About Santa Fe

About Sweeney Elementary School
Grade Levels Served: K - 5
Enrollment: 559

School’s Mission:
The Sweeney Elementary School Community commits itself to providing quality education for its children by encouraging individual growth and development of all students. Special considerations are given to learning styles, language preference, academic, social, emotional, and physical development, and to the special interests and talents of each student.

School’s Vision:
The school community will meet the needs of all students by providing a variety of programs focusing on literacy, wellness, and technological awareness. We strive to create and maintain a school climate that fosters resiliency, trustworthiness, honesty, respect, caring, responsibility, fairness and citizenship in all children.

Our School’s Operations and Functions
Academic Programs:

• G.L.A.D: Guided Language Acquisition Development
• After School Enrichment: Funded by a grant through the City of Santa Fe Children and Youth, this program affords
• students the opportunity to participate in well supervised activities which include tutorial help, academic extension in the areas of Reading, Writing and Math.

Professional Partnerships:

• CESDP- Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations
• DLENM – Dual Language Education of New Mexico
• PRO- Parents Reaching Out
• SES Tutoring – Supplemental Educational Services

Why Our School is Unique
Violin:
This program is in its 16th year at Sweeney lead by Hilary Schact. Ms. Hilary has been able to create musical virtuosos by maintaining instruction for a core group of students year after year. It is targeted for third through fifth grade students. Former students of the violin program have gone on to participate in mariachi groups in the middle school.

Guitar:
Mr. Edgar Rivera leads students in the beginning nuances of guitar instruction. Students meet once a week after school. Guitars are provided for all interested students. The group has a final exhibition of their learned skills for the student body and for parents which also encourage and inspire others to join the program the next year.

Band:
Budget cuts have eliminated band instruction for elementary schools. However, our remarkable music teacher, Mrs. Kristina Korte, has created a band class during after school hours for all students. Children are able to pursue their interests in the field of music. Instruments are provided for students.

Choir:
Again, thanks to our music teacher, Mrs. Korte, an after school choir group has been formed for those students interested in developing and refining the instrument of voice. Third through fifth grade students are able to participate in this program.

F.A.C.T:
We are very happy to continue our on-going partnership with Fine Arts for Children & Teens. This after school program welcomes interested and curious students from Kindergarten through fifth grade. There is limited space each semester, so students and parents vie for coveted spots in order to create, explore, delve and construct using various mediums.

City of Santa Fe funded after school program and tutoring:
During the school day, Sweeney has been fortunate to receive means to include tutors who supplement student needs. Ms. Therese Mier is a retired teacher and has been at Sweeney for 18 years. Her focus is to work with reading and language development. Ms. Helen Fabel works with the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes on the same focus. She is a literacy specialist and has been a part of the Sweeney community for approximately 11 years. Ms. Amarylis Melendez came to us approximately 13 years ago as a language tutor and assists the students in bilingual 1st and 2nd grade classes in ELL strategies and language development. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have these “teachers” working along with us to accommodate the needs of students.

Aspen Ballet:
Students may participate in after school instruction which also extends to outside classes and culminates in an exhibition at the Lensic Theater.

NDI:
The fourth grade classes have taken part in National Dance Institute instruction for the past 15 years. During their participation, students discover the importance of excellence, physical fitness, cooperative-learning and rhythm.

Sports, Girls / Boys Basketball:
Sweeney is fortunate enough to be able to have parent and community coaching volunteers to organize girl and boy teams during their playing seasons. Players benefit from the influence of adults who teach them rules of the game, being a member of a team, and the meaning of good sportsmanship. Wrestling: Sweeney staff has coached male and female students from Kindergarten through fifth grade in the fine art of the game. Throughout the season, wrestlers fine tune their skills in District and city wide exhibitions. Swimming: Staff has stepped up to coach students who hone their skills to play a part in a final swim meet at the end of the season. Some students have joined swimming and have been involved for 2 and 3 years.

Cheerleading:
Coaches prepare 4th and 5th grade girls to be physically active and lend to team sportsmanship and school spirit.

Girls on the Run:
Third through fifth grade girls work with teacher support to build confidence, increase their endurance and participate in a city wide meet.

Chess:
This after school club instructs fifth grade students strategize against opponents to play the game with finesse
and skill.

Literacy and Math Family Night:
Personnel coordinate evenings for parents and students to share techniques and approaches to enhance math and reading proficiencies. Parents take away strategies as well as materials to utilize immediately at home to support skill building in these areas.

Cooking With Kids:
The CWK program has been at Sweeney Elementary for many years. It cultivates good nutritional habits while exploring cooking techniques with students from Kindergarten to fifth graders. Parents are encouraged to attend 2 hour classes which include education, preparation and the sharing of a meal.