Santa Fe Public Schools

Be Visible! Parents will notice an increased focus on attendance under this year's new Be Visible initiative. It's simple: If students are not in school they cannot learn. Attendance will be taken daily and, for secondary students, in every class. Parent/teacher meetings, home visits and weekly student meetings with their principal are slated for those frequently absent (more than 10 days). School attendance teams will be supported by Teen Court, CYFD and the Santa Fe Police Department, which may be asked to make wellness checks on those with excessive absences.

Nye Childhood Center is the kind of institution that supports both young children in preschool with a focus on those with disabilities. This school is on par with finding a hidden treasure among the rest of the schools in the Santa Fe Public School District. So, our map of scholastic wonders brought us to this special school Phyllis Nye for whom the school is named, originally started an Early Childhood education program at the College of Santa Fe (which was later adopted by Santa Fe Community College) in response to IDEA - child find screenings and services for identified children aged 3-5 Part B. Nye Early Childhood Center is dedicated to educational programming for three-and four-year-old children and is fully inclusive. Nye’s preschool program provides half-day services for children who are three years old and two four-year-old full day programs. Teachers and staff are highly qualified to work with and educate children identified with special needs. The Nye program is guided by NM FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality for Public Education Department (PED) Preschool Programs (PreK, Special Education and Title I). FOCUS places emphasis on quality improvements that focus on children’s growth, development and learning so that each child has an equitable opportunity to be successful when entering kindergarten. Our three-year-old preschool programs are open Monday through Thursday, with no school on Friday. The morning session is from 7:45 a.m. to 11:05 p.m. The afternoon session is from 11:35 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. Families must transport students to-and-from school. Nye has evolved to offer education for not just students with disabilities but is now accepting all students in the areas. In addition: -They have a large STEAM room that encourages students creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills. -Implemented Play-based emergent curriculum to build on students' skills, needs and interests -Partnered with Cooking with Kids -Offer monthly family engagement activities Space is limited and priority placement is given to children who are identified through the District’s Child Find process as having a need for Special Education intervention. As Phyllis Nye reminded us - “Our Mission is to serve the special needs population!”

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SFPS JOB FAIR TOMORROW!!! SEE FLYER BELOW FOR DETAILS

Kearny Elementary takes us into the heart of Santa Fe. Named after Stephen W. Kearny - General, innovator, “Father of the U.S. Calvary,” former Governor of the New Mexico Territory (where he established the “Kearny Code” the legal and civic framework for the territory), but most importantly, he was an avid explorer of the western United States. This became his passion as he found safe passage for settlers across Arizona, New Mexico, California, Missouri, Oregon, and other untamed parts of the west. It is in his striving for new horizons, helping others, and problem solving where we find his correlation to the elementary school that bears his name. Kearny Elementary offers a plethora of programs to students that both challenge and support their diverse needs with a range of small group and cooperative learning opportunities to provide targeted support and enrichment to students based on individual needs. Utilizing research-based curricula in both math and language arts, a writer’s workshop model to support written language development and an inquiry based curriculum in physical and earth science through the Los Alamos National Labs science kit program. Kearny students participate in music, art, physical education and computer science each week plus they offer all-day PreK for students across the city via District placement and lottery. Community Programs to help support students’ social-emotional and academic needs include: The Heritage Language Model that honors the linguistic assets of multilingual students, highlights transferability between Spanish and English and still provides basic maintenance of the home language while preparing the student for English language arts Site-based counseling for students with counselors from Presbyterian Medical Services Collaborations with local churches to provide needed resources for families Partnership with Food Depot to provide food assistance for families Cooking with Kids, which educates and empowers children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable foods. After-school activities include the 21st Century Community Learning Center after-school enrichment program as well as an after-school homework/child care program. We also offer girls and boys basketball, cheerleading, Chess Club, book clubs and other enrichment opportunities. Kearny was recently honored to become a recipient of the Public Education Department’s Community Schools grant to implement the Community Schools Act of 2019. We look forward to implementing this fully in the 2022-23 school year!

SFPS Back to School protocols for COVID to ensure safety and success! Please see the flyers below.

