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About Prep

 
Four upper school students walking through the Quad
 
Who We Are
 
At Sandia Preparatory School we provide remarkable opportunities for intellectual and personal growth within a challenging and balanced program for students in grades 6-12. Our innovative college prep curriculum readies students for success in college and beyond, and inspires each to find and achieve his or her purpose in the world.
 
As an independent school, Sandia Prep is free to let passionate teachers create rich educational experiences that meet each student's individual needs and to offer the academic and co-curricular programs that best serve our students.
 
 
 
"When I greet our students each day in the drop-off area with a handshake and a 'Good morning,' I’m reminded of why I am honored to work at Sandia Prep. As I walk around campus, I am always struck by how welcoming and kind our students are. 
 
Sandia Prep is a one-of-a-kind place, and I have come to believe that student and faculty engagement both define and differentiate our community. At Prep, a palpable sense of enthusiasm underscores the day-to-day classroom experience. Students are appreciated as individuals, and the journey through adolescence is prized as much as the destination.
 
The world into which our children will graduate is changing at a pace nearly impossible to fathom. To prepare them, schools must cultivate intellect while nurturing the social and emotional skills that go hand-in-glove with innovation. Sandia Prep students go on to serve their communities and to excel in their chosen careers. They look back at Prep as the place that encouraged their curiosity, allowed them to take risks, and challenged their intellect and work ethic beyond what they once thought possible."
 
 - Bill Sinfield, Head of School
 
Our Mission: The joy of learning and living is at the center of all we do. Sandia Preparatory School provides remarkable opportunities for intellectual and personal growth within a challenging and balanced program. As an extension of our families, Sandia Prep's diverse community inspires students to find their academic focus, talents, and creativity.

 


Our Vision: At Sandia Prep, we will inspire our students to discover their purposes in the world by:

  • Developing essential skills and intellectual potential through challenging academics;
  • Cultivating a socially responsible environment of innovation and creativity; and
  • Engaging as a vibrant community for the betterment of society.
 
To foster growth toward human as well as academic excellence, Sandia Prep seeks to create balance along our Five A's -  Academics, Athletics, Arts, Activities, and the school Atmosphere. Our logo represents our balanced philosophy and program: The Five A's converge to form an integrated whole, reflecting the well-rounded education that Sandia Prep students receive.

Sandia Prep Five A logo
  • Earned an A+ rating and recognized as a top private school in New Mexico
  • 100% graduation rate with all grads accepted to college
  • 7:1 student - teacher ratio
  • Truly small class sizes with an average of 15 students per class
  • Engineering and coding program
  • Vast middle school and upper school arts and sports
  • Recognized as one of the safest campuses in Albuquerque
  • Comprehensive visual and performing arts at all grade levels
  • No-cut athletics produce state champions
  • Bus service to and from NE Heights, Westside, and UNM/Ridgecrest areas
  • Our Center for Learning Excellence supports students with learning differences
  • Parental involvement is not only welcomed, it is encouraged
  • A member of the Kindness Club and Harvard University's "Making Caring Common" campaign
 
Enrollment
522 (as of 8.19.19)
 
Student-Teacher Ratio
7-to-1
 
Average Class Size
15
 
Number of Faculty
69 (as of 8.19.19)
 
Campus
33 acres
 
Endowment
$6.96 million (as of 7.31.18)
 
Tuition
$22,840 including fees (for 2019-2020 school year)
 
Tuition Assistance
40% of students receive tuition assistance (for 2019-2020 school year)
 
Diversity
42% of students identify themselves as students of color (for 2019-2020 school year)
 
No-Cut Athletics
More than 78% of students play on 54 teams in 22 sports
 
Community Service
90% of students participate in this voluntary, student-led program
 
 
At the Upper School level, courses are advanced and considered equally rigorous to AP courses, with many comparable to introductory college classes. We prize our independence too highly to ask our teachers to use a curriculum based on standardized tests. Because of this, we are able to offer a wide variety of advanced classes that allow for intense, in-depth study. Click here to view the 2019 - 2020 Curriculum Guide.
  • Our College Counseling Department works one-on-one with students and their families beginning in the ninth grade.
  • We help your student find and be admitted to the best colleges and universities suited to his/her goals.
  • We help your student secure financial aid and scholarships for college.
  • After graduation, your graduate can count on Sandia Prep's assistance through college, graduate school, and career.
 
"Sandia Prep provided me a community within a school, a place where I have always felt safe. Within this community, there are many teachers who have taught me more than what is in the lesson plan. Teachers at Prep, like Ms. Moses, Ms. Shaw, and Ms. Goessl, went the extra mile to make sure their students were not only prepared for a test, but also equipped for life." - Julia ’19
 
 
Not just a campus, but a community: Our mission emphasizes the importance of parental involvement. At Prep, parental involvement is not only welcomed, it is encouraged. We are one SPS "family" - students, parents, and faculty focused on one goal: each student's success.
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
  • Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS)
  • Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (Founding Member)
  • Council for Advancement and Support of Education
  • Independent Curriculum Group (Founding Member)
  • National Association for College Admission Counseling
  • New Mexico Association of Non-Public Schools
 
 
Non-discriminatory Policy: Sandia Preparatory School shall admit students of any race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.