ORANGE, NJ — Orange public schools are gearing up for the new school year by hosting a series of early childhood education registration events leading up to opening day in September. Preschool registration will be Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 1 to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Friday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to school officials, children must meet certain requirements and parents must provide the following items and information for registration: each child must be 3 or 4 years old by Oct. 1 and be a resident of Orange Township. Parents must provide: an original birth certificate for the child; the child’s immunization record; a current lease or mortgage statement; two proofs of residency – either or including PSE&G bill, telephone or cable bill; and a picture identification. Any parent living with a friend or relative must be included in their lease agreement. Notarized letters stating that the parents rent a room, apartment or house will not be accepted.
“The registration will take place at the Office of Early Childhood Education, 397 Park Avenue in Orange,” said Superintendent of Schools Ron Lee in a press release issued on Monday, Aug. 15. “The last sign-in will be 30 minutes before the end of each registration period.”
For more information about the upcoming Orange public school early childhood education registration dates, call 973-677-4000, ext. 1922.
According to Lee, the district’s early childhood education program “is a national model, cited in publications by Harvard University and the Center for American Progress.”
“The program is free to all 3- and 4-year olds living in Orange and currently serves over 800 children,” said Lee. “It offers a full-day educational experience with optional wrap-around services. Through a combination of in-district classes, private providers and Head Start, the district provides a wide choice of service for families.”
Lee said the Orange public school early childhood education program includes support for children with special needs within the classroom and addresses social and emotional needs “as they begin their educational journey.”
“Early childhood education is good because it helps a child to develop better,” said Medinia Cham, one of the parents that took advantage of the district’s first Registration Fair on Saturday, Feb. 27, to register her daughter, Atalia, 3, for preschool. “My daughter was born after the cut-off date to register for pre-k at 2 years old, but she was doing well in school. She knows a lot of stuff, but her language wasn’t well developed. So when they interact with each other, they speak better, learn better and focus better.”
Barbara Berger, one of the Orange public school social workers who was also on hand at the Registration Fair on Saturday, Feb. 27, said she is a big fan of the district and its early childhood education program. She said she’s an “Orange girl” who graduated from Orange High School, so she knows the kind of quality education that’s available.
“I worked for Head Start for many years and I think the Orange preschools are fabulous, which is why I came back to work here; it’s wonderful; it’s a great program; I’m very happy,” said Berger on Saturday, Feb. 27. “I think that we really always try to give our families school of choice, so they get to really talk to the different preschools. We have Board of Education preschools and we also contract with private providers. So, again, I feel it’s really important the parents have the choice of what they want. Some are big, some are small, so in preschool, we really try to give them school of choice.”
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