Santa Fe High School

In our experience, SFHS has excellent teachers very dedicated to the student body. SFHS also has a diverse population of students and an extensive curriculum from which to choose courses.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are very dedicated to the students and really love their kids.
—Submitted by a parent

My son attended Santa Fe HighSchool for Apr & May of 2009. I transferred from another state and when his final grades arrived he failed two classes that he had A's in before he transferred to this school. When I registered him, they wanted me to come back in two weeks and then come to find out that they didn't even have a principal or vice principal. The teachers were more interested in getting a paycheck instead of teaching. I am trying to find somewhere else to put my son for his sophmore year. We came from a great school system in TX to a very poorly run school and school district in NM
—Submitted by a parent

poor school. Aweful principle...very disappointed
—Submitted by a parent

I student taught at Santa Fe HS many years ago. I thought that it was an excellent school with teachers who cared and for the most part so did the students. The facility was excellent and clean and the staff supportive.
—Submitted by a teacher

Santa Fe High School is an interesting school because, i attended for about half of the school year, and i thought that some of the teachers actually cared about the students. I realized that most of the students didnt feel motivated becuase the teacher didnt feel motivated. That would normally be a problem, but the teachers at Santa Fe High provide the students with everything they need to get their education. However, the students just messed around in class not really caring because they felt that no one cared about them. I liked it for most of the time i attended, i got to know some teachers whom were really supportive, and inspirational. I am deeply appreciative that i got to know two of my teachers becasue they really did care about each of their students.
—Submitted by a student

I am a parent, my son attends SFHS, my probably is that the parent involvment is very poor when it comes to athletics it seems that parents do not care about their child when partcipating in a sport , whenever their is a booster meeting the same parents show up and that is not good we need alot of parent involvment for every sport that is at SFHS. So please parents if you want your child to suceed at sports along with their academics please start gettting involved with your child and attend the booster club meetings are progams will not succeed if their is very little involvment and less money with be disturbuted to such sports.
—Submitted by a parent

The students at this school will get out of it what themselves and their parents put into it. There needs to be more tutoring available and the schedules could be put together better! The sports in this school has declined dramatically every year, no one cares, nobody trying out, no effort, same coaches, it is an embarassement for a school this size to stink this bad year after year. It needs new coaching, leadership and motivation to succeed...

Mr. Pino is the best teacher Santa Fe High has to offer! The new principal I don't quite agree with. Things seem to be only getting worse rather then better.
—Submitted by a student

I will be a senior at Santa Fe High this year. The reality is, Santa Fe High is pretty much like every other large, public high school in this country; we deal with all the same types of problems that arise when kids are forced to attend school. I believe, as do my parents, in public education, and this is probably the major reason I still go to Santa Fe High. But the blatant disciplinary problems consume all the time of the administration, and motivated, high-achieving students are essentially left to figure things out for themselves. This leads to a sort of self-imposed segregation. The best teachers are, of course, attracted to these classes. The most efficient way, really , to describe Santa Fe High is as two separate schools.
—Submitted by a student

I am a former student of Santa Fe High ('06). I personally had the greatest time of my life at that school. I loved the independence the school offers. Each student must apply themself if not nothing can be obtained there. I felt as though I could do anything on that large campus and I did. But beside the fact it was a good school with diverse classes, superb art classes, and great teachers. If the individual student pushes him/herself they can obtain an excellent education in my opinion better than any private school can because of the diverse social aspect of SFHS. I had a great time there and encourage people to attend.
—Submitted by a former student

i am a former student of santa fe high, and i can tell you right now that things have been blown completely out of proportion. i remember mostly EVERYONE graduated, the teachers were constantly trying to help me and others. i always felt like i could count on them. santa fe high overall was such an increadible experience for me.
—Submitted by a former student

The leadership has improved but my (jr)student is still not motivated or is perhaps negatively motivated by the peer environment. I think more parent involvement would help set an example and let the staff & admin know we're serious about excellent education. The drama program has been a fabulous and motivating draw.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm a 2002 graduate and found SFHS to be a very inadequate school. I did not feel at all prepared for the world beyond graduation. I still can't even give you a precise description of how our government works, or even relate to you exactly what happened in World War I or II. I wouldn't even know how to do my own banking or taxes. I also attended many classes in which only half the students would show up for class on a regular basis. Teachers would spend valuable time reviewing things over and over again because people would ditch class repeatedly. Taking honors classes was my only way to possibly learn anything. I stayed at SFHS only for my inspiring art teachers.
—Submitted by a former student

I am a sophomore at SFHS. I think it is a very good school. No, not everyone has the high academic standard, but than again, what school does have every student with high academics. This has been a very good school and I enjoy it very much. It, to me, is probably the best high school is Santa Fe, NM. The teachers are nice, and get along very well with their students. There are very good athletic programs, let alone very good academic programs. Just for anyone's knowledge, it is the student that determines the level of knowledge, the teachers are just there to help the student obtain that knowledge.
—Submitted by a student

This school is not very good. Th principle is very good though. The teachers could care less whether you suceed or you flunk out. They only care that you don't inconvinience the teachers. They did a study, and they proved that half of the students that go there, don't graduate. That is just sad if you ask me.
—Submitted by a student

I seriously love this school. Alot of people say that the teachers dont pay attention to the students, or dont care when in reality it is their child who doesnt. I love the diversity and the people who go here, I love everything about this school except the administration which I am sure many who attend can agree. It isnt the 'rowdy teens' which cause chaos, it is the administrations neglect to deal with the problem. Overall I dont think there is any public school in Santa fe which could compare to the variety and overall academic acheivment you can obtain. You do have to set your mind to it though. Most of the teachers are so awesome, there are a few bad ones though. I hadan EXCELLENT anthropology teacher as well as a US history teacher. who I can say have influenced my life greatly.
—Submitted by a student

i am going to be a senior at santa fe high... and i personally think that it has helped me grow so much form the atomosphere to the classes. Santa Fe high offers the most classes in all schools in santa fe and most of new mexico...it helps students in the things they are interested in becoming after school... the teachers are great. and so is the school in general, i dont think people give it the credit it deserves becuase it does deserve alot more credit then it gets. it is one of the biggest schools in new mexico which is great becuase having different buildings means you are not so trapt you have your space. I think overall the teachers do there best and are very much helpful. I would deffently recommend this school to others.
—Submitted by Jennifer, a student

I am going to be a sophmore at Santa Fe high school, and my main concern about the school is the organizational, leadership and social skills of the administration. The teachers are wonderful, of course there are the expected bad apples, but for the most part they try to be helpful and supportive of their students. I find the extracurricular activities satisfactory, SFHS doesn't seem to get enough funding for any of them, however, but that can't be helped. As far as safety goes, in my experience, that depends entirely on who you choose to socialize with. If you socialize with the type that compare switchblades at lunch, you are considerably less safe than those that study in the library at lunch. No school is perfect, and SFHS is far from perfection. However, just like everything else, it is what you make it. -carla
—Submitted by a student

I am going to SFHS next year as a sophmore, and I find that most of the people who attend SFHS are ablivious to government,general math, reading, and writing.Some teachers I have even met cannot spell simple words, or phrases, or even know basic multiplication. Most students who work hard are at risk of being harmed by other students who choose to slack off. the small learning community isolated students from the rest of the campus. I take all AP classes and I find they are similar to what normal classes should be like. - Lauren
—Submitted by a student