Department of Special Services

Chesterfield School District 

30 Saddle Way

Chesterfield, NJ 08515

Phone: 609-298-3027

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 4:00pm

Dr. Melissa Carlton

Supervisor of Special Services (2023-2024)

mcarlton@chesterfieldschool.com

Mrs. Shameka Wise

Special Services Secretary

swise@chesterfieldschool.com

District Programs

Resource Programs
Chesterfield’s philosophy toward special education programming is in keeping with federal and state mandates to provide educational services in the least restrictive environment.  We strive to educate our students who would benefit from special educational services in an inclusive setting.  Our specially trained "resource" teachers work collaboratively with classroom teachers to provide support services within the general classroom setting, as well as in a small group or individualized basis in the resource center.  The levels of comprehensive services fall along a continuum.  Services are determined on an individual basis and provided in accordance with each child’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP).  This may include related services such as occupational, physical, or speech therapy, as well as counseling for the student or consultation with teachers.

Special Education Parent Advisory Group SEPAG was established to provide feedback to the district about special education programs and services. This group is open to all parents and provides a forum for support, information and advocacy.  Dates for meetings throughout the school year will be posted on the district website.

Pre-school  Programs
Chesterfield school includes the Little Dragons preschool, an educational program designed to provide services for children eligible as pre-school disabled as well as their typically developing peers. Students who attend the Little Dragons classes participate in a half-day school program in which educational services as well as related services such as speech/ language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy are provided according to the child’s needs.  The Little Dragons program serves children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Any child is eligible for referral and/or evaluation through the Chesterfield Child Study Team if he/she is a resident of Chesterfield Township and is between the ages of 3 years and 4 years, 11 months before October 1st. A pre-school evaluation may consist of assessment of the child's general development in the areas of cognitive development, readiness skills, speech/language, motor coordination, social skills, vision and/or hearing. If you have concerns about your pre-school child's development, please contact the CES Special Services Department at 609-298-3027.

Child Find is an ongoing community-wide effort to find and help students ages 3-21 in need of special educational programs, including migrant and homeless children. A developmental delay means a 33% delay in one developmental area, or a 25% delay in two or more of the following areas: Communication, Social and Emotional, Cognitive, Adaptive, Physical- including gross and fine motor, and vision or hearing. If your child is between the ages of 3-21, or is approaching the age of 3 and experiencing these or similar educational difficulties, please contact the CES Special Services Department at 609-298-3027.

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