Albuquerque Academy is a private co-educational school for grades six through twelve located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest^[2] and the New Mexico State Department of Education. Albuquerque Academy is also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. It is not to be confused with Albuquerque High School, the first high school established in Albuquerque, which was originally named Albuquerque Academy. For the film of this title, see Private School (film). ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Red (disambiguation). ... This article is about the color. ... This article is about the largest city of New Mexico. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Largest metro area Albuquerque metropolitan area Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based organization for independent schools. ... Albuquerque High School is a high school (grades 9 - 12) in Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico. ...

Albuquerque Academy is split into three different divisions: the six-seven division (or "lower school"), the eight-nine division, and the ten-twelve division (both in the "upper school").

History

Albuquerque Academy was founded in 1955 as The Academy for Boys in the basement of a small Albuquerque church by William B. S. Wilburn. The school was eventually moved into a facility that is today used by Sandia Preparatory School. In 1965, the school moved to its current site in northeast Albuquerque.^[3] Sandia Preparatory School is an independent co-ed school of about 670 students teaching grades 6-12 in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area in the United States, located at 532 Osuna Road NE intersecting Edith. ...

Between 1957 and 1964, the Academy received a large tract of undeveloped land north of Albuquerque, part of the Elena Gallegos Land Grant, from the Albert G. Simms family. The western portion (from Wyoming Boulevard to the Rio Grande) was sold to finance the creation of the current campus and the first endowment fund, and the present campus was created in the middle of the tract. The land east of the campus, reaching to the crest of the Sandia Mountains, was sold later in a series of deals. First the section from the campus to Juan Tabo Boulevard was sold to create a second trust. Later, the City of Albuquerque attempted to facilitate a deal to sell the remainder to the Bureau of Land Management by putting up a parking garage as collateral.^{[citation needed]} The deal fell through and the Academy became the garage owner while still retaining the area.^{[citation needed]} Albert Gallatin Simms (October 8, 1882 - December 29, 1964) was a United States Representative from New Mexico. ... “Río Bravo” redirects here. ... The Sandia Mountains are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the northeast of of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. ... US BLM logo The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling approximately 261 million surface acres (1,056,229. ...

In July 1982, the city purchased most of the land in a complex deal with the Academy and the US Forest Service. The City paid the Academy $23.9 million, raised by a bond issue supported by a temporary ¼ percent sales tax.^[4] The City retained part of the land, which is now the 640 acre (2.6 km²) Elena Gallegos Picnic Area/Albert G. Simms Park, located at the feet of the Sandias at the mouths of Bear and Pino Canyons. The 7,000 acre (28 km²) plus remainder of the purchase, most of it forest land in the canyons proper, was sold to the Forest Service, and is now part of the Cibola National Forest and the Sandia Mountain Wilderness.^[5] The Academy retained two parts of the tract, the larger adjoining Tramway Boulevard. The school set up the High Desert Investment Corporation (HDIC) to develop this portion as the master-planned community known as High Desert. (The smaller portion, within Bear Canyon itself, is still used by the Academy for experiential education purposes.) HDIC then purchased a large tract of land in the northern section of Rio Rancho, which it is currently developing as Mariposa.^[6] The proceeds from the land sales and from HDIC have provided the Academy with a substantial endowment, which is used partly to defray tuition expenses and to subsidize a significant need-based financial aid program. The USDA Forest Service, a United States government agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, is under the leadership of the United States Secretary of Agriculture. ... For alternative meanings, see bond (a disambiguation page). ... A sales tax is a consumption tax charged at the point of purchase for certain goods and services. ... The Cibola National Forest stretches from western Oklahoma to western New Mexico. ... Sandia Mountain Wilderness, part of Cibola National Forest, is located east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... High Desert Investment Corporation is a development firm located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rio Rancho, (Spanish: Río Rancho) is a suburb of Albuquerque,and is the largest city and economic hub of Sandoval County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. ... Mariposa is a master-planned community that will be located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, in the United States. ...

