Ericka Arciniega Baxter is an early childhood specialist with Colorado’s second largest school district, Jeffco Public Schools. Since 2015, Ericka has provided leadership at numerous educational sites and preschools, across the district. She has led multidisciplinary work teams tasked with early identification and intervention for the district’s youngest learners. In this role, she ensures children (ages 3-5), with varying abilities, are given the opportunity and support needed to achieve their full potential.
Prior to her work in early learning Ericka served as the Outreach Coordinator for Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Center for Visual Art (CVA) where she cultivated community partnerships and implemented arts-based projects designed to engage at-risk youth (ages 5-15) in experiential learning. Ericka’s academic background includes; Bachelors in both Studio and Art History from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master’s in Art Education from New York University, as well as, a Master’s in Special Education from American University. Her diverse academic and professional experience, in the field of education, has fueled her interest and understanding of the importance of empowering children from a young age with knowledge of how they are capable of great things. A way to achieve this monumental undertaking is to ensure that all children have access to exemplary early childhood education experiences.
A fourth-generation Texican, first-generation college-graduate, female, learning-disabled, and alumna of Teach For America (TFA), Ericka knows first-hand of the many obstacles faced by marginalized people. Knowledge of these struggles serve as a driving force behind her passion for early childhood education. She understands how significant access to early learning and intervention can be for life-outcomes.
As a leading-learner, Ericka is most inspired by issues related to the arts, education, early learning, equity, creativity, inclusion and neurodiversity. She is a member of Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD). A life-long learner, Ericka, is always exploring ways to know more, to do better. As a member of Cohort 14 of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program (BECLP) at University of Colorado at Denver (CU) Ericka is among other imaginative thinkers who are co-sensing future possibilities for Colorado’s early childhood education systems.
Prior to her work in early learning Ericka served as the Outreach Coordinator for Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Center for Visual Art (CVA) where she cultivated community partnerships and implemented arts-based projects designed to engage at-risk youth (ages 5-15) in experiential learning. Ericka’s academic background includes; Bachelors in both Studio and Art History from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master’s in Art Education from New York University, as well as, a Master’s in Special Education from American University. Her diverse academic and professional experience, in the field of education, has fueled her interest and understanding of the importance of empowering children from a young age with knowledge of how they are capable of great things. A way to achieve this monumental undertaking is to ensure that all children have access to exemplary early childhood education experiences.
A fourth-generation Texican, first-generation college-graduate, female, learning-disabled, and alumna of Teach For America (TFA), Ericka knows first-hand of the many obstacles faced by marginalized people. Knowledge of these struggles serve as a driving force behind her passion for early childhood education. She understands how significant access to early learning and intervention can be for life-outcomes.
As a leading-learner, Ericka is most inspired by issues related to the arts, education, early learning, equity, creativity, inclusion and neurodiversity. She is a member of Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD). A life-long learner, Ericka, is always exploring ways to know more, to do better. As a member of Cohort 14 of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program (BECLP) at University of Colorado at Denver (CU) Ericka is among other imaginative thinkers who are co-sensing future possibilities for Colorado’s early childhood education systems.