Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health hosts Statewide Preschool Inclusion Leadership Conference

The Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health (CAECMH) at Montclair State University hosted the inaugural Preschool Inclusion Leadership Conference on Wednesday, April 24, at the National Conference Center in East Windsor, NJ.

The New Jersey Department of Education Office of Special Education sponsored the centrally located event. The conference theme was Building a Bridge – Bringing General and Special Education Together to Support Inclusion, and over 200 Superintendents, Directors of Special Services, Early Childhood Directors, and Principals attended. These individuals are working together to support high-quality inclusive education beginning in public preschool programs.

The event was part of CAECMH’s federally funded grant, the New Jersey Preschool Inclusive Education Project (NJPIEP). Several leaders from the NJ Department of Education presented at the conference, including Kim Murray, Director of the Office of Special Education; Kim Friddell, Director of the Office of Preschool Education; and Jennifer Nicosia, the Preschool 619 Coordinator. Administrators from several school districts throughout the state presented their experiences with changing practices to support preschool inclusion.

The preschool programs in Belleville Public Schools and Glassboro Public Schools have been NJPIEP Systemic Change sites for several years and were recognized as the first two Demonstration Sites for the project.

Story by Social Media and Communications Coordinator Lauren Conforti