Albuquerque Public Schools
Transition Plans
Each school has planned or already has held registration events. These events are advertised at each existing New Mexico Pre-K school through SchoolMessenger, flyers out into the community, school marquees, and the school’s website. Knowledgeable staff members that guide the families through the process of enrolling greet the families. The school’s Pre-K Handbook is handed out and questions are answered.
All APS Pre-K students will be part of the Kindergarten through twelfth grade enrollment system of ParentVue. This process is familiar for families who already have older children attending an Albuquerque Public Schools educational program. For families that are new to APS, the enrollment process can be guided via video, handbook, or in person at each school site.
Once enrolled, an APS and State Identification Number is generated for each child . Once enrolled through the ParentVue registration system the child’s enrollment record will move to a holding place where the registration is date and time stamped. Once in the holding area Early Childhood will have access to identify students for a school boundary area to push the registration to the appropriate school. This will ensure that those families living within the Pre-K elementary school’s boundary area are enrolled first. This will not be the case if the student has an IEP and LRE services are provided at the school. The ParentVue system will allow for one waitlist across the school district. This will allow families to know that when an opening occurs it will be filled equitably.
Once accepted into a school’s Pre-K program, the families are scheduled for a Home Visit at the family’s residence or a location of their choice, but not on school property. During this Home Visit that teacher answers questions and asks a series of questions to gather information that will guide the instructional practices for the child to achieve full participation in accessing the Early Learning Guidelines (ELG). During this meeting, the school will validate the knowledge of the family regarding the incoming child thus setting the stage for a positive relationship between family and Pre-K staff with the child at the center. This meeting is followed by a school-planned, first day of Pre-K welcoming, which is open to the family. The first day is an opportunity to create a warm release of the child to the Pre-K staff. A school-wide Open House is scheduled to allow the family to hear from the school’s principal and meet additional school staff that supports their child.
During each gathering of family and school staff the conversations begin to transition the child to Kindergarten. Each conversation is guided by the Early Learning Guidelines that move the child towards meeting age appropriate standards for entry into Kindergarten. The 90-hours of Family Engagement both incorporates learning activities and guides the family’s understanding of their child’s performance targets. Some engagement activities have both whole school and small group learning activities just for the Pre - K family. This begins the process of moving the family from the sheltered learning environment of Pre-K and into the open view of elementary education.
The culminating event for the Pre-K child into Kindergarten occurs during the last month of the Pre-K year. This event is not just for the Pre - K children at the school, but is open to all incoming Kindergarteners to the elementary school. The actual planned event details look a bit different from school to school, however, the overarching theme is “Welcome to Kindergarten”.
Current Pre-K families will meet and greet the Kindergarten staff, visit classrooms, and have an informal Q and A. The last day of Pre-K, families are invited to the last celebration of their child as a Pre-K student. Onward to Kindergarten where Albuquerque Public Schools has set aside two days at the beginning of the school year for family and Kindergarten teachers to meet and share their knowledge of the incoming child and the school life of a Kindergarten student. The child comes with the family to this meeting to become familiar with the classroom environment and the Kindergarten staff. The first day of Kindergarten starts with a warm release of the child to the Kindergarten staff.