About Us

OUR MISSION:

Kinnelon Parents of Exceptional Children is an organization whose goal is to support the educational, emotional and social welfare of children with special needs and their families. Through collaboration between the Kinnelon School District (Special Services Department), the Boroughs' Recreation Department and dedicated parents and supporters, these goals are being achieved.

2004 - 2005 Accomplishments:

•  Launched Kinnelon PEC, formed Board of Trustees

•  Became a non-profit corporation (501(c)3 pending)

•  Completed first Mentor Training (17 teens)

•  Ran 1 st Sports Skills Clinic for children with Special Needs (May & June, 10 children)

•  Ran Bowling Program for children with Special Needs (July, 15 children)

•  Hosted 4 th annual Child Study Team Appreciation Luncheon

•  Hosted a regional Topic Meeting featuring informative speakers from the NJ Department of Developmental Disabilities. Attended by 20 parents from Kinnelon and neighboring towns.

OUR HISTORY:

A small group of Kinnelon parents of children with Special Needs, led by Ellen Sharpe, began an informal support group in 2001. We met for coffee and conversation and eventually named ourselves POKKAT (Parents of Kinnelon Kids Alternatively Taught). As parents we met occasionally to discuss resources, pains and successes and to generally support one another. We had a hard time recruiting members, because we had no way of knowing who might be interested. We initiated the Child Study Team Appreciation Luncheon in 2002.

In 2004, we became aware of Montville 's successful PEC program. We reached out to meet with Montville 's leadership to learn what more we could be doing. At the same time, Montville 's leader Melinda Jennis was reaching out to numerous other towns, in an effort to support as many support groups as possible. Eventually, the Leadership Council for Exceptional Children was formed to support each towns parent group. The Leadership Council offers training on Mentor Training, Website Development, Collaborating with Administrations and Grant Writing, to name a few. We adopted the Parents of Exceptional Children name to align ourselves with other cooperative groups statewide. Together with our Special Services Department we invited Melinda to speak to Kinnelon parents in October 2004. Most of the parents who attended were thrilled to hear of the programs taking place in Montville . They wanted to create recreational programs in Kinnelon for their children who have not previously been able to participate. A few weeks later, at our Planning and Organization meeting, Kinnelon PEC was formed. A Board of Directors including Ellen Sharpe (Pres.), Don Burnett (VP), Deborah New (Treas.), Tania Haycock (Secy), was formed. Our dream of creating recreational programs, supported by teen mentors, was on it's way to becoming a reality.