Early Childhood Education Programs

Early Learning programs in Taos serve young children from birth to age 5 and their families. Home visiting and Early Head Start services can also start prenatally to make sure that parents receive good prenatal care and are ready to support their newborns.

Early learning services provide a range of learning experiences for infants, toddlers and preschoolers to make sure they develop and learn, and are ready for school when they enter kindergarten. Children with developmental delays and disabilities are supported through the Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program and Early Childhood Special Education, at home or in their classroom setting. Early learning services also help parents know how they can best support their child’s development with daily learning opportunities.

Early learning services in New Mexico are administered by the Public Education Department, Children, Youth & Families Department, and the Department of Health and utilize a range of state and federal funding sources. One such resource is Paso a Paso, which is a community network that supports early learning programs in Taos and western Colfax counties. Its roots go back more than 20 years when a group of Taos early childhood professionals – some of whom remain active in Paso today – got together to assist families in the transition from early intervention programs to kindergarten.

Today, the Paso a Paso Network works to improve outcomes in all areas of early childhood education and care. Network members represent one or more of four sectors: Early Care and Education; Family Support Services; Early Intervention and Special Rights; and Health and Behavioral Health. Paso a Paso bridges the gap between these organizations, integrating them into stronger, more flexible and effective structures by merging resources and systems to advance a collective mission.

The result is improved efficiency among organizations and greater access, availability, and quality of services for families with young children.

PASO A PASO

Some previous initiatives include:

• First Steps Home Visiting • Children’s Trust Fund –

Taos Loves Kids • Nurturing Center at Enos

Garcia Elementary School • Imagination Library

We currently have seven working committees:

• Policy and

Communication

Committee • Taos Early Childhood

Alliance • Taos Pueblo Early

Learning Committee • Partnering in Children’s

Success • Professional Development

Shared Professional Development

Paso a Paso initiatives help professionals develop innovative programs for families; improve practices; build and recruit the early childhood workforce; advocate for resources; and educate the community on the critical importance of the early childhood years. Paso a Paso’s target population includes its members and the children and families they serve: front-line staff including educators; developmental and infant mental health specialists; family therapists; pediatrician; nurse practitioners; home visitors; and community health workers.

Homecare

Paso a Paso’s working committee, Taos Early Childhood Alliance (TECA), is funded by Thornburg Foundation, R.T. Keeler and Brindle Foundation in collaboration with UNM-Taos. Regarding homecare, TECA is working to develop more registered and licensed homecare situations. Now more than ever – as families are working – it’s important to make sure our youngest citizens have a safe and caring environment from which to grow. Becoming a registered or licensed home care provider for infants through 8-year olds affords one the opportunity to get reimbursed for food for your program and to collect state money for low income families when caring for children. For more information, contact Monica Trujillo, home care liaison at (575) 224-1090. Calls can be taken in Spanish and English.

The Paso a Paso Network is a longstanding and successful example of a local community mobilizing and leveraging community assets around the wellbeing of young children in Taos County.

Taos High School GRADS Program and Taos Family Development Center

The Taos Family Development Center is an onsite day care at Taos High School that serves teen parents and Taos Municipal Schools employees. The GRADS program – along with the Taos Family Development Center – helps high school students overcome the cycle of poverty through achieving a high school education and employability skills, and develop positive parenting and healthy relationship skills. The center serves children from birth to 4 years old.

Becoming an Early Childhood Education Teacher

UNM-Taos ECED Teacher Residency Program

The Early Childhood Education & Development (ECED) Associates degree program is an innovative and comprehensive program, where theory and practice are woven into the learning experience. Students engage in traditional studies and participate in a teacher residency, giving students an opportunity to be mentored by an experienced teacher in an early learning environment (birth to third-grade classroom) either where they work or they are assigned to a community school. Additionally, ECED students are given several opportunities to reflect on their coursework and hands-on classroom understandings: working with a mentor teacher, participating in a learning circle with peers, and contributing in Taos' Collaborative Teacher Institute (CTI). Each component of the ECED program builds skills; knowledge, critical thinking and reflective teaching, preparing our students to be competent and capable educators.

The ECED program supports students who are interested in obtaining a solid understanding of early childhood as well as the knowledge and ability to be a successful students, prepared to transfer into a 4-year university to complete their bachelor's in early childhood education (licensure pre-kindergarten to third grade or non-licensure) or a related field in family child studies. Students have the option of receiving stackable certificates: Child Development Certificate (CDC) (11-12 credit hours), Early Childhood Education & Development Certificate (32 credit hours), and then work toward an associates degree (61 credit hours). There are several opportunities to receive a scholarship or financial support if you are studying education. UNM-Taos holds two scholarships for those who are Pell eligible, Grow Your Own Teachers for those who have been an education assistant in the public schools for two or more years and the Teacher Preparation Affordability is open to all with certain stipulations. Additionally, if you are working in a program under the new Early Childhood Education and Care Department, you are eligible for a full scholarship. Lastly, some students may be eligible for funds through New Mexico's WIOA Help program. For more information about our teacher education programs contact Dr. Pam Remstein, Remstein@unm.edu or 575-737-6266.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

By the age of 5, 90% of the brain’s capacity has already developed. A child’s brain is more receptive to learning during the first 5 years of his life than at any other point in time – when the brain is most flexible. The more you exercise different areas of the brain in the early years of development, the more lasting an impact it will have on their learning ability.

