About Santa Fe

Mission & Core Values

The mission of Rio Grande School is to challenge each child’s intellect, to inspire each child’s imagination, and to nurture each child’s desire to learn.

Rio Grande School offers a stimulating program in a safe community which values…

• Academic Excellence: the foundation of thinking and communication skills, strong habits, and the authentic integration of the arts with core subjects to prepare children for success in the 21st century
• Child-Centeredness: the promotion of each child’s strengths, interests, and learning style to foster personal and academic growth
• Diversity and Inclusivity: the respect for human differences in race, culture, ethnicity, religion, lifestyle, and socioeconomic background
• Character Development: the empowerment to serve others and the recognition that children learn best when social and emotional competencies are integrated with academic skills
• Environmental Stewardship: the nurturing of the sense of responsibility for the natural world that the name of our school implies
• Global Perspective: the confidence to navigate through international cultures to create new ideas and different ways of perceiving the world
• Strong Relationships: the leadership of outstanding teachers partnering with committed parents to guide children on their journey

Facts About Rio Grande School

Enrollment

• 160 students, prekindergarten through sixth grade; 51% boys, 49% girls
• Average class size is 16 in Pre-K and Kindergarten and 18 in first through sixth grade
• 25% students of color, representing Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and multiracial families
• 20% of students receive tuition assistance with an average grant of just under $10,000

Faculty

• Nearly 75% of our lead and specialist teachers hold or are actively pursuing a master's degree
• Over 75% of our lead and specialist teachers have more than 10 years' teaching experience
• Full-time associate teachers in Early Childhood "Pequenos" through first grade; part-time associate teachers in second through sixth grades

Academics

• The academic program emphasizes reading, writing, math, social studies, science, Spanish, and computer technology
• Our Integrated Arts Program blends academic studies with authentic experiences in music, drama, physical education, and visual arts

Secondary School Placement

• Most of our graduates attend independent day schools in the area, including Santa Fe Preparatory School, Desert Academy and St. Michael's High School

Campus and Facilities

• Our beautiful five-acre campus is set in a residential area of Santa Fe overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
• Extensive expansions and renovations to the campus were recently completed, including new first grade and performing arts classrooms

Special Programs

• After school care for all students
• Summer program for students entering kindergarten through sixth grade
• After school academic, athletic, and arts program offers extensive co-curricular experiences

Accreditation and Affiliations

• Accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) and The New Mexico State Department of Education
• Member of National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)