Santa Fe Advantage Academy

My husband & I recently took a tour of this school. We heard about Santa Fe from a friend who raves about the school & staff, & recommended it to us for our son who will be entering Kinder in the fall. The first thing we noticed upon our arrival was the sense of "family". The tour was conducted by Ms. Hernandez, the principal's assistant. We have attended other school's tours/parent meetings, & this is the only one where we experienced such a warm welcome, extreme professionalism, & an overall passion for the students & the school. While on the tour, everytime a student walked by, Ms. Hernandez greeted them by name, & even excused herself to tie their shoes! Needless to say we were IMPRESSED! This was not just a simple tour, she answered all of our questions in detail. She was awesome! We were not able to meet the principal, she was in a meeting, but we feel like we know her already,by how highly Ms. Hernandez spoke about her! At no point in time did she even "bash" another school to make Santa Fe look good. At another school tour given by that principal, it seemed the only way to make their school look "good" was to talk bad about others. Santa Fe is our #1 choice for our son.

Couldn't disagree more with some of these parents and their negative comments. The school has a library, they have I-pods, new computers. Team teaching is only done in a couple of lower grades and is not the general norm at the school. Some benefit from this system because you have two teachers who are specialized in their subject matter teaching your kid. The principal is very approchable and the kids in general, respect her and are always hugging her. The fact that a parent may have a problem with her, might be because her/his child may have gotten into trouble at school. The school has different clubs going on all year long. These clubs are all done by teachers that volunteer their time and effort to make the school better for all the kids. Every month there is one or more activities for the kids, such as Trunk or Treat, Book fairs, dances, etc. The school entered the county science fair competition and won awards. Last year they also won an award from Fairchild Tropical Gardens and they are trying to do it again this year. Also they will be entering the Youth Fair competition as they did last year. This is a school of choice! To me and many other parents it's the best choice.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm a mom of 2 children in this school. Proud to say this. Obviously the bad comments are due to a scorned mom and child not getting their way. The principle is approachable, open door always and the children love her. My children have excelled and are honor roll!! The teachers are amazing. The ones have left are for a good reason. The principle did not tell us about team teaching until last minute which is wrong as I wanted a small class as well BUT it works out because while one teaches , one teacher can go around and help others falling behind. So it works out great! Do I love so many little ones in one class? No but it has its benefits. No large PE FIELD but what's more important large play area, or great teachers/school. You will love this school as my husband and children do too!!!
—Submitted by a parent

3 months ago, I would agree with the ratings this school has. Unfortunately, that's not the case today. Yes, the teachers that so far I've dealt with are wonderful! They have been extremely caring and you can tell that they care about ALL students. No parent will have a problem with the school and will always be in great terms with the principal until a parent feels that the principal did not take appropriate action to deal with a situation. Once that happens, the principal turns into a total different person, not the one we all have known since the school opened last year. She is arrogant and intimidates the children. She forgets that outside the school she's just another woman, another mother, another human being who should give the respect she expects from others. And give the same respect to the children as she would like respect for her own child who attends the school. She is practically another bully because of her power, because of her position. It's disappointing to know that. You will love the school, the principal will love you, until you have a problem with the way she's handled a situation. Everything changes then. Her leadership should change.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has been nothing but a positive environment for my child. The school definitely allows parents and student feel comfortable and safe. Plus, my child has much improved in all subject areas. I am very proud of Santa Fe Academy.
—Submitted by a parent

I have three children who have attemded Devon Aire, and after some SERIOUS issues regarding safety, I went on a school hunt... and I selected Santa Fe Advantage Academy. Santa Fe is like a diamond in the ruff! After 4 years of my children attending Devon Aire, and several meetings throughout, the Principal still didn't know who I was or who my children were! The Principal and Vice Principal at Santa Fe KNOW us, always greet us with a genuine and affectionate smile, and have been so loving and encouraging towards my children. The first day we went on a tour, it was refreshing to see that the VP knew every child by his or her name! Each grade level has their own garden in the back that they must take care of, the lunch is exceptionally well supervised, and the field trips are relevent, and very well organized. Great, young and energetic teachers! Highly recommend!
—Submitted by a parent

My child has been in 2 other schools this being the 3rd since kinder. My children love the school and are very happy. They enjoy going to school. The principal is great. Always available, treats you and your child with respect unlike many other principals. Her assistant is AWESOME, staff great and the PTSO IS awesome too! They are very dedicated and work hard. They raised a lot of money for their school. Small school, big values. Teachers are awesome too. It's just a FANTASTIC SCHOOL!
—Submitted by a parent

My son is super happy with the school. The principal is very involved, and ALWAYS available to all the parents. The teachers are amazing:) It feels like a big family. I couldn't be happier with the school.
—Submitted by a parent