Our educational journey of the best that Santa Fe Public Schools has to offer brings us to another south side school with Pinon Elementary School. The Pinon pine nut is very distinct, unlike others of its kind, and can only be found in the southwest U.S. with the majority found in New Mexico. Pinon Elementary matches this original embodiment since being named a 2020 prestigious Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, affirming the hard work of students, educators, families and the community in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging content. The Pinon Way, as many know it! Piñon Elementary collaborates with the Master's Program to provide tutoring both during and after school for students. In return, teachers at Piñon provide mentorship to the Master’s Program’s students. Pinon’s other programs include: Girls on the Run, which empowers young women by teaching life skills through lessons and running Robotics Gardening Club Lego Club Book Club and Yearbook 21st Century Community Learning Program that provides academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours Athletics include Baile Folklorico, basketball and cheerleading. Students also participate in a schoolwide walking program sponsored by the Parent Educator Service Club (PES). The Piñon school motto “All Things are Possible When We Work Together Toward a Common Goal” represents the community’s commitment to the school and all children in Santa Fe. Pinon Elementary School is a noble and committed choice for students that desire both the support and school programs it has to offer

Early Childhood Assistance will be available and hiring during our SFPS Job Fair on July 22nd from 12-5 PM at Santa Fe High inside Toby Roybal Gym! We look forward to seeing you there! Please see flyer below for more information!

Congratulations to our Class of 2022 Summer Graduates! The summer commencement ceremony was held at the Bryan Fant Theatre at Capital High School this morning, where 33 students crossed the stage and received their high school diploma!

Making a U-turn from El Camino Real Academy down South Meadows brings us to Ramirez Thomas Elementary (RTE). This school named for former SFPS Board member Belina Ramirez and previous Larragoite Elementary teacher Anita Gonzales Thomas whose service as educators and administrators inspired RTE’s innovative Mission Statement, Core Values, Curriculum, and Student Engagement Programs including: • Heritage Bilingual Education Program Model that teaches academic content in students’ home languages of Spanish and English. • Small group instruction • LANL Foundation ISEC Science Kits • Envisions Math • Readers & Writers Workshop from the Teachers College, Columbia University • Positive Behavior Support: “RTE-3”- teaching Responsibility, Teamwork & Empathy • Second Step Curriculum focused on students’ social-emotional development • Restorative Justice Practices & Classrooms of Care • Communities in Schools Student Engagement options include: Student Council, Chess Club, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet “Baile Folklorico” dance program, band, guitar and violin classes, basketball and cheerleading, Girls on the Run and 21st Century Community Learning Center after-school program The Core Values of RTE are: Empathy, Positivity, Integrity and Collaboration- They are E.P.I.C.! Ramirez Thomas’ story is one of rebirth and renovation whose mission is to provide students with targeted academic and social-emotional learning opportunities that value and build on what they already know. Through the efforts of the staff and administration, in addition to its modern restructuring, RTE adapts and thrives. Ramirez Thomas Elementary is truly EPIC!

Santa Fe Public Schools is having a Job Fair! Please see the attached flyer for information! We look forward to seeing you there!

We arrive today at El Camino Real Academy (ECRA) named for the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro or “Royal Road of the Interior” which is the earliest Euro-American trade route in the US that spans 3 centuries, 2 countries, and 1,600 miles. This historic trail travels from Mexico City to the San Juan Pueblo just north of the former capital of New Spain that is our city of Santa Fe. The Camino Real was a corridor that bred an exchange of cultures, languages, and ideas and its spirit lives on with the dynamic program offerings of the Academy bearing its name. Some of these are: • Being the only International Spanish Academy in New Mexico • Dual language studies for PreK through 8th grade • 21st Century after school program for K-6th • AVID programs from elementary through middle school • Ballet Folklorico, ArtSmart, the STEM Club and Santa Fe Youth Symphony • Cooking with Kids • Band, choir, piano, guitar, drama, and art Traveling the Camino Real today is a scenic and nationally recognized journey of back roads and numerous visitor sites. Keeping with this theme, the Wildcats’ middle school students are benefitting from a donation of Strider bike fleets, provided through a partnership between SFPS’ Sustainability Office and Free Bikes 4 Kidz New Mexico that includes integrating bicycle/pedestrian safety classes through the school’s physical education programs. ECRA is a focus school for the City of Santa Fe’s new Safe Routes to School program since over a third of students can walk or bike a short distance for their commute.

