Cherry Hill Public Schools has expanded its preschool program with the addition of 16 new classrooms—eight at the Estelle V. Malberg Early Childhood Center and eight at Joyce Kilmer Elementary—marking a major step in the district’s long-term plan to offer district-supported preschool to all eligible township families.
The new classrooms came online in January, increasing in-district capacity as demand for early childhood education continues to climb. With the expansion, the district is now serving roughly 660 preschool students across six locations for the 2025–26 school year, including both district-run classrooms and approved community provider sites.
Cherry Hill operates its preschool as a mixed-delivery model, with students enrolled at Malberg, Joyce Kilmer, Cadence Academy, Discovery Corner, KinderCare, and Mosaic. District data presented to families in January shows that enrollment has grown steadily since the program’s launch, with more than 200 new preschool students added this school year alone as the Malberg and Kilmer classrooms opened and were fully staffed.
Superintendent Kwame Morton said the additional space was necessary to keep pace with enrollment growth tied to the district’s preschool expansion aid award from the New Jersey Department of Education. “I think it’s going to be absolutely needed with the additional students that will be joining preschool, but absolutely needed for that community,” Morton said during a district facilities update earlier this year.
All preschool classrooms—whether housed in district schools or operated by partner providers—follow the same state-approved curriculum and instructional standards. District officials emphasize that students receive a Cherry Hill public school education regardless of location, with consistent expectations for instruction, classroom structure, and student support.
Class sizes are capped at 15 students for general education preschool, with a two-adult staffing model that includes a certified teacher and a classroom assistant. The preschool day runs six hours, and the program incorporates transportation, before- and aftercare options at select sites, and coordinated services designed to support children and families beyond the classroom.
The expansion is part of a broader, multi-year effort to reach Cherry Hill’s full preschool “universe,” estimated at approximately 1,700 eligible three- and four-year-olds. District planning documents show additional growth anticipated for the 2026–27 school year, including the potential addition of new private provider classrooms pending state approval.
Registration for the 2026–27 preschool year opens Monday, Feb. 2, and runs through Feb. 13. Applications are submitted online through the district’s Genesis portal. Children must be three or four years old on or before Oct. 1, 2026, to be eligible, and no applications will be accepted after the registration window closes.
The district uses an electronic randomization process to assign seats when applications exceed available space. Families are expected to receive notification of acceptance or waitlist status in late April or early May, with school visits scheduled before final enrollment decisions are due. Questions about the process can be directed to preschoolregistration@chclc.org.
date: 2026-02-09 04:07:00