ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter: Monday, August 5, 2025
What's Inside: Starting Next Week: Help Shape the Future of Education in New Mexico, plus more!
The full-text version of the ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter is available on the ECECD website here . La versión completa del Boletín semanal sobre el cuidado de los niños está disponible en el sitio web del ECECD aquí .
Featured Story
Help Shape the Future of Education in New Mexico
Next week, the New Mexico Public Education Department and LANL Foundation will host regional community input sessions across the state. These open-house events support the state’s Action Plan in response to the Martinez/Yazzie lawsuit and will guide how New Mexico serves:
Native American students
English language learners
Students with disabilities
Students from low-income families
We invite educators, parents, youth, advocates, and community members to share their experiences and ideas. Sessions run from 4 to 7 p.m. and include one-on-one conversations, group discussions, and written feedback.
Provided for participants:
Free food
On-site childcare
Translation services
ASL interpretation
This is a critical moment for public education in New Mexico. Learn more and see the full schedule at MartinezYazzieActionPlan.org .
An Invitation for Field Trips to the Governor’s Annual Fall Festival
The Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham extends an invitation to New Mexico’s child care facilities to participate in the Annual Fall Festival at the Governor’s residence this October. This beloved event is a celebration of community and children, featuring a carnival day filled with games, entertainment, music, food, and prizes.
To make this memorable and enriching experience accessible for children across the state, the Governor’s office is exploring transportation assistance and flexible scheduling options for field trips.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity, you are invited to attend one of two virtual information sessions:
Wednesday, July 31, 2025
Wednesday, August 7, 2025
To RSVP for a session and receive a calendar invitation, please email Dara Romero, Special Projects Coordinator for the Office of the Governor, at dara.romero@exec.nm.gov .
August 5, 2025
What's Inside?
1. Reminders/Announcements
2. Events
3. Professional Development
5. Boletín en Español
Reminders/Announcements
Your Voice Matters! Share Your Feedback on Early Childhood in New Mexico
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education & Care Department (ECECD) wants to hear from you! Your feedback is crucial in shaping the future of our state's early childhood system. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary , and whether or not you take the survey will not affect your job, services, or relationship with ECECD. You may skip any question, and you can save your progress to return later.
Deadline: Please complete the survey by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2025 .
Share your thoughts on what is working well and what could be improved by taking the New Mexico Survey for Families and Providers.
It's Quick: The survey should only take about 20 minutes to complete.
It's Confidential: Your responses are kept confidential.
Win a Prize: You can choose to share your name and email to be entered into a raffle for a $50 gift card.
Take the Survey Now: bit.ly/NMEarlyChildhoodSurvey
This survey is conducted by Verite Educational Services (VES) , an independent consulting group.
You may provide your name and email to enter a raffle for a $50 gift card .
Only VES staff will see your responses.
Results will be summarized in a report for ECECD leadership, which may be shared publicly.
For questions, contact Support@veriteEDservices.com or call 703-787-6700 ext. 802
View more reminders on the full-text version of the Weekly Child Care newsletter.
Join us for ECECD’s 5th Birthday Events
ECECD’s Child and Adult Care Food Program Renewal Application Due
Apply Now! Grant for Bilingual & Indigenous Early Childhood Educators
View More Reminders
Recommended Reading:
Jul 25, 2025: New Mexico Wage Scale and Career Lattice Change | | santafenewmexican.com
Events
August Early Childhood Community Call on Zoom
Join ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky and special guests on the first Tuesday of every month from 8–9 a.m. to discuss important issues pertaining to the New Mexico early childhood community. The next Early Childhood Community Call will be held tomorrow, August 5, 2025.
Did you miss last month’s Community Call?
Recording
Zoom Meeting Details (same link every meeting):
Join via Zoom
Telephone: 669-900-9128 or 253-215-8782
Webinar ID: 958 5783 9577
New Mexico PreK Updates
NM PreK just completed both beginning of the year NM PreK Administrator meetings in Las Cruces and Albuquerque. Spending time together to kick off the school year was appreciated by all in attendance. Information provided at the NM PreK Administrator meetings will be posted within 72 hours after the meetings.
NM PreK will be providing training for coaches, administrators, teachers and educational assistants to start off the fiscal year with full implementation of the Minnesota Executive Function assessment tool, EF and EFgo™
Beginning of the Year documents are being uploaded to the NM PreK Materials webpage for FY26 in both English and Spanish.
Upcoming Tribal Education and Communication Calls with ECECD
ECECD will host the next monthly Tribal Education Directors Call on Friday, August 15th. This recurring meeting offers tribal education directors an opportunity to come together to share successes, address challenges, and engage in dialogue with ECECD and one another.
The next ECECD Tribal Monthly Communication Call is scheduled from 9-10 a.m., Tuesday, August 13, 2025. This recurring series provides a platform for meaningful communication and collaboration within the broader Tribal Early Childhood Community.
Here is the link for our Zoom room: https://nmececdorg.zoom.us/j/84800582014
View more events on…