Principal: Dawn Ramos

Assistant Principal: Janette Gallegos

Special Education Instructional Leaders: Alissa Brittingham, Amber Cook, & Amanda Rael

Phone: (505) 892-7735 Fax: (505) 892-6166

We are part of the Rio Rancho Public School district and the only public preschool for 3, 4, and 5 years old children (not including Kindergarten eligible students) receiving Special Education services in Rio Rancho, NM.
We also serve general education students through the NM PreK Grant, see the Pre-Kindergarten Program description below.

Address: 2100 Lionel St. NE, 87144

Geographic Area Served: All of Rio Rancho 

Regular Office Hours:

• Monday- Friday: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Regular School Session Days & Hours:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

   

• AM Session - 8:00 - 11 AM 

• PM Session - 12:00 - 3 PM

• No School on Wednesdays for 3Y students

• Whiz Kid Wednesday for 4Y students - 8:00 - 11 AM

View our Student Handbook here

School Supply Lists

Shining Stars is an inclusive preschool that consists of several programs for children with developmental disabilities and their typically developing peers on a lottery basis.  Children who receive Special Education services have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) with learning goals and objectives based on needs identified through authentic and formal testing.  All of our classes are inclusive and each child has identified learning goals based on the NMPED Performance Standards & Benchmarks for Three and Four Year Old Children. 
Much like community preschools, the typical Shining Stars schedule involves 3 hours per day, four days a week.

• Speech Only - Children receive speech therapy at the preschool as part of their daily program.

• Preschool Program - Children ages 3-5 take part in the preschool program.  Classes sizes vary (from 10-13 students) and are served by special educators and educational assistants.

• Pre-Kindergarten - Funded through the NM PreK Grant, this program offers early childhood learning experiences for four and five year old children with a focus on developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate curriculum.

Who will work with my child?
If you visit our classrooms, you will see several adults in the room.  A certified teacher designs the daily program based on developmentally appropriate curriculum.  Educational assistants help the teacher implement the plans.  Therapists integrate their activities into the curriculum.

Philosophy
We do what is best for all kids!
Shining Stars Preschool is based on the premise that early intervention is effective in preparing children with a solid foundation for educational success and identifying strategies which offset the impact of educational disabilities in young children.  Shining Stars has a trans-disciplinary philosophy in which all the staff members working with a child share techniques to address individual goals and objectives. The school team, along with families and other caregivers, work together in roles which address each child's specific strengths and needs.

Mascot: Shining Star 
Colors: Turquoise 
Grade Levels Served: Three- and four-year-olds (pre-kindergarten) 
Founded: Fall 2005 by Rio Rancho Public Schools.  New facility opened 2020.

School Goals:
Student Excellence

School Programs:
Family Fun Night, Book Fairs, Fall Carnival, Balloons Aloft

Employees: 101

• Teachers: 37

• Instructional Support Staff: 55

• Non-Instructional Support Staff: 9 

Student Profile:

Enrollment: 700 (March 2024)
Percent Special Education: 41.1%

Race/Ethnicity: The percentages for each category are rounded up or down to the nearest .1.  Families of mixed-race heritage may now designate their child as being of more than one race. This may cause the percentages to add up to a number that is other than 100%.

African-American: 3.1%
American Indian: 4.0%
Asian: 2.7%
Caucasian (Non-Hispanic): 32.4%
Hispanic: 57.4%
Pacific Islander: 0.1%