The school remained an all-boys school, with grades five through twelve, until 1973, at which time girls were allowed into grades nine through twelve. Part of the reason for the delay in allowing girls and for the gradual inclusion was that the Simms grant specified that the number of boys not decrease in order to make room for girls.^{[citation needed]} The 5th grade was dropped in 1979, and the school became fully coeducational in 1984.

Today, the Academy has an enrollment of just over 1,000 in grades 6 through 12, with students drawn from throughout the Albuquerque metropolitan area and the state of New Mexico. The Albuquerque Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2004-2005 school year with a year-long celebration of the school's history.

Heads of school

• William B. S. Wilburn, 1955-1960
• Rev. Paul G. Saunders, 1960-1964
• Ashby Harper, 1964-1985
• Robert L. Bovinette, 1985-1996
• Timothy R. McIntire, 1996-1999
• Donald W. Smith (interim head), 1999-2001
• Andrew T. Watson, 2001-present

Facilities

The school sits on an approximately 312 acre (1.5 km²) gated campus in the northeastern part of the city. It is divided into two campuses, the West Campus and the East Campus. The two campuses are separated by about a quarter of a mile, with the library, science building, and athletic fields in between. The school buildings conform to a consistent, Mediterranean-influenced architectural style, which incorporates brick buildings, arches, and tile roofs. For other uses, see Brick (disambiguation). ...

West Campus

The West Campus comprises eight buildings including sixth and seventh grade classroom buildings, an administration building, a dining hall, and a gymnasium. In addition, the Visual Arts building and Natatorium are on the West Campus. All of the buildings except the Natatorium were designed by Robert McCabe of Flatow, Moore, Bryan, and Associates, and opened in 1984. The Natatorium was added to the West Campus Gymnasium in 1997. This article is about the year. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

Simms Library

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1510x2092, 471 KB) Summary Photo of Simms Library at Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1510x2092, 471 KB) Summary Photo of Simms Library at Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...

Simms Library

The Dr. Albert G. Simms II and Barbara Young Simms Library (almost always shortened to "Simms Library") is the Academy's most iconic building, housing the school's collection of over 100,000 books, periodicals, videos, and recordings. It comprises two wings that open onto a central lobby, with the fiction/nonfiction section housed in the larger north wing and reference materials in the east wing. The Library was designed by Alexander "Sandy" Howe of the Boston firm of Shepley, Bullfinch, Richardson, and Abbot and opened in 1991 along with the Science Building. The Library spire is the highest point on campus. Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Science Building

The Science Building sits across a brick plaza from the Library. It houses the majority of the Academy's science classrooms, labs, and faculty, as well as some teachers from other departments. The building comprises two classroom wings and two laboratory wings grouped around a square central courtyard, which includes a small pond that contains some small fish and aquatic pond snails. The main foyer houses a large Foucault pendulum. (Another much smaller pendulum is located in Brown Hall on the East Campus). The Science Building was also designed by Howe and opened at the same time as the Library. Foucaults Pendulum in the Panthéon, Paris. ...

East Campus

The East Campus currently houses grades 8-12. It includes the Academy's four original buildings, all grouped around a central quad: North Hall (the 8-9 classroom building), Brown Hall (the 10-12 classroom building), the Administration Building (which includes the office of the Head of School), and the gymnasium-dining hall complex. All were designed by Edward O. Holien of Holien and Buckley and completed in 1965. Also on the East Campus is the Simms Center for the Performing Arts, designed by George Pearl, completed in 1975, and remodeled in 2000; and the Music Building, designed by Bill Sabatini of Dekker/Perich/Sabatini and completed in 1996. Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

Athletic facilities

The Academy's largest sports facilities are Harper Memorial Stadium (used for football and soccer games and track and field meets), the East Campus Gym (basketball and volleyball), and the Natatorium (swimming and diving). There are also several soccer, baseball, and softball fields, a 16-court tennis complex, a cross country course, a weight room, and basketball courts. United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Soccer redirects here. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... This article is about the sport. ... For the ball used in this sport, see Volleyball (ball). ... Swimmer redirects here. ... For other uses, see Dive. ... This article is about the sport. ... Soft ball is also a sugar stage Softball is a team sport popular around the world but especially in the United States. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... The Minnesota State Highschool Cross Country Meet A cross country race in Seaside, Oregon. ...

