The Arc Mercer came to the rescue after the Special Parent Advocacy Group was forced to find a new location
TRENTON -- A special-education advocacy group and after-school program, whose future was in limbo after the district displaced them from their space, has found a new home.
The Special Parent Advocacy Group, a nonprofit that works to protect the rights of special education students, will now be housed in Ewing and its after-school program for ages 3 to 21 will move into The Arc Mercer's Step Ahead Early Childhood Learning Center on Fairmount Avenue in Trenton.
The group has been operating in donated space at P.J. Hill Elementary School, but was told that the district would now need use of the space for the full school day -- a change founder Nicole Whitfield says would have effectively shut down the program since the center opens at 1 p.m. and students start arriving on a varied schedule as early as 2:15 p.m.
The school's dismissal time isn't until 3:15 p.m.
Whitfield, who started the group in 2011 after her own troubles dealing with the district, was also told that she would have to respond to a request for proposals for after-school providers -- even though the P.J. Hill principal had already signed off on her building renewal permit for next year.
"You're guilty of putting out these babies and parents here," she told the school board on Monday. "You left my programs out here, you left my state contract at risk and this is a service that we provide free to the district."
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Whitfield claims the decision was retaliatory since the email came only weeks after she had filed a complaint with the state Department of Education's Office of Special Education Program over 16 classes at Dunn Middle School that did not have the required inclusion teachers for special education students.
Steve Cook, Arc's executive director, heard about her dilemma and offered her space at Step Ahead, which serves developmentally delayed children up until age 3. He said their efforts mesh perfectly since Arc's program runs until 2 p.m.
"I didn't want to see families not have a place to be," he said. "We have space available for that purpose so we're excited to be able to help them out. ... They definitely need a strong advocate and they have one in her."
Whitfield said that as the center faced leaving P.J. Hill, she was limited in her relocation options since the district only buses special-needs students to programs within city limits, but Arc's space is in Trenton and has a child care center license, which saves her money.
"Our services can complement each other," she said. "As they get ready to transition into the public school system, we can help with advocacy services ... and the kids can transition right into our program."
Meanwhile, SPAG's offices and weekend respite programs will move into a 3,500-square-foot space on Scotch Road in Ewing. Though school board member Gerald Truehart had been working to reverse the administration's decision, Whitfield said that, in the end, it made more sense to move out of a district-owned space.
She said the group often finds itself at odds with the district making sure that students who are entitled to certain special education or related services receive them.
"I felt like they were holding it over my head," Whitfield said, adding that too often, students are only receiving some of the services recommended for them. "They expect for us to keep quiet ... but now we can advocate for our children and do what we need to do."
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.