OWNERSHIP

Santa Fe Public Schools

SIZE AND FUNCTIONALITY OF SITE

Chaparral Elementary School is located on 31 acres. The school was first opened in 1972 and had an addition in 1992. The total square footage is 58,677, with 1,536 square feet in portable buildings.

INFRASTRUCTURE (ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE)

The shape of the site and its topography limit development on two sides. The main playground area is large. The kindergarten play area is very confined and equipment is inadequate. Landscaping and drainage at the front of the school is poor. The main parking lot is large, but separation is poor between the bus drop-off/pick-up area, parking, and parent drop-off/pick-up areas. Parking along the service drive is not well planned. An attractive landscaped courtyard with an amphitheater is along the south side of the building. (SFPS FMP Update 2003)

FLOOR PLANS

BUILDING CAPACITIES

The following school building capacities are shown in the chart below:

Design with portables (also called “building capacity”) is the generic enrollment average of PK to 6th grade students in a class times the number of classrooms in the school. The potential number of students per classroom is set by the minimum requirements for class size established by the New Mexico Public Education Department.

Program with portables (also called ''functional capacity'') is the generic enrollment average of PK to 6th grade students in a class times the number of classrooms in the school after the number of classrooms is reduced by subtracting rooms used for something other than general education times a loading factor of 95%.

Design without portables is the generic enrollment average of PK to 6th grade students in a class times the number of classrooms in the school if the school no longer has portables and if activities currently in portables are housed in permanent classrooms.

Program without portables is the generic enrollment average of PK to 6th grade students in a class times the number of classrooms in the school after the number of classrooms are reduced by subtracting rooms used for something other than general education and if all activities currently in portables are housed in a permanent classroom times a loading factor of 95%.

Enrollment 2010-11 40th Day is the number of students attending the school on the state reporting day of the 2010-11 school year.

Enrollment at Chaparral does not exceed its design or program capacity with portables. However, enrollment is exceeded at program capacity without portables. Since more students leave the area than are accepted as transfers, Chaparral would need an addition if all assigned students were to attend the school and portable facilities were removed.

HISTORIC TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS FOR ENROLLMENT

Chaparral Elementary School enrollment has fluctuated, while generally declining. Enrollment is projected to increase, with the addition of attendance area and births over the next eight years.

ATTENDANCE

Chaparral Elementary School is located off of Zia Road across from Ragle Park. Students are transported to school on 1 of 2 buses. Of the students living in the assignment area, 72% attend Chaparral Elementary School. Of the total number of the students attending the school, 80% are from the assignment area.

See the following map.

RESIDENTIAL GROWTH PATTERNS

No major residential developments were identified in the Chaparral Elementary School attendance area.

CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPACTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY

Chaparral ES is a site-based managed school, nestled among the piñon trees off of Zia Road across from Ragle Park. The population of this Title I school varies from 430 to 490 students. Parent involvement is the driving force behind this community school. Chaparral has an active PTA whose fundraising activities support its educational needs. Parents also support its affiliation with the Santa Fe Independent Youth League by volunteering as coaches and attending the games. Chaparral ES also has an active Student Council which sponsors an annual food drive and collects hats and mittens for needy children.

CURRENT AND FUTURE PROGRAMS

There are 20 grade K-6 classrooms with bilingual classes at each grade level and full-day kindergarten.

Chaparral ES also has business/community partnerships with the Santa Fe Youth Symphony, Service Learning – PNM Community Partnership, and Rotary Reads – Reading Buddy Partnership.

The school’s academic program is supplemented with art, physical education, library, technology and music classes for all students. Beginning and advanced band are offered for grades 4 to 6. The school also has a partnership with many community organizations such as Art Works, Cooking with Kids, Yoga in the Schools, and Mozart y Mariachi and Service Learning. It also offers programs in special courses/pathways (Allied Health, Botany, Forensic Science, Vocational Courses, etc.), associated programs that extend curriculum (Cooking with Kids, Protecting You/Protecting Me, DWI program ,MADD; nutrition education, English/Spanish spelling bee, Wildlife Center presentations, city of Santa Fe Fire presentations), health programs, academic support programs (Reading Buddies K-6, Ortho Bionomy, St. Michael’s Tutoring Program, Breakthrough, dual language instruction), after-school programs (Boy, Girl and Cub Scouts, tutoring , YMCA after-school childcare), parent support program (monthly newsletter) and opportunities for parent involvement (PTC meetings, School Advisory Council, PTC Halloween Carnival, Book Fair, Family Nights, Open House).

OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS

Chaparral ES:
Should be included in a comprehensive plan to include preschools
Should be included in future partnership opportunities
Should be evaluated for future capital projects for the next bond issue and/or capital program

This school is on a large site. There may be future opportunities to implement partnership programs including the Children’s Museum.