Santa Fe High School (New Mexico)

Santa Fe High School
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505
United States
Information
Type college preparatory, secondary
Established 1899
Superintendent Joel D. Boyd, Ph.D
Dean Stan Mascarenhas
Head of school Mary Massey
Teaching staff 93
Enrollment 1,599[1]
Campus size 130 acres
Campus type Suburban
Color(s)

     Royal Blue

     Santa Fe Gold
Mascot Demon
Website www.sfps.info

Santa Fe High School, is an American preparatory secondary school located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The institution was established in 1899 and is the oldest secondary school in the state of New Mexico,[2] and was found in the oldest state capital in America, founded in 1610.[3][4] The school exclusively educates a secondary-student based body, ninth through twelfth grade.[5]

The school is known for its rigorous and academically prominent Advanced Placement program.[6][7]

Notable graduates include: Zach Condon, creator and leading member of the indie folk band Beirut, and the youngest Mayor of Santa Fe, George Gonzales, who is also the father of the current mayor, Javier Gonzales.[8]

History

Origins

Governor Otero, founder of the school

Santa Fe High School was established in 1899 by the merchant, politician, and miner Governor Miguel Antonio Otero. It is the oldest of the three Santa Fe secondary schools, and is the largest comprehensive school in northern New Mexico. Santa Fe High was originally located in downtown Santa Fe, near the historic Plaza. The overall design and academic structure was formed from the Spanish who laid out the city according to the "Laws of the Indies", the academic structure of the school had been established in 1573 by King Philip II. An important style implemented in planning the location of the school was the radiating grid of streets centering from the central Plaza, in which the school was directed. Directly across from the school lay the New Mexico's Palace of the Governors, many students had family who resided in the palace. In 1966, the school, initially grades 11 and 12, moved from the downtown campus to their current location on Santa Fe's high plateau. Sophomores were relocated to the new Santa Fe High campus three years later. First-years continued attending Santa Fe High at the downtown campus until 1976. In 1977, the downtown campus was completely closed and first-years began attending the unified Santa Fe High campuses where they are presently located.[9]

Development

The school has developed and renovates numbers athletic facilities and academic buildings. Today, what remains from the vocational High School of the 1920s is known as the South Campus, which houses many of their current buildings for their preparatory programs in specialized fields.[9] All of the buildings have been outfitted with modern technology and furnishings. The expansion of the athletic facilities include two regulation size football fields that maintain various sports. Ivan Head Stadium, the schools largest, houses 5 thousand people and in 2013, was renovated to feature a new synthetic turf field.[10]

Academics

The curriculum, endorsed by the New Mexico Department of Education, is taught by 12 departments.[11] The student to faculty ratio is 18:1.[12] The school has various academic programs and structures, many departments utilizes the Harkness table and the Socratic seminar. Its main academic structure centers around a semester-based academic timeline. Classes are held from Monday to Friday, with the first period of the day beginning at 7:30 AM and the last period ending at 4:45 PM. Graduates have received admission to universities that include Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University and Stanford University.

Advanced Placement program

Santa Fe High is widely known for its academically prominent and rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) program. The program is a curriculum that is sponsored by College Board which offers standardized courses to Santa Fe High students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college. Participating colleges grant credit to students who obtained high enough scores on the exams to qualify.[13] Many of the AP tests taken by Santa Fe High students score in the top 25%.

Academic Activism

On February 23, 2015, many students from Santa Fe High School began an activist campaign to protest the installation of a modernized version of the PARCC Exam.[14] Students' unrest stemmed from its lack of accurate intellectual reflection and mis-management of class time and resources. Approximately 250 students walked out from class which sparked a co-campaign from neighboring high school, Capital High. Santa Fe High School wrote letters to New Mexico Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera, to be personally delivered by New Mexico Superintendent Joel Boyd, on their behalf.[15] This was in large a demonstration toward New Mexico's Governor, Susana Martinez's educational platforms.[16]

Student Body

Santa Fe High School serves about 1,599 students from a diverse range of socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. The gender break down of the school is 50% female and 50% male.[9]

Athletics

Santa Fe High School has many different athletic programs available to all students. The sports offered are as follows: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, Wrestling, Bowling, Cheer, and Drill.[17]

Santa Fe High has won over 28 State Championships from NMAA sanctioned sports and events.

SFHS competes in the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA), as a class 6A school in District 1.[18]

Sustainability

Santa Fe High School is a part of numerous environmental programs to conserve water, control waste, and establish and protect ecosystems. All students and faculty are required to recycle and the school offers recycle bins in every class room in every building. The school is apart of U.S Department of Education's Green Ribbon Program and Sustainable Santa Fe.[19] Santa Fe High has installed numerous solar panels that partially supply the energy of the campus.[20]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sfps.info/index.aspx?nid=1179
  2. ↑ "Santa Fe High Oldest School in the three Public Secondary School's in New Mexico".
  3. ↑ "Santa Fe - The City Different (History of Santa Fe, Nm)". www.legendsofamerica.com. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  4. ↑ "About Santa Fe | City of Santa Fe, New Mexico". www.santafenm.gov. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  5. ↑ "Santa Fe High School Educates 9th-12th".
  6. ↑ "Class Info: Santa Fe High".
  7. ↑ "Santa Fe Public Schools - Official Website - Comprehensive High School Redesign". www.sfps.info. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  8. ↑ "Javier Gonzales - Bio, News, Photos - Washington Times". www.washingtontimes.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  9. 1 2 3 "Santa Fe High Document Center".
  10. ↑ "Santa Fe's Ivan Head Stadium gets facelift". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
  11. ↑ "Santa Fe Public Schools - Official Website - Course Catalog". www.sfps.info. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  12. ↑ "Santa Fe High in SANTA FE, NM | Best High Schools | US News". www.usnews.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  13. ↑ "Santa Fe High AP Program".
  14. ↑ "Santa Fe High Students Protest PARCC Exam".
  15. ↑ "Santa Fe High Schools protests PARCC Test".
  16. ↑ "PARCC Exam Protests".
  17. ↑ "Santa Fe High's Document Center".
  18. ↑ "Santa Fe High now 6A".
  19. ↑ "Recycling at Santa Fe Schools".
  20. ↑ "Sustainability in Santa Fe High School".
  21. ↑ Last, T.S. (2015-03-24). "Former Santa Fe mayor George Gonzales has died at age 77". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 2015-07-03.

External links

Coordinates: 35°39′03″N 105°58′17″W / 35.6507°N 105.9715°W / 35.6507; -105.9715

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