June 2026

Governor Jared Polis has officially proclaimed May 8, 2026, as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day in Colorado.

Recognizing the invaluable contributions of child care and early education professionals across the state. The proclamation highlights the critical role providers play in supporting children’s development, helping families thrive, strengthening communities, and contributing to Colorado’s economy.

The proclamation also acknowledges Colorado’s ongoing commitment to high-quality early childhood services through initiatives such as Universal Preschool, the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), and quality improvement efforts. Additionally, it recognizes the important work of local Early Childhood Councils in supporting providers through coaching, professional development, and technical assistance.

Join us in celebrating and thanking Colorado’s child care providers for their dedication, expertise, and lasting impact on the lives of children and families.

View the full size proclamation here.

The SLV Colorado Pyramid Model Training- Cohort 2

The Colorado Pyramid Model training is a collaborative professional development system that fosters and sustains evidenced-based practices to support the social-emotional development and inclusion of children. The Colorado Pyramid Model Training is a 50-hour training series that supports early educators to recognize and reduce challenging behaviors in children while increasing positive behaviors. It also reduces stress, burnout, and turnover among existing early childhood educators and staff, who have the passion for working with young children.

Participants who complete this training will receive a Training of Special Recognition badge in Colorado’s Professional Development Information System (PDIS), 2 points under “Formal Education” and may be eligible to receive and earn 3 college credits Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for ECE 103 or 1031 Guidance Strategies for Young Children, and other career pathways.

In the 25-26 school year we had 14 participants that finished off the 50-hour virtual training. We finished our last class with an in-person potluck to celebrate a successful 9 months of learning together.

Congratulations, to the 2025-2026 SLV Colorado Pyramid Model Training Cohort!!

Your Voice Matters: Help Shape Alamosa's Future

The City of Alamosa is inviting community members to help shape the future of our community through the Comprehensive Community Steering Committee project. Share your ideas, priorities, and vision for Alamosa's continued growth and success.

Join the Community Kick-Off Dinner on June 4 and watch for additional community engagement opportunities throughout the summer.

See the flyers below for event details and ways to get involved.

Music and movement activities

Help young children develop language, motor, social emotional, and cognitive skills. This resource from Adapt to Impact shares simple, inclusive strategies that make songs, dance, and movement activities accessible for children of all abilities.

Explore practical ideas such as adapted freeze dance, instrument play, ribbon dancing, and action songs, along with tips for supporting participation, communication, and sensory needs in early childhood settings.

Read the full article here and access additional resources through the Adapt to Impact website.

Coaching

Going Outside Extends Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers

Spending time outdoors every day is a rich and important part of the program's chosen research-based curriculum for infants and toddlers. The following are examples of knowledge and skills that young children develop through the curriculum's outdoor experiences.

Social and Emotional Development

Infants and toddlers learn to play together when they take turns using pails and shovels, share a ride in a wagon, and chase each other. "Deep bonds can form between children or a child and adult when they share experiences with nature.

Gross Motor, Fine Motor, and Perceptual Development

Because outdoor play spaces are often more varied and less structured than indoor spaces,³ infants and toddlers have more freedom of movement to develop their gross motor skills in novel ways. This may include crawling or rolling on grassy hills, standing and balancing on bumpy or unlevel surfaces, and jumping over puddles and sidewalk cracks.

Cognition

Contact with the outdoors helps infants and toddlers learn concepts such as cause and effect and problem-solving. As they experience and practice dressing and undressing, infants and toddlers learn which clothes to wear for different types of weather.⁶ They learn that the sun dries puddles and melts snow and that wind makes things move.

Language and Literacy

Infants and toddlers can use their "outdoor" voices without disturbing others, as well as their "indoor" ones.⁷ As adults talk or sign with them about the outdoor environment, infants and toddlers learn new words; as they begin to talk, they use those words to identify interesting things they see and ask questions.

³Burdett and Whitaker, "Resurrecting Free Play," 48.⁶Trister Dodge et al., The Creative Curriculum, 180.

Do you have a baby or toddler at home?

If your child is between 12 months and 3 years old, your family may qualify for FREE Early Head Start services right here in Alamosa County.

We’re here to support local families with:

• Safe, nurturing early learning

• Developmental support for your child

• Resources and encouragement for families

• No cost for qualifying families

We currently have a few openings available and would love to connect with you.

Call Alex or Erica at 719-937-4010

Or click the button below to fill out the interest form and we’ll reach out to you.

Pre Apply Here!

Are you in need of trusted, high-quality childcare?

Our licensed Family Child Care Home Providers are now accepting new enrollments!

✅ Small group settings

✅ Individualized attention

✅ Safe, nurturing environments

✅ Flexible availability

We currently have multiple openings in:

Rio Grande County
Alamosa County
Conejos County

Let us connect you with a provider who fits your family's needs!

Contact Amanda Atencio at ecresource@ecclsv.org

Mental Health

Our Mental Health Department shared a helpful reminder for anyone dealing with stress, especially caregivers.

Taking care of others can be hard, but focusing on small positive moments each day can make a big difference.

Simple things like noticing good moments, taking a few deep breaths, or remembering your strengths can help reduce stress, anxiety, and sadness. People who practice these skills often feel more hopeful and supported.

The takeaway: it’s okay to have hard days, but finding small positives can help you get through them.

You can read the full article here.

Professional Development

Scholarships Available for Early Childhood Professionals!

Are you currently working in early childhood education or pursuing a career in the field? Great news—scholarship opportunities are available to help you continue your education and professional growth!

These scholarships can support coursework, credential programs, and degree pathways designed to strengthen the early childhood workforce.

Investing in your education not only benefits your career but also enhances the quality of care and learning experiences for young children in our community.

For those interested, please reach out to Lcoresource@eccslv.org for local scholarship information.

For those working towards their master's or doctorate in Early Childhood take a look at this scholarship from The Denver Foundation.

Stay Updated on Local Resources

This time of year, there are lots of community supports and opportunities popping up and we know it can be hard to keep track of them all.

While our newsletter goes out once a month, we often come across helpful resources online that we share on our Facebook page to keep things streamlined and easy to find.

https://www.facebook.com/eccslv

Do you have something you would like to share in our newsletter?

If individuals and organizations in the community want to share relevant information through this email list, ECCSLV will do their best to include the information in the next available e-newsletter.

ECCSLV considers requests based on relevance, capacity, and timeliness. We do not guarantee that all information will be shared.

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