Noemi Valdes is the Director of Early Childhood Education Programs for the Oxnard School District (OSD). OSD is located in Oxnard, California, the largest city in Ventura County. Established in 1873, the Oxnard School District has 21 schools serving slightly over 15,000 students of diverse ethnicities. English Learners make up 51.8% of the student population, 85.5% are social-economically disadvantaged and 0.5% of the students are Foster Youth. The District teachers, staff and administrators are committed to providing students access and equity to enrich the educational experiences of their students. Recognizing that their students’ home languages represent a powerful asset for themselves and their community, the district is committed to building strong, research-based and standards-driven biliteracy programs across the district. In addition to providing opportunities for their children, the district celebrates the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of the community. The district is committed to ensuring students receive an academic educational program that prepares them for college and career. The district values the collaborative relationship established between staff and the community. Parents/Family support and engagement are at the forefront of district goals. As a district, OSD believes that the education of their students is a collaborative effort and therefore, they work to strengthen relationships regularly by empowering parents to be change agents and partners in education. The district operates eight CSPP sites, providing half-day preschool, and health and social services to 370 students. Oxnard School District preschools proudly hold Advanced or High Quality QCVC ratings.
Noemi’s career in education began right out of high school, as a Bilingual Instructional Assistant in the Oxnard School District (OSD), supporting teachers and students in Kindergarten-5th grade. She left the district after several years, but returned in 1994 to provide mental health prevention and early intervention services to Kindergarten through 3rd grade students experiencing mild to moderate social adjustment difficulties. The district’s collective focus has been to bring and maintain early identification and intervention opportunities to our school community. Opportunities coming to fruition and where Noemi had a direct role in implementation include; SB65 Pupil Motivation and Maintenance grants, First 5/Oxnard Neighborhoods for Learning contracts, opening new and modern preschool facilities, and increasing CSPP spaces. As an Outreach Specialist for many years, Noemi coordinated the RtI efforts of preschool-5th grade students, utilizing case management procedures to address and mitigate academic, attendance, and behavior concerns, providing direct services to students, and serving as a liaison between school, families, and community-based services.