Experiential education

The Academy curriculum includes a significant experiential education component, part of which involves outdoor activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, and canoeing. The school's 270 acre (1.1 km²) tract in Bear Canyon is used for this purpose; trips also take place in areas throughout the state. The seventh grade student class goes to Bear Canyon for a week each year, and the sixth grade class takes day hikes in it. The 8th grade class takes a weeklong retreat to Hummingbird Music Camp in Jemez Springs and the 9th grade class takes another weeklong backpacking trip to various areas throughout the state. The campus also houses a low ropes course, and a higher 60 ft (18 m) tower, with a zipline attached, called the Alpine Tower. The older students are offered classes in outdoor leadership as well as kayaking. This article is about backpacking in the wilderness. ... Climbers on Valkyrie at the Roaches. ... Canoeing is the recreational or sporting activity of paddling a canoe or kayak. ... Jemez Springs is a village located in Sandoval County, New Mexico. ... This article is about backpacking in the wilderness. ... Example of a high ropes course at night A Ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. ... On this harnessed zip-line between platforms in trees in Costa Rica, the rider controls speed with a leather glove hand brake. ... Sea Kayaking at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, Australia Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. ...

Student body

The school is roughly half boys and half girls, and nearly one third of the students have non-white backgrounds. The Academy also ranks among the top independent secondary schools with regard to need-based financial aid offered to students, totaling nearly one-third of the student body and 2.2 million dollars.^[7] The Academy devotes an entire day to diversity each year, called Diversity Day. This day features a forum with music, dancing, and movies, a special lunch with foods from many different countries, and a long row of booths featuring Academy's many clubs. However, starting with the 2006-2007 school year, diversity day has been separated into two different half days, one in April and one in May.

Albuquerque Academy prides itself on its 8:1 student/teacher ratio.^[8]

Tuition

The board of trustees sets tuition for each school year. The figures below represent the costs for the 2006-07 school year only, and annual increases should be expected. Financial aid is awarded based on tuition (including lunch fees) and an average book cost. The Academy participates in the National Lunch Program, a federally funded program that allows families with certain income levels to receive free or reduced lunches. Families that qualify for this program will be asked to apply as part of their overall financial aid award.

Tuition (including lunch fees) for 2006-07: $14,880

Books: Cost ranges from $250-$500 per year, depending upon grade level

Extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities are an important part of the Academy experience. Some of the larger activities include many state championship sports teams, The Advocate (a student newsmagazine that has received numerous awards from the Albuquerque Tribune and the New Mexico Press Women), the nationally ranked speech and debate team, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, and theater. Students are able to submit proposals to the 10-12 Student Senate to create a new club or activity, which nearly always approves activities. An extracurricular activity is any school-sanctioned activity in which students may participate for some form of credit or recognition. ... The Advocate is a student-run newsmagazine at Albuquerque Academy, an independent school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... A newsmagazine, sometimes called news magazine, is a usually weekly magazine featuring articles on current events. ... The Albuquerque Tribune is a newspaper in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...

The two longest state championship streaks by Academy sports teams are the 6-Peat Boys Basketball team (1989-1994), led by Coach Mike Brown, and the ongoing 6-time state champion Boys Track team (2002-2007) led by Coach Adam Kedge.

In the spring of 2006, the orchestra, called the Chamber Players, was invited to attend the National Orchestra Festival in Kansas City, Missouri, where they received a superior rating.

