The Division of Early Childhood's approach to preschool education emphasizes fostering a love for learning in students. This includes creating culturally responsive learning environments that provide our students with individualized instruction based on needs and interests. Our systematic, multisensory approach to reading coupled with the implementation of a new standards-aligned curriculum equip our preschoolers with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to achieve future academic success and inspire a lifelong love of learning.

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, all our pre-k classrooms implemented Fundations. This multisensory curriculum employs a structured approach to literacy that is firmly rooted in the principles of the science of reading. This curriculum equips teachers with the tools to deliver an engaging, interactive, systematic program designed to encourage a love of literacy & develop foundational reading skills (alphabetic knowledge & letter formation) that will support our students as they become proficient readers & writers.

In 2023-2024, the Division of Early childhood initiated a pilot program introducing the newest of the state-approved preschool curriculums, Connect4Learning into 24 of our pre-k classrooms. Due to the marked increase in student achievement and teacher satisfaction across these pilot classrooms, all PPSD DEC preschools will begin to implement this new curriculum as of the 2024-25 SY. This curriculum is aligned to the NJ Student Learning Standards and is firmly rooted in research and tested extensively in real classroom settings. It is an interdisciplinary pre-kindergarten curriculum developed by experts in each of the critical content areas with support from the National Science Foundation. Connect4Learning seamlessly integrates research-validated teaching methodologies from four critical domains; mathematics, science, literacy, and social-emotional learning ensuring that each subject is comprehensively and meaningfully addressed for every child based on their needs.