Sandia Preparatory School

Sandia Preparatory School is a private, secular college preparatory school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 1958, Barbara Young Simms began to investigate the possibility of starting a girls day school in Albuquerque. In 1965, she secured land, established a board of trustees and formed the Sandia School, a nonsectarian school. In late January 1966, the Rev. Paul G. Saunders, an Episcopal priest, was selected headmaster and, later that year, the school opened. The year began with 75 students in grades 5 through 10 (grade 11 was added the next year; grade 12 the year after), and finished with 82 students.

In 1969, Orell Phillips served as interim headmaster while the school's board searched for a new head. In 1970, Mose Hale became third headmaster. Three years later, Sandia School became coeducational. In 1974, Elton Knutson was selected as fourth headmaster.

The school began to refer to itself as Sandia Preparatory School during the 1975-76 academic year. Fifth-grade classes were discontinued in the 1985-86 school year. For the next academic year, Dick Heath joined Sandia Prep as its fifth (and current) headmaster.

Since its founding in 1966, Sandia Prep has grown from a girls' school serving 82 students in three buildings to a coeducational institution serving 670 students in multiple buildings and facilities that fill a 30 acre campus. The first graduating class in 1969 consisted of six girls; this year's graduates numbered 105.

Sandia Prep is "descended" from the original Sandía School, a private day and boarding school for girls founded by Ruth Hanna McCormick (Barbara Young Simms' aunt by marriage) in 1932. Its first year, Sandía School held classes for five students and one teacher in a private house where Manzano Day School is now located. The school was formed in part to help prepare girls for further study or college in the Eastern United States.

In 1937, the school moved to a new permanent campus (now part of Kirtland Air Force Base). Mrs. Simms commissioned architect John Gaw Meem to design the school complex in the territorial style. By 1938, the school had 75 students, nine of whom were boarders, and 18 faculty. In 1942, due to World War II, Sandía School closed. A number of alumnae from the first Sandía School actively participated in the organization of the current Sandia Prep School.

Heads of School

*Rev. Paul G. Saunders 1966-1969
*Orell Phillips (Interim) 1969-1970
*Mose Hale 1970-1974
*Elton Knutson 1974-1986
*Dick Heath 1986-present

Facilities

aunders Library

The library contains over 17,000 volumes. The facilities in the library are a computer lab with 23 computers plus 10 drop in computers to be used at any time by students. There is also one middle school classroom.

Athletic facilities

Sandia Prep has two soccer fields, one baseball field, one softball field, a six lane track, and four tennis courts. The campus also contains the west "new" gymthat seats 600 people in the bleachers plus the at the most four basketball courts or four volleyball courts. The second gym is the Field House that has one weight room and one basketball court.

Observatory and 1-9 classrooms

Sandia prep is the only school in New Mexico that has its own observatory. The 1-9 classrooms contain the math and science rooms.

100 Building

Located in the Commons, it contains the science labs and 2 computer labs, 1 being the journalism room.

200 Building

Built in 2002, the 200 building contains the majority of all the classrooms with 20 classrooms.

300 Building

The 300 building has 2 math classrooms and 1 art room.

400 Building

The 400 building holds the orchestra room and the Outdoor Leadership Department office.

500 Building

The 500 building holds 6 classrooms and the chorus/music room and the photo lab.

Theater

School theater. Includes a full stage, nice seating, and offices as well as a box office.

Russell Student Center

Built in 2002, the Russell Student Center contains the school supply store, the board room, the college counseling office, and the cafeteria The school is adding a new performing arts building.

Athletics

New Mexico State Championships

*Boys Soccer 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
*Girls Soccer 2002, 2004, 2006
*Volleyball 2004
*Baseball 2001, 2005
*Boys Doubles Tennis 2004
*Boys Singles Tennis 2008
*Girls Team Tennis 2002, 2005
*Girls Singles Tennis 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
*Girls Track and Field 1998, 1999

tate Competition History

cite web|url=http://www.nmact.org/|title=New Mexico Activities Association Web site|accessdate=2007-11-20|author=NMAA]

District Championships

*Baseball 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
*Boys Basketball 1993, 1994, 2004, 2005
*Girls Basketball 1989
*Girls Cross Country 2002
*Boys Golf 2002, 2004
*Boys Soccer 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
*Girls Soccer 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
*Softball 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
*Boys Tennis 2003, 2004
*Girls Tennis 2001, 2002, 2004
*Boys Track and Field 1989, 1990, 2001, 2004
*Girls Track and Field 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
*Volleyball 1987, 1988, 1989, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005

References

External links

* [http://www.sandiaprep.org Sandia Preparatory School website]