BARNEGAT – A planned expansion of the local school district’s state-funded preschool program is designed to allow for increased enrollment at the Lillian M. Dunfee School.
According to Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis, a waitlist of approximately sixty students currently exists for the upcoming school year. The Department of Education’s approval of the district’s plans to convert existing space into two additional classrooms would make room for thirty new students.
“Construction costs are built into this year and next year’s Pre-K funding budgets,” said Barnegat School District Business Administrator Steve Brennan. “The work will be done internally to maximize in-house expertise and reduce costs.”
The local school board also asked the Department of Education to approve alterations to Dunfee’s Pre-K ADA lavatory. Under the grant program, approval of a “school facilities project” would receive a maximum of 40 percent funding from the state.
Barnegat began receiving state-funding for the preschool program in January 2019 and initially used classrooms throughout the district’s six schools. All Pre-K students were moved to the Dunfee after Barnegat Schools reconfigured in September 2020.
The increase in demand for preschool enrollment appears to be related to more people moving into the community. State-funding numbers for the program consider enrollment numbers, meaning a surge in student population will increase funding.
This month, Barnegat Board of Education members authorized Brennan to submit documentation to the Department of Education to support the allocation of $4,521,371 for Dunfee’s Pre-K program.
District leaders have noticed some trends since the inception of the preschool program as students move on to other grades. This has allowed for the adaption of programs and alleviated fluctuations, particularly in special ed and more sensitive educational areas.
Public preschool programs have been shown to provide numerous benefits for young children in New Jersey and throughout the country. For example, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) reports that children who attend high-quality preschool programs are more likely to succeed in their studies and enjoy learning new concepts.
Throughout the state, 234 public school districts receive state aid for their Pre-K programs, with 16 right in Ocean County. Other local districts have consulted with Barnegat school leaders to learn more about their approach to working with young learners.
Dunfee School Principal Jennifer Froehlich said that Barnegat was one of only two Ocean County school districts to receive a four-star quality rating from Grow NJ Kids; Bayville was the other. Grow NJ Kids acts as the state’s quality rating improvement system and is charged with raising the quality of childcare and early learning across the state.
“This is the first time the (Grow NJ Kids) program was opened since COVID,” said Froehlich. “They said the highest score we could get was a four because of COVID restrictions.”
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NEAR) visited the Dunfee School in conjunction with their organization’s goals. The group conducts academic research to influence policy for high-quality preschool programs. Teachers do not know in advance if their classrooms have been selected for three-hour observations by the group.
NEAR also provides an independent report to the Department of Education regarding future preschool expansion.
“Mr. Brennan and I were very proud that the Department of Education asked us to join some of their meetings,” Froehlich shared. “This was because we were recognized as one of the leading programs in the county.”
A recent survey sent out to parents requesting feedback brought in a total of 83 responses. More than 85 percent of those who answered said they were very satisfied with the program and felt their children were prepared for kindergarten. In addition, parents reported seeing progress in social skills, academics, and language.
“It’s been amazing for my son,” wrote one parent. “He has learned so much and wakes up every day and can’t wait to get to school.”
District leaders expect the additional classroom space to become available for the 2023-2024 school year.
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