We touch down today at another of the south-side Santa Fe Schools with Sweeney Elementary. This school named after Robert Sweeney – an educator of 43 years, an athletic director, a coach and a member of the Santa Fe School Board for 18 years, spending 12 as the President. Sweeney Cougars pride themselves on a commitment to inclusiveness and diversity with their vast group of international students and many support programs such as: • A 50:50 bilingual model that gives students the opportunity to become fluent in English and Spanish • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) offerings • The GLAD instructional model for English language development • The ReadyGEN English language arts curriculum and a bi-literacy reading program • Student Council, Chess Club, Robotics, MathAmigos, National Dance Institute (NDI) • Cooking with Kids - which educates and empowers children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable foods • Jump Rope for Heart • UNM School of Medicine--Eat Smart to Play Hard Program • Operation Outreach • Pennies for Patients • The LANL Foundation’s Inquiry Science Education Consortium • Strings in our Schools • FACT (Fine Arts for Children & Teens) • The Foster Grandparent program • 21st Century after school program • Plus - boys and girls basketball, cheer, swimming, guitar classes, violin classes, band and choir Sweeney Elementary is a primary example of the integration of our Santa Fe Public Schools curriculum matched with advanced programs that provide students with all the tools necessary for success! To learn more about Sweeney Elementary please follow the link below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2q8Hr1iFM

Join us for Dell Technologies “Driving Change” Tour on Thursday, July 21 at Capital High School, located at 4851 Paseo del Sol, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.! This fully immersive showcase will let you experience technology solutions in a fun and interactive way. Experience Dell’s 86’ Touch Display for conference rooms, portfolios like Latitude, OptiPlex, Rugged and Precision, Artificial Intelligence Solutions and more. Pick up some swag and enjoy complimentary refreshments! Register by visiting https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=697980&

The next stop on our educational voyage is Ortiz Middle School named for the former SFPS Superintendent and progressive champion of our local schools in terms of teacher power and the restructuring of our district to be prepared for the modern world. Ortiz Middle School follows his lead through a focus on the content areas of English and Spanish Language Arts, Mathematics (including Algebra 1), Science, and Social Studies specific to 7th and 8th grades in the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, also known as AVID in addition to being the largest middle school for 6th to 8th graders and the largest middle school band and choir in the city. Ortiz offers: -Parent/Teacher/Student Committee and School Leadership Council -Mariachi -Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically) to encourage students to ask questions and develop solutions through scientific inquiry -Natural Helpers, for students who want to strengthen their communication and helping skills and provide support and service to their schools, community and others, -Students Working to Advance Technology -A medical career pathway, which is focused on nursing, and continues at Capital High School. -Start-Up Tech - a tech entrepreneurship course in which students identify ways to improve their world and build marketable digital solutions. -21st Century Community Learning Center that provides academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours. Ortiz promotes a formidable athletic program that has football, basketball, volleyball, and track and field. SFPS is proud to have a school that reflects Edward Ortiz’s values and legacy.

Our next stop is Cesar Chavez Elementary School named after the renowned labor leader and civil rights activist. Cesar Chavez Elementary offers some amazing opportunities for students on the South side with: -A professional STEAM program (the approach to learning that uses Science,Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking). - Bilingual education to support the area’s diverse population. - 5th Grade Band, 4th through 5th Grade Guitar, and an accomplished 21st Century Schools program to assist at-need students beyond the classroom. The White Tigers also offer a standards-based literacy program focused on ensuring that students become biliterate/bilingual by 5th grade. Science and social studies are organized around themes to create student interest in learning while respecting and honoring each child’s voice, personal life experience, beliefs, language and culture. Groups like MathAmigos and Los Alamos National Labs help to inspire students to love math and support their active participation in scientific practices. César Chávez implements PAX, a self-regulation program that teaches students to stay on task in the classroom, promotes peace, productivity, health and happiness and supports social-emotional learning. Support services include SFPS’ Volunteer Program, Foster Grandparents, Reading Quest, which provides joyful, quality reading tutoring for striving readers, PMS behavioral health, Gerard’s House, a center for grieving kids and families, Adelante, providing advocacy, direct support services and basic needs services for children, teens and their families experiencing homelessness, and Poder Familiar/Abriendo Puertos (Earth Care), providing support for families on the development and learning process of their children. Extracurricular activities include boys and girls basketball, wrestling and the Student Council. Cesar Chavez’s White Tigers are an exemplary group of faculty that support their students on several levels and prepare them for the next steps in their academic career!

