NBRS Badge for New Mexico School for the Arts
New Mexico School for the Arts - Santa Fe, NM
New Mexico School for the Arts Blue Ribbon Students
New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA) opened in 2010, created to provide access to a rigorous academic and mastery arts education leading to a high school diploma, postsecondary learning, and careers in the arts. The school has fulfilled its purpose by developing an environment that insists on high expectations while recognizing some students may lack the tools to meet those expectations. Blending cutting-edge academic interventions that give all students access to those tools with a "You can!" atmosphere, NMSA developed a strong, supportive educational community. The mastery arts training in Music, Dance, Theater, and Visual Arts that is an equal partner with NMSA's full academic curriculum and provides an extra layer of intense motivation, propelling students to pursue the challenge of mastering increasingly difficult studies. The "crossover" between mastering the mysteries of Music Theory and Algebra is visible at NMSA. The self-confidence gained from mastering a skill in one's chosen artistic discipline transfers quickly to mastering another on the academic front. Instructionally, NMSA teachers have carried out extensive professional development on formative assessment to inform instruction, identified as a high-lever tool for improvement. This has given NMSA teachers the flexibility to make quick adjustments to their methods. What NMSA has learned is that New Mexico's students can perform as well as any others in the country when given sufficient resources. It has been NMSA's honor and privilege to demonstrate this through its graduation rates, college placements, and consecutive A grades from the New Mexico Public Education Department.
2016 Awardee
New Mexico School for the Arts
275 East Alameda Street
Santa Fe, NM, 87501-2113
Principal at time of Nomination:
Ms. Cindy Montoya
Eric Crites, Current Principal
Charter School, Title I School
New Mexico School for the Arts
Small city or town in a rural area
Mission
To provide access to a rigorous mastery arts and academic education leading to a high school diploma, postsecondary learning, and careers in the arts.
Student Demographics