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William Paterson University Child Development Center Director Receives National Award

Cindy Gennarelli, director of the William Paterson University Child Development Center, was named the 2009 Outstanding Early Childhood Practitioner by the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE)

Cindy Gennarelli, director of the William Paterson University Child Development Center, was named the 2009 Outstanding Early Childhood Practitioner by the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) at a conference held recently in Washington, D.C.

This prestigious award is presented annually to “recognize meritorious leadership and professionalism in contributing to preservice and/or inservice early childhood teacher education through demonstrated excellence in teaching practice and through contributing, as a classroom practitioner, in an outstanding manner to teacher education.”

“I am most appreciative of Cindy’s professionalism, spirit of collaboration, and her many contributions to preparing the best teacher education candidates,” says Ana Maria Schuhmann, interim dean of the University’s College of Education. “I am also extremely grateful for her unparalleled ability to create a program that ensures positive social, emotional, physical, and creative growth in young children. I marvel at her creativity and enthusiasm for what she does. She is implementing a true model program where ethnic pride, self-confidence, and joy of learning are developed in young children.”

The University’s Child Development Center, a unit of the University’s College of Education, and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, is located on campus and provides an affordable and balanced preschool program for children and grandchildren of William Paterson students, faculty, and alumni. It serves children from three to six years of age.

Under Gennarelli’s guidance, the center recently received a $254,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s CCAMPIS Program to fund enhanced childcare for low-income eligible parents attending William Paterson. The grant provides the opportunity for the parents of ten to twelve children to attend classes and complete their education. CCAMPIS funds will allow the University to enhance education and stimulation for children, support students as parents, and promote positive parenting and parent-child relationships.

Gennarelli was appointed as director of the center in 2003, after serving as head teacher for two years. She also oversees and supervises the University’s preschool to grade three initial certification candidates in their field placements at the center as well as graduate student internships, projects, and research at the center. Gennarelli is a 2003 graduate of William Paterson with a master’s degree in early childhood education. She resides in Franklin Lakes.