Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start Logo

Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled low-income children and families. In addition, services are also provided to meet the special needs of children with disabilities.

The Region 9 Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start program is operated by the Region 9 Education Cooperative and supported by local public schools.

Region 9 Head Start sites are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young children (NAEYC). Staff participates in ongoing professional development and a variety of training opportunities in order to educate and enhance their professional skills and abilities.

If there are any individuals in need of special accommodations, please contact Calla Goeller at (575) 808-8820.

Early Childhood Development

New Mexico PreK logo with sunflower

Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start's commitment to wellness embraces a comprehensive vision of health for children, families, and staff. The objective of Child Health and Development Services is to ensure that through collaboration among families, staff, and health professionals, all child health and developmental concerns are identified and children and families are linked to an ongoing source of continuous, accessible care to meet their basic health needs.

The objective of Education and Early Childhood Development is to provide all children with a nurturing, engaging, enjoyable, and secure learning environment, in order to help them gain the awareness, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in their present environment and to deal with later responsibilities in school and in life. Each child is treated as an individual in an inclusive community that values, respects, and responds to diversity. The varied experiences provided by the program support the continuum of children's growth and development, which includes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child.

Region 9 Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start program uses Creative Curriculum for Preschool, which is based on 38 objectives for development and learning that are fully aligned with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework as well as early learning standards for New Mexico. Creative Curriculum offers daily opportunities to individualize instruction, helping teachers meet the needs of every type of learner. It addresses all the important areas of learning, from social-emotional and math to technology and the arts and incorporates them throughout every part of every day. The curriculum offers daily, built-in opportunities for observation, helping teachers and administrators clearly see the strong relationship between curriculum and assessment. It offers complete support for working with English and dual-language learners, including detailed guidance that helps to build the teachers' knowledge about best practices. In addition, it contains guidance for working with all learners, including advanced learners and children with disabilities. Early Head Start uses the Creative Curriculum for infants and toddlers.

Family and Community Engagement

Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start offers parents opportunities and support for growth, so that they can identify their own strengths, needs, and interests and find their own solutions. The objective of Family Engagement is to support parents as they identify and meet their own goals, nurture the development of their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that are supportive of children and families of all cultures. The building of trusting, collaborative relationships between parents and staff allows them to share with and to learn from one another.

Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start serves families within the context of the community and recognizes that many other agencies and groups work with the same families. The objective of Community Engagement is to ensure that there is collaboration with partners in the community in order to provide the highest level of services to children and families, to foster the development of a continuum of family-centered services, and to advocate for a community that shares responsibility for the healthy development of children and families of all cultures.

Fatherhood Initiative

The Fatherhood Initiative is intended to strengthen the role of fathers in families. Strong families are essential to the future of the nation; both mothers and fathers play an essential role in ensuring the well-being of their children. Changes in the lives of fathers must be supported by the communities in which they live, and communities must know what resources and supports are available to help in this effort. The Region 9 Fatherhood Committee plans a variety of activities throughout the year to enhance father and male involvement in the program.

Services for Children with Disabilities

Region 9 Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start provides comprehensive services to children with disabilities. IEP and IFSP services include necessary modifications for curriculum and materials; related services such as speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, and social work services; and other instructional supports needed for the children to succeed. Region 9 Head Start/NM PreK & Early Head Start collaborates with the local public schools to provide inclusive settings for children with disabilities in a natural environment. A "natural environment" provides the opportunity for interactions among children with disabilities and those without disabilities.

How To Enroll

Come by our main office: R9 Early Head Start at 2710 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345. The staff will provide interested families with an application and an instruction sheet that lists the documents needed to determine if a family is eligible for the program. To qualify, children and families must be age eligible, and for Head Start/EHS they must be income eligible. NM PreK does not have an income eligibility requirement, however, the program will still require 12 months of income for all programs for documentation purposes. Children are age eligible for Head Start/NM PreK if they turn 3 or 4 years old before September 1. And Early Head Start children are age eligible if they are 6 weeks to 3 years old. Documents needed to determine eligibility are the child's birth certificate, immunization record, insurance card if applicable, and the 12 months of family income. Or you can apply online (English | Spanish) and bring your documents to one of the main offices.

Our Staff

Calla Goeller
Head Start/NM PreK/Early Head Start Director
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Billie Arguedas
EHS Manager
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Dana Jensen
EHS Family Advocate
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Blanca Gutierrez
Head Start Program Assistant & Family Advocate
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Jordan Reynolds
Head Start/NM PreK Education Manager
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Sylvia Wilson
Head Start Enrollment Coordinator
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Susana Guthrie
Head Start/EHS Family Advocate
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Jackie Anaya
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Coordinator
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Natasha Ryen
Head Start/EHS Nutrition & Transportation Coordinator
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Brandie Yoxall
Head Start/NM PreK/EHS Coach & Disabilities Coordinator
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Non-discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.