Cinnaminson Township Public Schools

Here are a few quick updates and announcements for the month of May:

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. The Cinnaminson School District continues to participate in various activities throughout the school year raising awareness. A Speech-Language-Hearing Disorder can affect people of all ages from infancy to geriatrics.

Some Speech-Language-Hearing Facts:

● We have 26 sets of muscles in use when we swallow.

● By 18 months of age, a baby should have a vocabulary of 50-150 words and combine words in speech.

● By age 5, most children make their speech sound like the adults around them.

● Your brain stops growing at age 18, but is not completely developed until age 25.

● Children learn 80% of language by age 3. That’s why early intervention is so important.

● 25-45% of typically developing children demonstrate feeding and swallowing problems.

● Humans swallow one time per minute while awake, about 3 times per hour when asleep, and even more when we eat.

● Allergies, smoking, tense muscles, singing, coaching, talking loudly, cheerleading, drinking caffeine and alcohol, are all examples of vocal abuse that can cause vocal nodules.

● Everyone’s tongue print is unique.

● To say a phrase, about 100 muscles in the chest, neck, jaw, tongue, and lips must collaborate. This takes the coordination of many more neurons than necessary for contracting muscles in an athlete’s foot.

● By the first grade, roughly 5% of children have noticeable speech disorders.

● Research has found that 20-40% of children with a family history of speech and language impairment have the condition themselves, compared with about 4% of those with no family history of SLI.

● 6–8 million Americans have some form of language impairment.

● Dyslexia is common among kids with mixed receptive-expressive language issues.

● One large study of children with language disorders found that many also had ADHD (19%), followed by anxiety disorders (10%) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (7% combined).

● 40 million Americans have communication disorders.

● More than 70 million people worldwide stutter, which is about 1% of the population. In the United States, that’s over 3 million Americans who stutter. Stuttering affects four times as many males as females.

● There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately 60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also); child development (children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter); neurophysiology (recent neurological research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations and fast-paced lifestyles can contribute to stuttering).

● Approximately 5% of all children go through a period of stuttering that lasts six months or more. Three-quarters of those will recover by late childhood, leaving about 1% with a long-term problem. The best prevention tool is early intervention.

● About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears.

● One in eight people in the United States (13%, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations.

Annual IEP Season is in full bloom! If you have not had your child’s Annual IEP meeting as of yet, this will be scheduled shortly. If you would like a copy of the draft IEP prior to the meeting, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s case manager after your invitation is received. We will make every effort to get you a copy at least three days prior to the meeting. Additionally, in an effort to be more environmentally friendly, the links to the P.R.I.S.E booklet and Procedural Safeguards are here instead of being sent home in hard copy. PRISE Booklet - English Version Procedural Safeguards - English PRISE Booklet - Portuguese Version Procedural Safeguards - Portuguese Version PRISE Booklet - Spanish Version Procedural Safeguards - Spanish Version If you would like a hard copy in addition to the links, please reach out to Sheila Dochnal at dochnals@cinnaminson.com or (856) 829-7600 ext. 2117.

Play Unified Track and Field Play Unified Track and Field is off to a great start!

Please come out and support our Pirates!

● Tuesday, Apr 29, 2025 3:15PM @CHW

● Tuesday, May 6, 2025 3:15PM @Burlington City

● Tuesday, May 13, 2025 3:15PM @Delran

● Tuesday, May 20, 2025 3:15PM Home vs. Multiple schools

● Tuesday, May 27, 2025 3:15PM @Pennsauken

Preschool Parents! On Thursday, May 15, 2025, (rain date Friday, May 16) the Preschool Team will be hosting our CEA funded Preschool Play Night in conjunction with our Preschool Community Engagement Night. There will be different stations to explore with the addition of gross motor play on the playground and Mrs. Conn reading under the big tent. The event will take place at Memorial School in the playground area from 6 to 8PM.

Local Programs: Below are several local programs that may be of interest to you and your family. These programs are for your reference and are not affiliated or sponsored by Cinnaminson School District:

BCIT Adult Education Career and Trade Expo

Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) Adult Education program is hosting a Career and Trade Expo on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 from 6-8:30PM at 695 Woodlane Rd, Westampton,NJ 08060. This event is open to all Burlington County Juniors, Seniors, recent graduates and adults. Please see the link below for more information and how to register. BCIT Adult Education Career and Trade Expo Flyer

Heart of Surfing

Heart of Surfing is a non-profit organization that offers free surfing and skateboarding lessons for families with autism or other developmental disabilities. They offer free events all year, with two coming up in April:

● Heart of Surfing Bounce Party! April 3; 5-8pm

● Heart of Surfing on the Easter Bunny Express April 12; 11-1pm

Please visit the website for more information about the organization and upcoming events. https://www.heartofsurfing.org/

Chuck E. Cheese offering Sensory Sensitive Sundays Chuck E Cheese will now open 2 hours early on the first Sunday of every month, specifically for children with Autism and other special needs with reduced lighting and noise, food and games offered, and trained and caring staff. Visit https://www.chuckecheese.com/cherry-hill-nj/sensory-sensitive-sundays/ for participating stores and additional information.

