Eligibility Guidelines
Overview
Every student must meet the eligibility guidelines to be accepted into our program. Enrollment in our preschools is not based on race, color, creed, ethnic background, religion or any discriminatory factor other than age as our program is specifically designed for children 3 or 4 years of age by September 1 of the current year. All children’s registration packets are prioritized by: (1) prospective attendance in Hermosa Heights Elementary School District; (2) prospective enrollment in a Title 1 school district; and, (3) children who would not have an opportunity to attend a high-quality program due to income restrictions. Upon acceptance in our programs, families must provide:
Documents List
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Completed application form
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Evidence of date of birth
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2 Copies of Immunization Record Signed by a physician
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2 copies of residency proof (on existing residence only)
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Religious or medical exemptions (if applicable)
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Custody papers (if applicable)
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Copy of the IEP's (if applicable)
Age Requirements
PreK Extended Day: 4 years old by September 1
Early PreK Extended Day: 3 years old by September 1
Mixed Ages Extended Day: 3 or 4 years old by September 1
FREE to eligible families & provides breakfast, lunch & snacks!
Program Hours
Monday-Friday
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Regular Hours
Monday-Friday
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Little Campers
Extended Stay
All children are screened for vision, dental and speech by collaborating with Las Cruces agencies during the month of October and at no cost to families. Staff members develop a portfolio for every student which contains individualized short and long term goals established through screenings and IMAS (Integrated Movement Activities Screening). Additional student goals/objectives are identified and goal attainment is recorded using a daily observational system with rubric analysis for simple to complex task completion in the seven basic areas designated by New Mexico Pre-K.
Parent Conference & Involvement
Three scheduled parent conferences (Fall, Spring, end of the year) are held each year to provide a forum for open communication between our staff and our parents. In addition, the Director and teachers welcome all comments, opinions or concerns at any time throughout the year. We understand there is nothing more important than one’s children or grandchildren; and therefore, we believe a close relationship between our teachers and our parents is essential.
Each spring semester, we offer ‘Science With My Partner’. ‘Science With My Partner’ is a relaxed, fun activity for parents and children to work together to create a science experiment for their class. It introduces many concepts of science and provides an opportunity for parents and children to work collaboratively. Parents typically have a great time with this, and it helps to build your child’s confidence. It’s also a fun introduction to public speaking in a safe, supportive environment while also introducing some basic science. Who knows? There may be a small Albert Einstein just waiting to blossom!
Dressing for School
Casual, comfortable, “soft” clothing such as sweat pants and shirts are best for our preschool. We do not require gym clothing, but do suggest shorts be worn under dresses due to our many physical activities. For the pool, a swimsuit and towel are required. Your child may also bring goggles if they prefer wearing goggles while in the water. Our pool temperature is maintained at 89°. Rain or shine, we’re fine!
We also ask that an extra set of clothing be left in the child’s cubby in case of a spill or accident. Tennis shoes are best for footwear. It is recommended that long hair be pulled back from the face, if possible, due to our physical activities. Napping children need to bring a small blanket and pillow encased in an easy to carry bag. Since children are to be completely potty trained, no “pull-ups” are to be worn while in preschool
Transportation & Field Trips
We will offer a few field trips each year. Parents will be given notice with a signed request form for permission to ride in our company vans. Most of our extracurricular activities are housed within Gym Magic, and as such, students remain on campus.
Ratios
To provide the very best program, we maintain a 10 to 1 ratio in the 4-year-old classroom and an 8 to 1 ratio in the 3-year-old classroom and the Mixed Ages classroom.
Vacations & Closures
We typically follow the Las Cruces Public School calendar during the school year. We are closed approximately two weeks at Christmas (the number of days depends on the year, LCPS, and calendar), one week at Spring Break and one week at Thanksgiving. Our schedule can change depending on LCPS.
We are closed the following days so that our teachers may spend these national holidays with their families: Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, and Thanksgiving. Specific calendars of operation are available at Ashley’s Garden and The Village.
Food & Allergies
We are certified and inspected by the NM Health Department as well as the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. We provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks for each child each day. All snacks will meet the federal requirements for USDA and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) health recommendations. Food is vended through the Las Cruces Public School system.
