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About the Early Childhood Office

Learn about the vision, mission, work, and essential functions of the Early Childhood Office.

Early Childhood Department

 

Early Childhood provides professional development to enhance learning outcomes for young children in the areas of transition to kindergarten, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and leadership to develop a collaborative partnership between the home, school, and community. The department plays a key role in how public schools serve and support the needs of children birth to age eight. The focus has been to coordinate efforts with leaders across APS departments, the City, County, and State along with national experts to play a noteworthy role in developing a delivery system that is responsive to family needs and that is child-centered.

The relationships, programs, and networks that have evolved to date through Early Childhood require a systems alignment and direction from the District that will continue to build on the strengths of these partnerships and lay a foundation for the future growth of early childhood programs and initiatives.

Vision

All APS early childhood programs provide exemplary practices in all-inclusive environments to develop the whole child.

Mission

We the Early Childhood Department, support all APS Early Childhood programs and their communities by facilitating and guiding the implementation of the NM Pre-K Program Standards in order to provide a high quality, inclusive, culturally responsive, safe and welcoming first experience in public education.

Work

Our work is to be a gateway to the community and a support system to schools in providing relevant and timely information related to child development and learning issues specific to the young child.

Essential Functions

  • Convene and facilitate monthly APS early childhood collaborative meetings and action planning
  • Coordinate district-wide early childhood professional development and provide technical support for district initiatives
  • Communicate across district departments to ensure alignment with state and district initiatives
  • Manage NM PreK budget and compliance requirements by braiding NM Pre-K and Title I Preschool Funds. 
  • Provide technical support to schools to comply with NM PED FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality for All New Mexico Public School Preschool Programs.
  • Communicate and report to APS leadership, NMPED, and NMECD regarding FOCUS compliance issues.
  • Represent District at state level on taskforces related to NM PreK and birth to age 8 issues
  • Respectfully engage families by recognizing and promoting the concept that the parent is the child's first teacher.
  • Support the District's efforts to communicate early childhood best practices, which address the needs of the whole child. 
  • Transitioning Children from home to school and from preschool to kindergarten.
This page was last updated on: July 13, 2020.