Moorestown Township Special needs Programs

Attached is a link to possible Special Needs Programs offered by Moorestown Township such as All-Star Soccer and Summer Camp. Programs are open to non-residents. Registration is open as programs begin soon! Click the link for more information and registration.https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/moorestown-nj/catalog

MRC Sports Unity program - Spring, summer and fall sports registration is open! Attached is a link to find information regarding the MRC Sports Unity Program. The program is designed to provide opportunities for athletes with special needs to participate in organized sports. Click the link for more information and registration.https://www.marltonreccouncil.org/sportsunity

Toms River Field of Dreams

Become a member of the RWJ Barnabas Health Toms River Field of Dreams at the Ocean Orthopedic Associates Complex. Membership is FREE and is for special needs individuals and their families ONLY. The Toms River Field of Dreams is a one-of-a-kind 3.5-acre complex specifically designed with special needs children and adults in mind. Since its Grand Opening on April 20, 2022, the Field of Dreams has built a community of over 2,000 special needs families of all ages and abilities from all over the tri-state area, and the number keeps on growing. Please see the link for more information and how to become a member. https://rwjbhfieldofdreams.com/about-us/

Build Jake's Place

Build Jake's Place® founded Jake's Place - an all-inclusive playground which allows children and adults of all abilities to play and interact together. Jake's Place is a nationally ranked, award-winning all-inclusive playground located at Challenge Grove Park in Cherry Hill, NJ AND an all-new redesigned Jake’s Place in Delran, NJ. Funded by donations and built by community volunteers, the mission of Jake’s Place is to provide all-inclusive play opportunities for children and adults with special needs through advocacy, awareness building, programming, building playgrounds, and sharing our expertise with like-minded individuals and organizations. Jake's Place also offers programs, such as: Camden County NJ Miracle League and Community Service Day. To learn more about Build Jake’s Place, please visit their website: https://www.buildjakesplace.org/#buildjakesplace

Community Inclusion at the Katz JCC 

Katz JCC Community Inclusion of the Katz JCC offers a variety of fun and engaging social and recreational programs and events throughout the year for individuals with special needs, of all ages, to build social skills, enhance self-esteem and cultivate friendships. Whether you are looking to build creativity through art or music, a healthier mind and body through fitness and cooking, or a way to stay connected to the community – the JCC offers something for everyone! Click the link for more information on the variety of programs and registration: https://katzjcc.org/programs/about-achad/

Encouraging Kids Family Resource Center has open spots for their Special Needs Afterschool Program. There is a low adult-child ratio, snack, art and crafts, and indoor and outdoor fun! Transportation is also available on a limited basis. Please see their website for more information and registration information: http://www.encouragingkids.org/

Spectrum Sports is an inclusive sports and fitness program for individuals of all abilities. They provide exercise through various sports, games, and group fitness with three locations in southern New Jersey. Check out the website for more information. https://www.spectrumsportsnj.com/

Liberty Lake Day Camp

If you are looking for an authentic summer camp experience for a child with special needs, consider Liberty Lake Day Camp - Success Inclusion Program. For more information, visit their website at: https://libertylakedaycamp.com/success-inclusion-program/ , or contact Terri Southerland at: inclusion@libertylakedaycamp.com.

Helpful Resources from SPAN 

SPAN’s (SPAN Parent Advocacy Network) offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them. Please click on the link for SPAN’s upcoming events with details and registration information: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/span-parent-advocacy-network-313399547

Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Office of Education on Self-Directed Services (OESDS) provides training for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) receiving services, their families, advocates and support coordinators, as well as community partners and other stakeholders. Please see the link for more information on in-person, virtual or webinars on the following: Family Networking Sessions Peer-to-Peer Networking Sessions Education and Resources Technical Assistance and Education https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/individuals/community/education/

Children’s System of Care (CSOC) - Assistive Technology program

The Children’s System of Care (CSOC) is reopening the Assistive Technology program for youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities up to age 21. CSOC has resumed accepting new Family Support Services (FSS) applications for Assistive Technology requests. Interested families may call Perform Care (1-877-652-7624) to request Assistive Technology services and complete the FSS application over the phone. For more information about CSOC’s Family Support Services programs including Assistive Technology, please visit: https://www.performcarenj.org/pdf/families/family-support-services-facts.pdf

Princeton House Behavioral Health Child and Adolescent Program

Princeton House Behavioral Health Child and Adolescent Program now offers in-person for children in grades 5-12. The Children’s Program offers outpatient treatment services for children with emotional and behavioral problems that interfere with functioning at school and home. The program helps children with impulse control problems, depression, and aggressive or self-destructive behavior. The goal of the program is: improve self-control and coping ability; express emotions in a positive way; function in healthier ways at school and home; improve self-esteem. To learn more or make a referral: Call 888.437.1610, option 2 (outpatient) or visit princetonhouse.org/children

Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s case manager or me if there is any way that we can assist your child.

Happy spring!

Best regards,

Darlene Llewellyn, Director of Special Services