The Board of Education is looking for your input on the redistricting of school board member boundaries! This is NOT the rezoning of schools, the change is only to the boundaries of school board members. Learn more: https://www.sfps.info/o/sfps/page/redistricting

Congratulations to Santa Fe High School for its strong performance on Advanced Placement (AP) Exams in 2022-23. 77% of exam scores were 3 or higher on a 5-point scale, with a 3.4 mean score for all 410 exams. This highest-ever score for the school exceeds the 2021 AP Exams national mean score of 2.80 and score of 3 or higher on 60% of all exams taken. According to The College Board, taking an AP Exam demonstrates commitment to tackling and completing college-level work.

The third stop on our voyage is a SFPS powerhouse: Capital High School. Named for the oldest and highest capital city in the United States it resides in. With this honor comes the additional bonus of Capital High School's special programs that make it unique amongst the rest: These programs include: - Being an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) National Demonstration School of Distinction which supports the student's personal choices of how to prepare for their future through strong and committed leadership for all students’, college readiness through AVID best practices, a committed team of trained AVID educators and being a showplace for a strong AVID system. - Advanced Placement, honors and dual credit courses, bilingual programming recognized by NMPED and Exceptional Student Services Education to support and foster the highest levels of excellence to compete in this challenging world. - Medical, CT and Business Pathways bolstered by classes, clubs, and activities to prepare for these challenging and necessary fields. Expanding Art programs in the 3rd largest Art Market in the US, and Community Partnerships that provide opportunities for growth, learning, and leadership skills. The mighty Jaguars also feature a formidable sports legacy and a variety of extracurricular activities to further enhance student's interests outside the classroom such as marching and concert band, choir, orchestra, drama, dance, National Honor Society, Model Legislature, DECA (for career interests in marketing, entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality and management), HOSA-Future Health Professionals, Interact Club, to promote international understanding, WAVE (Wellness Ambassadors to Voice and Empower), which promotes resiliency and protective factors, Mariachi Club, Spanish Reading Club, NM Dream Team, Supercomputing, Environmental Club, Naciones Unidas, which involves research and debate, and Culture Club. All it takes is a deeper look into what Capital High has to offer that can change your life towards your dreams and future success.

The next stop on our journey is Nina Otero Community School named after the famous politician, suffragette, Santa Fe Superintendent of Schools, promoter of women’s and Hispanic rights, and featured on the “American Women’s Quarters” edition from the U.S. Mint. “Nina Otero-Warren was a pioneer in education, and one who led with her voice as well as actions” said current Superintendent of SFPS, Hilario “Larry” Chavez, and the school that bears her name follows in her memory featuring these extra-curricular programs that compliment the education you can receive at the Community School. These programs include: - STEAM-Oriented Grades 3rd-8th with a Focus on Foundation/Literacy PK-2 - Walk and Roll to School Weekly - PED Grant Community School, which will work to ensure student success while addressing the needs, including cultural and linguistic needs, of the whole student from early childhood programs and voluntary public pre-kindergarten through high school graduation - Outdoor Learning Classroom - Cooking with Kids - NDI - Santa Fe Alliance Science - Reading Quest Nina Mustangs take academic risks, explore, create, collaborate and develop resilience and are equipped to be current and future stewards, leaders and entrepreneurs. Nina Otero is not just a gem in the heart of the south side of Santa Fe and one of eight southside schools, but it preserves the legacy of who it is named after by following in Nina Otero-Warren’s pursuit of inclusion, self-sacrifice, and forward thinking.

The City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Police Department are partnering with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence and Fiesta Nissan of Santa Fe for a 2022 Gun Buyback Event.  The Buyback Event will be on Saturday July 23, 2022, from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm at Fiesta Nissan located at 2005 St. Michaels Dr. Fiesta Nissan is helping to sponsor the event. NMPGV is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to reduce firearm injury, death through education, public health, advocacy, and public awareness in order to protect the safety of our families and communities. The event is a safe surrender event facilitated by NMPGV and no information is retained on the participant turning in the firearms. NMPGV will also be providing gunlocks to gun owners free of charge.