We are an approved private school for students with disabilities in Pre-K through 8th grade.

Approved School for Students with Disabilities

P.G. Chambers School is an approved private school for students with disabilities in Preschool through eighth grade. Students are referred by their local school district when the Individual Education Plan (IEP) cannot be implemented by the local school district.

Instruction is based on the NJ Student Learning Standards, delivered via specialized curricula, and individualized strategies, as outlined by the students’ Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

The P.G. Chambers School instructional program is supported by related services personnel who specialize in interventions for students with multiple disabilities and intensive assistive technology.

Enrollment

Referrals are made to P.G. Chambers School from the child’s local school district when the family and local child study team have determined that an out of district placement is required to meet the child’s needs. Our screening and enrollment process begins with a tour of the school for the parent and local school district representative and a review of the student records by our screening team. If everyone is in agreement that the student’s needs identified in the IEP can be met at P.G. Chambers School, an in-person orientation is scheduled for the team to meet the child and gain additional information from the family, including reviewing the completed paperwork required before a student’s first day of school.

All school program costs, including tuition and transportation, are paid by the sending district when the placement is made through the IEP process.

Preschool Program

Our program uses a research-based early childhood curriculum approved by the New Jersey Department of Education. It provides preschoolers with important early learning experiences that support the development of social, play, communication, and life skills. The curriculum’s sequence involves children in decision-making and problem-solving situations throughout the day. The educational team of teachers and related service providers offer accommodations, supports and facilitation to support each child’s choices and encourage learning and exploration beyond the original situation. The team ensures that each student can access play centers and communicate their ideas. For young students, this establishes a strong foundation for future academic learning, the development of appropriate social skills, and making and enjoying friendships.
Female P.G. Chambers program participant working with a therapist on constructive play and mirroring activities
Male elementary student in a wheelchair laughing with his classmates

Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade

At P.G. Chambers School, K-8 students participate in a full academic program aligned with the NJ Student Learning Standards. Data-driven, research-based academic instruction is combined with opportunities for expression and exploration in whole class and small group activities, along with opportunities throughout the day to foster health and fitness. All instruction is supported by assistive technology, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems as needed. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an integral part of every school day. Health and Safety are important foundations of our entire program. Our highly qualified staff includes teachers, speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses and paraprofessionals all working together to ensure successful participation and effective learning. Instruction fosters motivation, mastery, and application to everyday life.

Extended School Year (ESY)

Our six-week ESY program occurs in July and August and embraces the enriched full-day schedule of instruction and related services provided during the 10-month school year. Students are eligible for ESY if it is anticipated that a summer break will result in loss of skills that are likely to take an extended period of time to regain.

A young male P.G. Chambers School student in the school's ESY program giving a female staff member a high five.

Our School program embodies the following features:

Nursing

Students enrolled in the P.G. Chambers School Program often have a complex, interrelated set of medical needs, resulting from developmental disabilities, genetic disorders, chronic medical conditions, or combinations of these. The nursing department collaborates with the student’s multidisciplinary team to assist the team members in understanding the child’s diagnosis and medical needs, as well as how these needs impact the child’s school experience.

The nursing department’s daily tasks include:

  • administering medications
  • daily g-tube feedings for children, if applicable
  • cleaning catheterizations
  • monitoring daily health and wellness of all students
  • communicating illness, injuries, and other health concerns to families

Communication with Families

Along with establishing relationships with the student and teams, the nurses provide a direct line of communication with families, offering information and resources. The nursing department at P.G. Chambers School:

  • helps parents understand diagnosis and medical terms, and identifies and shares appropriate medical resources, and
  • offers parents the comfort of knowing that their child’s medical needs will be met during their time at school.

School-wide, the nursing staff are responsible for establishing and maintaining an environment of optimal health and safety. They conduct and monitor the efficiency of fire and evacuation drills, educate staff on universal precautions, CPR, seizure first aid, and other health and safety issues, as well as provide information on health alerts and precautions.

Dedicated Nursing Team

P.G. Chambers School employs a team of five full-time nurses with particular expertise, experience, and education in caring for a wide range of infants, children, and adolescents who have multiple disabilities. The nursing staff follow and comply with the requirements set forth by the NJ Department of Health and the NJ Department of Education.

Collaborative Therapy
Our collaborative teams are supported by our school social worker (link) school psychologist, teacher coaches, and learning disability teacher-consultant. Each family has a designated P.G. Chambers School case manager who serves as the liaison between the sending school district and P.G. Chambers School. This case manager is also available to be a liaison between the parents and the student’s team for day-to-day discussions or problem-solving. In addition, P.G. Chambers School employs a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Teacher of the Deaf to ensure that appropriate services and accommodations are provided to address student needs. These professionals coordinate and collaborate with the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the NJ Deaf Blind Project and a contracted school audiologist to further enrich our service delivery.
Social Emotional Learning
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an integral part of the school day. The student’s ability to regulate themselves and create prosocial relationships has a profound effect on self-esteem, self-advocacy, and active community membership. We utilize the Zones of Regulation SEL curriculum, where feelings are categorized into colors to help students identify their feelings, along with effective coping strategies and tools to regulate themselves. In addition to our SEL curriculum, P.G. Chambers School utilizes Positive Behavior Supports, a tiered system of support which focuses on implementing strategies which prevent problem-behaviors from arising. All students have access to Tier 1 Universal Supports that focus on strategies that create an environment which aids student success and engagement for learning. Strategies include: establishing clear and achievable expectations, maximizing classroom set up to enhance independence, and making opportunities available for all different types of learners. P.G. Chambers School has a Positive Behavior Support team, which consists of the school social worker, the school psychologist, and two senior therapists from the occupational department. They work together to triage student behaviors, to develop additional strategies to encourage prosocial behaviors, and to enhance the team’s integrated approach to meet the student’s needs. Families are encouraged to participate in lessons, join parent groups and support the many school activities. At P.G. Chambers School, parents are a crucial part of each child’s team and we encourage regular communication with team members and with our community. The teachers share “Learning Links” with the families, which detail lesson themes, books, and other activities that the classroom will be focusing on to allow parents to carry over skill development at home. Teachers and therapists provide weekly updates to families on student progress and engagement. P.G. Chambers School’s Home School Association (H.S.A.), is a group of dedicated parents that work together to build community between parents and the school program. P.G. Chambers School hosts monthly meetings with H.S.A. members and staff personnel to plan school events, identify topics for further parent training, and identify ways to strengthen our school community, such as through the Class Parent Program. Parents are welcome to volunteer for special events at the school or to lead classroom activities.
Professional Development
P.G. Chambers School has a strong commitment to professional development to build and enrich staff expertise throughout our school programs. In addition to training designed to build and maintain staff skills, our professional personnel provide training to P.G. Chambers School families.
Safety

All personnel receive training in the basics of health and safety, the importance of movement in the school setting and safety for mealtimes. All lifting and student handling is supervised by our Physical Therapy department and only trained and cleared staff may support student movement. The physical and occupational therapists coordinate a powered mobility program. The powered mobility program offers our students self-initiated movement for exploration and learning, creates a powerful incentive for students to build physical strength and endurance, and allows for equipment evaluation for prospective users and increased proficiency for regular users. It also develops and strengthens skills essential to literacy: visual attention and tracking, and other sensory skills needed for academics.