Santa Fe High School

Santa Fe High School is one of those schools where you just can't help but say "WOW!" There are many activities, clubs, academic mentoring, and caring faculty and staff. I will be an incoming senior this year and I would like to take this time to address the parents who feel that the Senior Project is "too much." Yes, the senior project is a very intense, time consuming, and stressful project...but, we as students of Santa Fe High School should raise our standards and MAKE time for important work such as the Senior Project. Many parents are saying their child(s) do not have enough time to do their project, but, I would like to note that I have been in band for 3 years, FBLA for 3 years, Tennis for 3 years, key club for 2 years, an academic tutor for 1 year, Link crew 2 years, and will be enrolled in ASB and Principal's Honor Court for this coming year. Not to mention that I have maintained an average of a 3.8 unweighted GPA. Students CAN make time to do all their work and activities! All they have to do is be organized, never give up, and strive to be the best no matter what.
--Submitted by a student

I don't know how the school is now, but when I was attending it was horrible, the counselors where a joke, and the teachers were just there to collect a pay check. I learned more in my junior high than I did in that high school. I graduated in 1999, I hope the administration there has changed, because my class was a joke.

This is a great school. I feel so welcome every time i go to this school. The teachers there couldnt do any better then they all ready do.
--Submitted by a student

I am a parent of a recent grad (09) from Santa Fe. I've read several comments about the Senior Project and I disagree. My son struggled with the field hours, paper, and presentation, while balancing varsity football (he was a starter), and ASB. As a result, he is having an excellent first year in college. He's told me several times that the lessons he learned from the Senior Project: time management, honing his writing skills, and working with his mentor (who was flaky at first, but my son learned how to be assertive and direct in order to get what he needed from him) provided the skills he needed to succeed his freshman year; in fact, he has said that his senior year was harder. Yes, the Project is stressful, but doable---with your encouragement and support.
--Submitted by a parent

My son is a Senior this year and whom I am very proud. He has good teachers, however, when I attended the Senior Project meeting, I just thought to myself 'Oh my God, how and when in the world are they suppose to do all of this work'. I thought it was kind of a little too much with all they have going as a Senior. My son has excellent grades, but I can imagine someone who is struggling and on top of that have this project and community time? I think the school goes a little overboard with this. Let them concentrate more on getting the grades and be able to graduate.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a current student. The curriculum is average in my opinion, with overall great teachers. I believe that thier should be more of a variety of AP classes and honor classes. The school needs to maintain its trash problems, making it mandatory for students to pick up thier trash. Everyday I see trash everywhere and its ironic because there are trash cans everywhere to put trash in. The other concern is the seinor project. It is a good way to prepare students for college but is ridiculous, the term paper is fine, but the fieldwork adds stress to the seinor year. The teachers have great knowledge, but some are mediocre and should be replaced.The use of cellphones should be only be used after school, because it distracts the learning environment. No leaving if a student has already entered school from 8-9AM should be implemented.
--Submitted by a parent

I have 3 children that have graduated from Santa Fe and 1 that is currently a student there now. Over all, this is an excellent school. There is one area that I think needs some big changes - that's the Senior Project. My kids were all honor students and they had jobs too. The 15 hours of 'field work' is absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention, it's very difficult to find an adult that has the time to mentor. I have sat up with my kids in tears over their grades being affected by a mentor that flaked out. 2 of my 3 kids missed the Distinguished Award, due to mentor problems. I don't believe the kids grades should be affected by the irresponsibility of another person, and I'd really like to see these 'field work' hours changed in a way which makes the kids solely responsible for their own grades.
--Submitted by a parent

We use many approaches to allow the students to be successful in graduating from high school and passing the necessary tests.
--Submitted by a teacher

*Awesome* activities... The Student Government rocks, and the athletics are phenomenal. On top of all that, academics are great. Best. School. Ever.
--Submitted by a student

The best thing about this school is that the teachers are young and they understand the kids. I like the idea that they participate on the school activies such as the pep rally and lipsynic. This kind of activies motivates the kids.
--Submitted by a parent