With multiple new positions and staff members at CHS this school year, Ms. Colleen Finor has been welcomed as the newest addition to the special education staff. Finor previously taught at New Albany Elementary School before coming to the high school this year. 

While it can be a big transition from NAS, an elementary school, to CHS, a high school, Finor said it’s been a positive transition. 

“It has been incredible, I have so many awesome staff members here,” Finor said. “The kids are amazing, it’s been great and everyone’s been very supportive!” 

Before coming to Cinnaminson, Finor taught at Yale School, a private special education school, for 20 years. This is her first time teaching at a district school, where she said she is very excited to continue her career. 

As a special education teacher, Finor explained that she has several different roles as a teacher. 

“I have a homeroom where I have independent living. I teach them Life skills Math, Life skills English,” Finor said, “and then I also go out and teach the fundamentals of math – they are awesome kids, they just need some extra resources.”  

Having attended La Salle University, Finor described how her inspiration for teaching began at an early age.

“I mean that’s an easy question – growing up whenever we had back to school night in 4th and 5th grade, they were like ’What do you want to be when you grow up?’ ‘A teacher,’” Finor said. “But now growing up and being in college and taking the courses I think the only reason is [because] I want every kid to feel comfortable, and so if they can come in and feel comfortable and say ‘hey, okay wait – I’m in a safe place, I’m going to have fun, I’m almost going to learn,’” Finor said. 

While Finor acknowledges she still sometimes gets lost finding the cafeteria, she knows she’s part of a close-knit community here at CHS.

“It’s just so cool to see everybody like being excited to be here, and it’s just a big team in unity and it’s like a family so I like it,” Finor said.

Finor said she hopes to accomplish many goals here at CHS and looks forward to getting more involved in the CHS community.

“My goal is to get used to the environment and the physical aspect of it, but also to just to be more involved. I want to be more involved with the school,” Finor said.