Inclusive Preschool at Montclair State University, NJ

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am a member of this group (mom of Evan, almost 3) and an alum of

Montclair State University in Upper Montclair, NJ. I was just

reading my alum newsletter. Apparently, within the year, the

university's child care program will be merging with it's preschool

demonstration program (for children with identified

disabilities/delays). The program will be in a large building

(approximately 21,000 sq. ft.) and will allow students studying

Speech/Language Pathology, Music Therapy, Occupational Therapy,

Physical Therapy, Special Education, and Early Childhood Education to

gain experience working with children with disabilities. The program

will integrate children with disabilities along with more-typically-

developing peers in a mixed-age format (3-6 yo's) to allow children

to both teach each other and learn from each other!

It sounds like it's going to be a GREAT program that will pave the

way for other similar programs throughout NJ and the rest of the

country! I am so proud to be an alum of this program! When I was a

Music Therapy Student at MSU (almost 20 years ago...YIKES!!!!), the

demonstration program was in place, but was in a tiny setting and it

did not utilize inclusion. Wow, would I love to be there next year!

I only wish that I lived closer...I would love to have Evan go

there! But MSU is about 90 mins drive from me...oh well.

Well, just had to share. If anyone in NJ is in the area of

Montclair, Bloomfield, Clifton, Nutley, Totowa, Wayne, Lincoln Park,

etc, I would suggest checking out this program...I wish I could! If

anyone does send their child there, I would love to hear about your

experiences with it!

Take care,

Laurel and Evan (almost 3 yo, non-verbal but still no official

diagnosis)