special education teacher. “We’re going to get dividends down the road.”

About 360 Cherry Hill preschoolers also attend KinderCare, Cadence Academy, and Mosaic Early Learning Center, all state-approved programs in the township.

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Mahan said it will take Cherry Hill until the 2027-28 year to have 116 classrooms to meet the district’s preschool needs. Additional classrooms are being added at two district schools and later at private provider sites.

Like other districts with limited space, Cherry Hill didn’t have enough buildings to expand. Without a waiver, preschool classrooms must meet size requirements and have a bathroom.

Beginning in January, the district will add eight classrooms at the Malberg Center and eight more at Joyce Kilmer Elementary under a $12.7 million expansion. Each class enrolls 15 students, the maximum allowed by the state.

Every class follows the same curriculum during a six-hour instructional day that runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In addition to choice time, the students also have naptime, group sessions, reading aloud time, and work on motor skills such as running and jumping.

“It doesn’t feel super long,” said Garofola.

Garofola, who has taught several grade levels, said preschoolers are her favorite. She enjoys their curiosity and endless questions.

“This is the sweet spot,” she said.

Her classroom is set up to engage students from the moment they arrive. A sign on the door lets them indicate how they are feeling; most selected loved, happy, and confident on a recent morning.

During choice time, students could select a loud area, where three boys played with dinosaurs, or a quiet corner designated as a safe place when they need a break.

Along with two aides, Garofola checked on the students around the room. She gently stopped a boy from running by telling him to “show me walking feet.”

Garofola also has several pets scattered around the classroom. They include betta fish Bob and Betty, and Carol the cactus.

Students take turns tending to the pets, acquired through a grant from Pets in the Classroom. The program seeks to teach empathy and compassion, develop social skills, and reduce anxiety.

Some of the older preschoolers were preparing last week for a celebration before moving to kindergarten in the fall. Garofola will lose seven of her students.

Pletcher, a healthcare employee, said having her 5-year-old daughter, the youngest of three, in preschool gave her peace of mind while she worked. The girl is ready for kindergarten in the fall.

“I don’t have any question that’s she ready,” Pletcher said. “They did a great job keeping my daughter engaged.”