Welcome to the DCF Regional School Cumberland Campus- where we focus on the whole child, cultivate learning in all domains, and every member of our school community matters.  Our school is an all-inclusive environment for students of diverse backgrounds and abilities and is committed to providing an outstanding program of instruction, which is student-centered, and geared to meet the myriad needs of the entire student population.  Our teachers are dedicated and committed to meeting the needs of every student and are able to successfully adapt their instruction and strategies to ensure that every individual child is given the opportunity to become the best version of themselves.  At DCF Cumberland we promote a growth mindset that encourages student effort, brain-stretching, good decision-making and independence.  It is our goal as a school community to open minds, challenge students, and create good citizens who strive to meet their true potential.  As a principal, educator, and life-long learner nothing gives me greater joy than witnessing students engaged in learning and I am so excited to watch our program grow and flourish.

The TEC program is an alternative school program designed to meet the needs of at-risk youth ages 13 through 21.  The TEC program is designed to provide a comprehensive educational program that helps students to take more effective control of their lives by providing them with small classroom populations, greater student to teacher ratios, individualized instruction, cultural and life skills activities, group and individual counseling, and transitional planning.  With these components, students have the opportunity to:

• Earn a High School Diploma
• Develop skills to begin to make more appropriate life choices
• Discover career interests
• Transition to career opportunities and post education programs
  
  

The Project TEACH school is a transitional program for pregnant and parenting teenagers. The school provides them with parenting classes, nursery services and academic classes. This year-round program provides instruction based on the individual needs and learning styles of each student. In order to successfully complete all aspects of the program, parent and baby are expected to attend school regularly.

The TEACH school’s curriculum is based on the protective factors needed for healthy parenting and will give students the needed attributes for increasing the health and well-being of their children and families. An on-site nursery provides infant/toddler care, as well as hands-on instruction in effective parenting skills.

Our vision for the Project TEACH School is to provide a comprehensive, caring educational experience that will enable our students to face the challenges of being a teen parent, overcome any barriers and achieve their future educational and career goals. We envision our students becoming competent, confident, socially responsible and proactive parents and citizens by:

• Increasing the level of academic achievement for all students with a focus in the area of parenting/child development.
• Improving and strengthening the school’s curriculum by including programs and services to assist our Project TEACH students in achieving their goals.
• Through this program we envision our students exploring the importance of making proactive choices and strengthening their skills to manage parental stress and family conflicts and gain the confidence to work towards their academic and personal goals while strengthening their parenting skills.

The Project TEACH program offers:

• On-site child care for infants and toddlers ages six weeks to 2 ½ years
• Primary care given by trained educators
• Loving safe, and stimulating environment
• Developmentally and age appropriate curriculum for the nursery

Project TEACH curriculum:

The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Twos is used and designed to meet the unique and individual needs of your child in our nursery. Through exploration and discovery areas of focus are Social-Emotional, Language, Physical and Cognitive Development. The activities offered are of different levels depending on your child’s readiness and needs. Development in these very important areas, during the young years, have been linked to future school success.

In addition to the many curriculum activities offered, your child’s childcare providers also add some of their own creative and engaging activities for the children to enjoy.

• General & special education programs
• Statewide testing
• Child study team services
• Transition services
• Structured learning experiences
• Instructional and assistive technology services
• Programs provided by NJ certified teachers
• College and career exploration
• Class size maximum of 12 students
• Related services as required by students’ IEP’s
• Potential concurrent enrollment for college credits for qualified students

Community Partnerships: We have recently begun to grow our Community Partnerships for our Project TEACH and Tec students including:

• Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center
• NJ Snap-Ed
• Healthy Women Healthy Families
• Pathstone Family Services
  
  

Garden: DCF Cumberland has recently started a school garden program which provides an opportunity for students and teachers to work together, learn how to grow their own food, get exercise, and eat healthy. This instills pride in themselves, the community, and the environment.  Gardening can provide students with hands-on learning opportunities while increasing environmental awareness and vital experience in problem-solving.

Coursera: DCF Cumberland has taken part in an initiative from the Office of Education to provide our students with the opportunity to take part in online courses and certification programs through Coursera.  Coursera partners with more than 200 leading universities and companies to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide. From hands-on projects and courses to job-ready certificates and degree programs, Coursera offers our students the opportunity to expand their learning outside of our school walls.

Our NJ certified teachers provide an outstanding education to ALL of our students through individualized learning plans and their incredible ability to differentiate instruction to the needs of each student.  Our staff provides:

• NJ certified educators in all core content areas
• ESL certified teachers
• NJ Drivers Education certified teachers
• Special Education certified teachers
• Teachers of the Handicapped
• Classroom support staff with diverse backgrounds and expertise
• First Aid Certified staff
• Handle with Care certified staff
• Google for Education Certified Teachers
• School Nurse
• Transportation
• School Cook