United Way

Children's Day School: FAQ

  • How long do children stay at Children’s Day School?
    The average length of stay is 2 to 3 years. There have been students that have been at the school for as little as one year and are successful when they return to their public school. Parents, Child Study Team members, and CDS staff all participate in the decisions regarding return to a less restrictive setting.
  • Since the focus of the school is addressing behavior problems, will my child fall behind academically?
    No, not generally. Most of the students that come to the program are behind academically because they have spent so much time out of the classroom. We find that once the student is able to manage his/her behavior in a less disruptive manner, the more time the student spends on academic tasks. Students begin to do significant academic catch up from time they lost while in their previous schools.
  • Will the academic work at Children’s Day School be similar to that offered in the public school?
    Yes, Children’s Day School uses many of the same materials as public school sending districts. The Day School curriculum is consistent with the NJ Core Curriculum Standards Adopted by the NJ Dept of Education in 2001. These standards insure that all students working at a particular grade level are all developing the same skills.
  • If my child were to attend CDS, how does transportation work?
    Children are bused both to and from CDS. Your local sending district is responsible for transportation if the Iindividual Education Plan (IEP) places the child in the Day School.
  • Is you school calendar different from my home district calendar?
    No, The Day School calendar is very similar to most public school calendars. The school calendar approximates the 9 – 12 different sending school district calendars.  In the 10-month program (September to June), students attend school for 180 days. The extended year program is 30 days during the months of July and August.  You may access the school calendar on this website.
  • Will my child pick up more maladaptive behaviors because he/she goes to a school for students with behavior problems?
    This is a common concern because parents are afraid that their child will be associated with “bad” kids. CDS does not work with “bad” kids. The students that attend are frequently impulsive, seldom consider the consequences of their behaviors, and make poor decisions, but as a rule they all want to do the “right” thing. Our students have difficulty following though with their own best intentions.  Because of the emphasis upon personal responsibility, choices, and earned rewards, students do not typically adopt the dysfunctional behavior of others.
  • Does the school have after school clubs or athletic teams?
    CDS is unable to coordinate after-school activities because students come from so many districts. The school does encourage parents to include their children in recreational and / or other group activities offered in the community so they do not lose contact with peers that attend the local district schools. (i.e. recreational sports, PBA, YMCA, Boys Clubs, Girl Scouts). Family Guidance Center offers an afternoon program (2:30 to 6:30 PM) through the Children’s Day Treatment Program that focuses its attention on developing appropriate social skills.
  • When my child had a problem in the public school, I would be called to come and get the child from school. Often he/she was suspended from school for acting out. This made it very difficult for me to keep a job. Is this likely to happen at your program?
    Though rare, it is possible. We make every effort to keep a child in the program everyday. CDS uses in-school suspension along with in and out of classroom time-outs to help a child understand that his/her behavior is inappropriate. A child may be suspended if he/she assaults a staff member.

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