Santa Clara Day School

NEW MEXICO

Santa Clara Day School is located on Santa Clara Pueblo thirty miles north of Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, and ninety miles from Albuquerque, the only metropolitan city in the state.

Santa Clara Day School is a Bureau of Indian Affairs funded elementary school serving the community of Santa Clara Pueblo. The original school facility was constructed in 1926. Seventy years later, after many years of planning and waiting, the school underwent major renovation and new construction. There are now new classrooms, a new library, computer labs, a science lab, and a gymnasium. The community also helped plan for and build a wonderful new playground, baseball field, and a schoolyard habitat and community garden.

Retrieved from Santa Clara Day School homepage: http://www.santaclara.bia.edu/

Santa Clara site visits:

September 16, 2004
Although we did not make it to the school during school hours, we did get to meet a number of great staff, including teachers and the librarian, Robin Rodar. Everyone at the school was in great spirits in preparation for the "Family Reading Night" to be hosted at the school that evening. We took a tour of the school, and were able to see the school garden where regional fruits and vegetables (including hot chili peppers and watermelons) are grown for a small harvest feast. On the school grounds there are also a number of animals, including a bunny rabbit and a small heard of sheep. We met one black little lamb that, although recently orphaned, was as sweet as could be!

We returned to the school that evening for the "Family Reading Night" and were impressed by the turn out! The library handed out free books to each child, which families were encouraged to read together and then create a craft that related to the story. It was such a success, there was standing room only!

Loriene Roy and Vanessa Chavez