Introduction
The Child Development Center/PreK is a 5 STAR, NAEYC accredited lab site that serves children of WNMU students, staff, faculty, and community ages 8 weeks to 5 years old. It is located on the WNMU campus at 513 12th Street, in beautiful Silver City, New Mexico.
Our Mission
The Early Childhood Programs at Western New Mexico University seek to support the highest quality of early care and education through community outreach, teacher education/training, and advocacy. We promote the primacy of play in children’s development in a child-and family centered context, respecting each family’s uniqueness and diversity.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to offer a comprehensive array of child and family centered services. The Program fosters and maintains collaboration and flexibility to meet the increased need for quality care and education throughout the campus and Southwest New Mexico.
Our Philosophy
The Programs strive to maintain a caring and positive atmosphere in which each child is respected and accepted as a unique and valuable individual with the focus is on a developmentally appropriate early childhood education provided in the context of a family-centered approach. Dignity and respect of ALL children and families is upheld while honoring individual and cultural differences.
In order to provide an enriching experience of the highest quality for each child, cooperation and mutual understanding among families, early childhood care givers and staff are necessary. Our everyday modeling is absolutely essential to affirm ourselves and others, to accept people’s differences, to cooperate in achieving common goals, and to communicate constructively.
Our goals involve children, families, staff, students and the community. Education and advocacy are fundamental to high-quality child care and to early childhood practice.
- Children grow through having the opportunity to expand and develop in well-designed environments and with appropriate planned curriculum.
- Families grow through increased understanding of child development as they integrate into our programs and participate in the highest quality experiences of planned educational programs. Staff plans attainable goals based on assessments that will reflect the program’s philosophy and goals.
- Students learn through laboratory opportunities, through observational experiences, and the application of theoretical classroom material.
- The Community benefits by participating in a research based model for early childhood education family support services.
- Every child enters the world eager and able to learn. Play is foundational in ALL stages of life and acts as the positive and joyful thread in relationships.
Program Information
Need Child Care?
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https://ecp.wnmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/10/ECECD_ChildCareAssistance.pdf
¿Necesita Cuidado Infantil?
¡Sus proveedores/as de cuidado infantil están aquí para ayudar!
https://ecp.wnmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/10/ECECD_ChildCareAssistance_Spanish.pdf
The following steps outline the process and procedure for families to enrolling your child:
Information received on the Wait List Form from families is entered into a computer system by the date of contact and children are placed on the waiting list.
When an opening is available, the administrative team calls the family to let them know of the availability.
Once the family accepts, they come in to complete the admissions paperwork. Information about the program is provided to the families at the time of registration.
We exist to provide quality family-centered, child care for children of WNMU students and WNMU ECP staff with any additional spaces made available to the community at large, including University staff and faculty. The management of the waiting list is based on the philosophy that we will make every effort to provide services to the families affiliated with WNMU and to the whole family and will accommodate the child care needs for siblings of current recipients as well as possible. WNMU Child Care Center is committed to serving a diverse population of children and families in each of our programs.
Waiting List
- Family applying must be pregnant, have a child, or have completed an application for adoption.
- First priority will be given to siblings of children who are already enrolled in the program and whose parent(s) is a WNMU full time student.
- Second priority will be given to full time students without siblings, and then part-time students, followed by ECP staff, and finally, the community at large, including WNMU staff and faculty.
- There is no registration fee due at the time of application to the waiting list is made.
- The application is good for the current year in which the application is made (i.e. February 1, 2016-January 30, 2017). It is the responsibility of the applicant to renew the application each year as the priority status may change.
- The Wait List Form can be submitted by email: ecp@wnmu.edu or in person at the CDC Front Office: 513 W. 12th Street.
The Family Handbook – updating please check back soon
- Located on the campus of WNMU at 12th Street and Virginia in Sechler-Rhodes & Glaser Halls
- We have extended weeks of care from 40 to 42 week! Although we operate on the WNMU calendar, child care is NOW offered a week before classes start, for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Additionally, child care is offered a week and a half longer in May.
- Hours of operation are 7:30-4:00, Monday-Friday
- We provide FREE and nutritious breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks to all children.
Enrollment Process
- Complete paperwork provided by the Child Development Center
- Copy of WNMU student’s schedule of classes (if applicable)
- Copy of child’s most current immunization records
- Copy of child’s health insurance card
- CYFD contract, if applicable
Frequently Asked Questions
You must submit a Waiting List Form to the Child Development Center. See “How to enroll my child”
Yes, each semester you will be required to re-enroll. This helps us the ensure that all information is correct and updated.
Download or view: 2020-2021 Child Care Tuition Rates
Payments are paid to WNMU and can be made by cash, check or credit cards. These payments can be made in person or on line through the Business Office. It is required that a payment be made monthly to your account and balances must be paid in full before registering for the next semester.
Childcare subsidies are available through the NM Early Childhood Care and Education Department. Visit this link and click on “Am I Eligible?” or call 800-691-9067.
The Child Development Center and Growing Tree are responsible to a number of reporting agencies.
- The Programs are housed on the WNMU campus and receive student fees as part of our budget monies. The Programs are a part of Academic Affairs, as a department in the School of Education. With a mission to serve children of WNMU full time students, the Programs receive funding to support high quality care and education.
- The Programs are nationally accredited through National Association for the Education of Young Children
- The Programs are licensed through New Mexico Children Youth and Families
- The Programs operate state funded Pre-K classrooms
Contact Us
Phone: (575) 538-6344
Email: ecp@wnmu.edu
Office: Sechler-Rhodes Hall