APS hopes to Increase kindergarten readiness

A new Albuquerque Public Schools program hopes to promote literacy and numeracy from an early age.

APS began a new program in collaboration with Waterford in January. The program targets preschoolers and their families with the aim to teach families how to support their child’s literacy development.

“We support the families by teaching them a skill to help them increase their child’s literacy development at home, and then we provide them with fun activities they can do at home,” said Allison Gabaldon, the senior director of the Early Childhood Department for APS.

The program began in January, and has been active one week each month since then. Plans call for the program to continue through April, when it will be reevaluated for the next school year.

“We are doing them in January, February, March and April this school year, and then we’re gonna reassess and see what worked and how we can make it better for next year,” Gabaldon said.

Each day of the week, Waterford gives a presentation at a school in a new zone, in an effort to reach out to as many families as possible. In addition, the presentation is provided in English and Spanish, and bilingual staff are available to translate.

“We are providing accessibility throughout the school district, so that all preschool families can attend,” Gabaldon said.

Waterford’s theme for March was “I Wonder.” The hope is to model how to ask a good question for kids, as well as encourage families to ask their children questions in order to support their literacy skills.

“This month is about ‘I Wonder’, which will equip caregivers to help their child think, and wonder and ask good questions, and just increase their comprehension and vocabulary,” said Valerie King, a Waterford Learning consultant.

A recent night began with a short presentation for parents, then transitioned into three activities. The first centered around how to encourage kids to ask questions. The second focused on children’s social-emotional learning, having kids identify emotions and then model them in a mirror. The night concluded with a story time and went over how parents should ask children different questions before, during and after reading. Before families left, they were given a packet containing all the activities done that night as well as a new book.

“We want the parents to have something they can do at home, to help the child in each of those reading components, and they’re simple activities so the parents feel like they can do it,” said Toni Rivera, another Waterford Learning consultant.

This program is implemented in an effort to increase kindergarten readiness, and the work provides a lot of fulfillment to employees.

“It makes my heart so happy because students are really gaining the skills that they need to be kindergarten ready. … They’re getting this whole foundation for their future learning,” King said.