Home Visiting Programs*

Home visiting services provide new parents with information, support, and access to resources in our community that promote early childhood development and a positive family foundation. Holy Cross Hospital First Steps Program: holycrossmedicalcenter.org/program/first-steps/ Holy Cross Hospital’s First Steps Program provides home visiting services to parents of children ages prenatal to 3, including fathers, adoptive parents, and foster families in Taos and Western Colfax counties.

Tiwa Babies:

tiwababies.com

Few experiences are as rewarding and challenging as parenthood. Tiwa Babies Home Visiting is a service delivery that matches expectant parents/caregivers and parents/ caregivers of children 0-5 years old with a qualified early childhood specialist. Tiwa Babies Home Visiting services promote optimal child and family development. Services are universal, at no cost, and provided in the family’s home or another location of the family’s choice.

*Some of these programs will have space available in the fall. Contact each program individually to obtain more information.

Anansi Day School:

anansidayschool.org

Anansi Day School is located just outside Taos, and has been serving children ages 3-5 years since 1993. Anansi’s highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable staff provide a fun-filled day of developmentally appropriate learning experiences both indoors and outdoors—essential to the children they serve.

The well-being of our children governs our decisions.

INSPIRE! Bilingual Early Learning Center:

newmexicoprek.org/provider-details/?id=158235

INSPIRE! Bilingual Early Learning Center embraces the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, is located in the heart of Taos, and serves children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old.

UNM-Taos Kids’ Campus Center for Early Learning:

taos.unm.edu/community/kids-campus/index.html

The Kid’s Campus serves children 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Kids’ Campus is NAEYC accredited and a New Mexico FOCUS 5 Star program. Kid’s Campus is located at UNMTaos Klauer Campus, (1157 State Road 110, Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557), in the Kid’s Campus Building and serves as the early childhood lab school for the UNM-Taos ECED Dept.

Youth Development Inc (YDI) Head Start:

ydinm.org/program/head-start/

Head Start is the national commitment to give every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, an opportunity to succeed in school and in life. In the 50+ years since its inception, Head Start has improved the lives of more than 37 million children and their families. Head Start alumni—or “Head Start babies,” as they often call themselves—are in all walks of the nation’s life.

Taos Pueblo Head Start:

taospueblo.org/cms/education-training-division/ head-start

Early Head Start/Head Start are two of the most successful federally funded childhood education programs ever created. It promotes the school readiness of children ages 0-5 from low income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. YDI has more than 30 centers throughout New Mexico and is completely free.

Dragonfly Learning Center:

facebook.com/taos.newmex/

Intimate, quality center combines art, literature, music, and movement with Emotional Intelligence concepts serving children ages 1-5. Licensed and insured.

*Some of these centers will have space available in the fall. Contact each center for more information.

Early Intervention Programs*

Early intervention is a system of services that helps babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. Early intervention focuses on helping eligible babies and toddlers learn the basic and brand-new skills that typically develop during the first three years of life, such as: • physical (reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking); • cognitive (thinking, learning, solving problems); • communication (talking, listening, understanding); • social/emotional (playing, feeling secure and happy); and • self-help (eating, dressing).

Los Angelitos:

eladc.org/home/early-childhood-services/

Los Angelitos Early Childhood Service is an early intervention program that provides specialized services and supports to eligible children and their families from birth to 3 years of age, with identified developmental delays or who are at risk for delay. Los Angelitos is part of the Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program.

*This program may have space available in the fall. Contact Los Angelitos for more information.

Play!

Parents often hear of the importance of playtime in preschool. Play is the foundation for all learning when it comes to young children. Play is how they begin to understand and process their world. Children’s play unlocks their creativity and imagination, and develops reading, thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as further develops motor skills.

Social emotional development

In their first few years of life, young children acquire social and emotional skills such as regulating emotions, sharing with others, and following instructions. These skills lay the foundation for developing literacy, numeracy, and other cognitive abilities that are critical for success in school and life. Healthy social and emotional development is rooted in nurturing and responsive relationships with family members and other caregivers, including those who provide care in early learning settings. Early care and education professionals in child care and preschool classrooms are important partners in supporting social and emotional development, and ensuring that the youngest learners are ready for school and on the path to success.