Santa Fe Girls School

GIRLS' MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR GRADES 6, 7, AND 8.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: WE NURTURE AND EMPOWER OUR STUDENTS TO BECOME STRONG, INDEPENDENT, LIFE-LONG LEARNERS. WE FOSTER INTELLECTUAL RIGOR, CREATIVITY AND SELF-CONFIDENCE, ALONG WITH INDEPENDENT, OPEN-ENDED CRITICAL THINKING. OUR STUDENTS DEVELOP ACADEMIC SKILLS, ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, AND SELF- DISCIPLINE. WE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TAKE INITIATIVE AND TO LEARN TO ARTICULATE THOUGHTS EFFECTIVELY, IN WRITING AND IN SPEAKING. OUR STUDENTS WORK IN TEAMS, AND DISCOVER THE VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. BY THE EIGHTH GRADE, OUR STUDENTS MEAN STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES PLACE THEM IN THE TOP FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE NATION. OUR GRADUATES GO ON TO THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS OF THEIR CHOICE, AS ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL LEADERS.

THE PRESERVE PROGRAM: THE SANTA FE GIRLS SCHOOL OWNS A NINE-ACRE WETLAND ALONG THE LOWER SANTA FE RIVER. THE SITE SERVES AS A FIELD LABORATORY FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE PROGRAM. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ENGAGE WEEKLY IN AN ONGOING RIPARIAN HABITAT AND WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT. THEY COLLECT AND ANALYZE WATER AND OTHER NATURAL SCIENCE DATA RELATING TO BIODIVERSITY, THE HEALTH OF THE RIVER, AND LOCAL ECOLOGY. IN THE SPRING OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR, THE STUDENTS PRESENT AND DISCUSS THEIR DATA AND ANALYZES AT A PUBLIC FORUM. DATA COLLECTED BY THE STUDENTS AT THE PRESERVE IS SHARED WITH PUBLIC AGENCIES AND HELPS THEM TO INFORM PUBLIC POLICY RELATED TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT. RESOLVE PROGRAM: TEACHING SELF-ADVOCACY TO YOUNG WOMEN IS CRUCIAL TO PREPARING THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND BEYOND. THE RESOLVE PROGRAM TEACHES VERBAL AND PHYSICAL SELFDEFENSE SKILLS. EACH OF THE THREE GRADES AT THE SANTA FE GIRLS SCHOOL RECEIVES AGE-APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION IN DE- ESCALATING CONFLICT AND SETTING STRONG BOUNDARIES, USING THEIR TONE OF VOICE AND BODY LANGUAGE. THESE YOUNG WOMEN LEARN TO TRUST THEIR INTUITION, AND THEY DEVELOP A SENSE OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL POWER.

SANTA FE GIRLS EXPLORE (SUMMER CAMP): WE PROVIDE THREE SEPARATE WEEKS OF SUMMER CAMP FOR GIRLS ENTERING FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES. THE CAMP LEADERS AND COUNSELORS ARE FACULTY MEMBERS, ELECTIVES TEACHERS, AND RECENT ALUMNAE OF THE SCHOOL. EACH WEEK OF CAMP HAS A UNIQUE THEME. THE CAMPERS EXPLORE DIFFERENT SUBJECTS THROUGH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GAMES, MOVEMENT, STORY-TELLING, WRITING, COOKING, FIELD TRIPS, ART PROJECTS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

WOODCARVING PROGRAM: UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A MASTER WOODCARVER, OUR SIXTH- GRADE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT TRADITIONAL NEW MEXICAN WOODCARVING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STUDY OF THE ART AND HISTORY OF ISLAMIC CULTURE. THIS INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING EXPERIENCE OFFERS THE STUDENTS HANDS ON PRACTICE IN PRECISION, MEASUREMENT AND CALCULATION, AS THEY DEVELOP AND CARVE THEIR OWN DESIGN PATTERNS INSPIRED BY THE RICH MOORISH TRADITIONS OF OUR REGION. THE CARVED WOOD PANELS ARE INCORPORATED INTO A FINE PIECE OF HAND CARVED TRADITIONAL FURNITURE.