Passaic Prep:

Passaic Prep, established in 1998, is a public school for special needs children from the ages of five through fourteen. It is located at 209 Hope Avenue, Passaic, New Jersey.

Passaic Prep is under the auspices of the Passaic County Educational Services Commission.

The mission of Passaic Prep is to teach students the skills necessary to successfully reintegrate into their district schools and to ultimately become supportive members of their communities. There is a great emphasis on creating a nurturing and supportive environment in which the students feel safe and secure, so that they can learn.

The program is designed to provide a total educational experience including art, music and physical education. Student goals, as stipulated in the IEP (Individual Education Plan), are woven into the curriculum. This approach provides students with the unique opportunity of achieving personal objectives at their own individual functioning levels. The program uses proven behavior management formulas with rewards earned on both a class and individual basis to assist the students in decreasing undesired behavior.

The professional team includes a principal, certified teachers of the handicapped, trained teacher assistants, social workers, speech, occupational and physical therapists and a school nurse.  School personnel work collaboratively with the local mental health clinic to address psychiatric needs.

Class sizes are small, six to eight students, with two to three staff in each classroom.  The facility has nine classrooms allowing for a maximum of ninety students.  In addition to the classrooms, the building has a full gymnasium, health office, library, cafeteria, conference room and specialized treatment rooms.

Parents play an integral role in the school program. They work closely with the staff to insure student progress. Parents fully participate in IEP meetings and parent teacher conferences plus enjoy attending the special student activities throughout the school year.