“Christina’s unique background in special education, early childhood education, and her love for children will guide her vision for the students, families, and staff of GTECC,” district director of elementary education says.
The Washington Township Board of Education has appointed special education elementary supervisor Christina Cox as principal at the Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center, effective April 2. Cox will replace former principal Wendy Crawford, who has led the school for the past 18 years. Currently, 260 kindergarten students and 90 preschool students attend GTECC.
Cox assumed her supervisory post on July 1, 2016 and was responsible for planning, implementing, supervising and evaluating special education programs, assisting in curriculum development implementation and the selection of instructional materials and equipment for all special education programs and related areas. She also was responsible for classroom observations and the evaluation of staff, including special education teachers, child study team members, speech language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapists. Cox assisted in representing the school district in due process hearings and other legal hearings and conflict resolutions and ensured the appropriate development and implementation of programs designed to support and increase student achievement for students with disabilities.
“Christina’s unique background in special education, early childhood education, and her love for children will guide her vision for the students, families, and staff of GTECC,” District director of elementary education Gretchen Gerber said. “We are excited for her appointment to this position and are confident that her leadership will have a positive and lasting impact on our youngest learners.”
Cox served as an elementary special education teacher in the District from 2008 to 2016, providing fourth and fifth grade in-class support at Bells Elementary from 2008 to 2011, before transferring to Birches Elementary from 2011 to 2015 to run the multiply disabled program. In addition to her outstanding teaching, Cox facilitated a number of school-wide initiatives, including training on positive behavior supports and prompting, autism awareness events, and technology infusion. She also made contributions district-wide as a contributor for curriculum writing for the MD and autism programs and through aligning language arts literacy to the common core standards for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Cox, a 2012–13 Teacher of the Year, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in early childhood education, teacher of the handicapped, and American Studies, and a master’s in school administration and supervision from Rowan University. She has earned certificates in teacher of the handicapped (K-12), early childhood education (p-3), elementary education (k-5), as well as principal, supervisor and school administrator certificates. She also is certified in Wilson reading and nonviolent crisis intervention.