In June of 2006, the Academy's Middle School Science Bowl team placed second at the National Middle School Science Bowl competition in Denver, CO. Science Bowl is a middle school academic competition, similar to Quiz Bowl, held in the United States. ...

In addition to these optional extracurricular activities, all students at the Academy spend the final month of their senior year doing a "senior project," which is the culmination of the experiential education part of the curriculum. A senior project is usually an off-campus internship with a community sponsor; it can also be on-campus work with a faculty mentor, participation in a seminar, or it can be a completely self-directed project.^[9]

The Academy also offers a summer school program, which has a variety of classes including language, science, and art. The summer program usually runs from early June to mid-July, lasting 6 weeks (with a vacation for Independence Day). In addition to the academic offerings, the summer program includes a traditional summer camp and athletic and aquatic camps. Summer camp is a supervised program for children and/or teenagers conducted (usually) during the summer months in some countries. ...

Rivalry With St. Pius X High School

The Albuquerque Academy Chargers hold a fierce rivalry with the St. Pius X High School (Albuquerque) Sartans that has lasted for decades. Albuquerque Academy and St. Pius had evenly matched teams and were the largest two independent schools in the Albuquerque metropolitan area for years, helping the rivalry to grow in the 1980s. Signs of the rivalry show up occasionally in acts of vandalism: St. Pius students allegedly burned a large X into the Richard Harper Memorial Field at Albuquerque Academy (although this act was ascribed by some to students from La Cueva High School. Also, Academy students allegedly defaced the statue on the St. Pius campus numerous times. In 2000, all of the fingers except for the middle finger of the statue were broken off. This caused public outrage from the faculty of both schools, and a member of the Academy varsity soccer team was blamed. St. ... La Cueva High School is a public high school located in northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...

Most recently, students at St. Pius X High School defaced a memorial site of a deceased Academy student on the Albuquerque Academy campus and spray-painted other areas around the campus, inciting outrage from both Albuquerque Academy and the St. Pius administrations. Though the offending students were dismissed, numerous members of the St. Pius community publicly protested what they viewed as an unfair punishment.^[10]

A notorious event in the rivalry's history occurred on October 6, 1976, when someone, allegedly St. Pius students, set fire to Albuquerque Academy's wooden press box the night before their annual football game. Another well-known event occurred in 1996, when a St. Pius football center played with two buckles on his helmet that were made razor sharp by his father. One Charger football player was hospitalized with serious injuries. The New Mexico Activities Association determined that this was the work of an individual, with no evidence to show that other students were involved.^[11][12][13]

Notable alumni

• Norman Bay, former United States Attorney
• Notah Begay III, professional golfer
• Brian Conrey, professor of Mathematics at Oklahoma State University and Founding Executive Director of the American Institute of Mathematics
• John Hyde, a man with schizophrenia, accused of fatally shooting five people, including two Albuquerque police officers, on August 18, 2005.^[14]
• Jonathan Miller, author, "Rattlesnake Lawyer"
• Albert Chainey Umphrey (Graduated in 1988), member of the 1996 U.S. Men's Gymnastics Olympic Team

Norman C. Bay (born October 10, 1960 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois), is a former U.S. Attorney for the district of New Mexico. ... United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. ... // Notah Begay III (born September 14, 1972) is an American golfer. ... For other meanings of mathematics or uses of math and maths, see Mathematics (disambiguation) and Math (disambiguation). ... Oklahoma State University Logo The Oklahoma State University System comprises of five educational instututes across Oklahoma. ... The American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) was founded in 1994 by John Fry, the president of Frys Electronics stores. ...

Notable former and current faculty

• Robert Creeley

Portrait taken in 1972 Robert Creeley (May 21, 1926 - March 30, 2005) was an American poet and author of more than sixty books. ...

External links

• Albuquerque Academy website
• Quick facts on the school

References