FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clovis, NM - Clovis Municipal Schools is proud to announce the appointment of Ana Salazar as the Director of Early Childhood Education for the new Los Niños Child Development Center.
In this role, Salazar will oversee daily operations at the new facility while also coordinating with Lockwood Early Childhood Center to support grant-funded early childhood programs that serve families across the district. Her leadership will be instrumental in ensuring high-quality, developmentally appropriate learning experiences for the district’s youngest learners.
Salazar brings more than 15 years of progressive experience in early childhood education, with a strong foundation that spans daycare management, classroom instruction, mentoring, and campus leadership. She began her career in a childcare setting, where she spent over a decade serving in multiple roles, including lead teacher across all age groups from infants through after-school care. During that time, she also served as a FOCUS mentor, supporting instructional coaching, guiding lesson implementation, and ensuring compliance with documentation and program standards.
Through her work with the FOCUS system, Salazar played an active role in continuous quality improvement efforts. She supported the development of improvement plans and helped collect and analyze program data, including developmental screenings and classroom observations, to strengthen instructional practices and enhance student outcomes. This experience provided her with a detailed understanding of childcare quality standards and program accountability.
Salazar later joined Clovis Municipal Schools as a certified teacher in both the Los Niños program and New Mexico Pre-K. In these roles, she developed standards-aligned lesson plans, supported individualized student needs through IEP coordination, and served in leadership capacities, including chairing the Student Assistance Team at Lockwood Early Childhood Center.
Most recently, Salazar has served as assistant principal at Lockwood Early Childhood Center, where she has supported instructional leadership, professional development, behavior systems, and program implementation. She continues to lead key initiatives, including Child Find efforts and student support systems, while balancing daily operations with long-term program goals.
She holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Eastern New Mexico University and a New Mexico Public Education Department administrative license. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Salazar is well-equipped to build strong connections with students, families, and staff, supporting inclusive communication across the community.
The Los Niños Child Development Center represents a strategic investment in both early childhood education and workforce support for Clovis Municipal Schools. Designed to serve children of district employees ages 12 to 48 months, the center will provide year-round, full-day care in a play-based, developmentally appropriate environment. The program operates as a self-sustaining model funded through New Mexico’s Universal Childcare initiative, allowing the district to expand access to high-quality early learning opportunities while maintaining responsible stewardship of local resources.
With a capacity to serve up to 96 children, the center is designed to strengthen employee recruitment and retention, support working families, and contribute to long-term community growth.
Under Salazar’s leadership, the Los Niños Child Development Center will focus on building strong academic and social-emotional foundations, helping ensure that every child is prepared for future success.
###