Sandia Prep's PREParation Newsletter - Summer 2020
Sandia Prep's PREParation Newsletter for incoming 7th-12th grade students
Sandia Prep's PREParation Newsletter for incoming 7th-12th grade students
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Just for you! // <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
SANDIA PREP<br />
PREPARATION<br />
News & Information for Incoming <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep 7th - 12th Graders<br />
What’s Inside<br />
WELCOME TO SANDIA PREP!<br />
Learn the Lingo<br />
Thoughts from Current Students<br />
Tips and Tricks for Next Year<br />
Meet Our Heads of School<br />
FAQs<br />
You may have questions about what it will be like to attend<br />
<strong>Sandia</strong> Prep. That’s why we’ve put together this newsletter for<br />
students who will be new to <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep this fall.<br />
Inside you will find a variety of topics and answers to some of<br />
your questions before the start of the school year. We’ll cover<br />
specific information for middle and upper school students, as<br />
well as general things you should know.<br />
We can’t wait to welcome you in the fall. Have a great summer!
Page 1<br />
FOLLOW US!<br />
“<br />
The DareDevil<br />
Design class allowed<br />
me to be creative,<br />
help others, and<br />
taught us how to<br />
work with others,<br />
including our clients.<br />
Auggie ’24<br />
Rising <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep 9th-Grader<br />
“<br />
Stay connected with classmates and keep up with<br />
everything <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep by following @sandiaprep on<br />
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
“My time at Prep<br />
has been nothing<br />
but fantastic. I<br />
came as a new<br />
student in the<br />
third quarter of<br />
sixth grade.<br />
I was very nervous<br />
to start a new<br />
school at the end<br />
of the year, but<br />
all of the students<br />
and teachers went<br />
out of their way to<br />
make sure that I<br />
felt welcome.”<br />
Everest ’24<br />
Rising <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep 9th-Grader<br />
LEARN THE LINGO<br />
When you go to live in a new country, the best way to adapt is to learn the<br />
language. Going to a new school is similar; there are new words you need<br />
to know.<br />
Your Advisor<br />
Every student at <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep has an advisor. This person is a teacher who<br />
will help you throughout the year and be the first point of contact if your<br />
parents/guardians have a question or concern. You’ll meet regularly in a<br />
group of 10-12 students called an “Advisory” to talk about your academic<br />
plans and progress. You’ll also discuss things that are happening in school<br />
and in the world around you.<br />
Assistant Heads of School and Dean of Students<br />
The Assistant Heads of Schools’ responsibilities include working with<br />
teachers, meeting with parents/guardians, and helping students with<br />
issues or concerns. They are like school principals, but more focused on<br />
their grade levels. If you want to change a class, you’ll need to work with<br />
your Head to make sure the change is possible. Our Dean of Students, Mr.<br />
Jeffries, makes sure that students are honoring our standards of behavior.<br />
These are listed in the Student-Parent Handbook, which will be made<br />
available to you before school starts.
MEET YOUR ASSISTANT HEADS OF SCHOOL & DEAN OF STUDENTS<br />
Like Principals, but More Personalized<br />
Ms. Hochrein<br />
Assistant Head for<br />
Middle School<br />
Ms. Hochrein has taught at <strong>Sandia</strong><br />
Preparatory School since 2010 and<br />
has taught both middle and upper<br />
school math courses. Ms. Hochrein<br />
attended the University of New<br />
Mexico, graduating with top honors<br />
and receiving her bachelor’s degree<br />
in math/education. She has lived in<br />
New Mexico almost all of her life.<br />
Ms. Hochrein’s husband, James, is<br />
a manager at <strong>Sandia</strong> Labs, and her<br />
daughter Madi graduated from Prep<br />
in 2018. Ms. Hochrein says, “It is a<br />
privilege and an honor to be able to<br />
work with Prep families. <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep<br />
showed me everything education<br />
should be. I’m happy to be able to<br />
give back to this community, a place<br />
I call my second home.”<br />
Dr. McMillan<br />
Assistant Head for<br />
Upper School<br />
Dr. McMillan grew up in New<br />
Orleans, but in 2012 made the trip<br />
cross country to <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep with her<br />
daughter, a 100-pound yellow lab,<br />
and a 20-pound cat with an attitude.<br />
Though she sometimes misses the<br />
Bayou and the French Quarter, she<br />
loves the open vistas and raw beauty<br />
of the Albuquerque landscape.<br />
Dr. McMillan has been an English<br />
teacher since 1979 and in<br />
administration since 2003. Her<br />
bachelor’s degree, master’s degree,<br />
and Ph.D. are all in English, with a<br />
focus on British literature. She has a<br />
son, who is also an English teacher,<br />
and a daughter who is a new mom<br />
to twins! Teaching and working<br />
with kids is still the greatest joy Dr.<br />
McMillan can imagine.<br />
Mr. Jeffries<br />
Dean of Students<br />
Mr. Jeffries is the Dean of Students<br />
and has been a part of the Prep<br />
community since 2007. Before<br />
becoming Prep’s Dean of Students,<br />
Mr. Jeffries was the Dean of Students<br />
in Grades 9 and 10. He has also<br />
served on the judicial committee,<br />
and was the sponsor of <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep’s<br />
Student Government Association.<br />
Mr. Jeffries was born in Aurora,<br />
Colorado, and lived there until his<br />
sophomore year of high school when<br />
he moved with his Air Force father to<br />
Okinawa, Japan.<br />
Mr. Jeffries’ wife, Lynn, also works at<br />
<strong>Sandia</strong> Prep as the full-time school<br />
nurse. They have two children,<br />
Samantha, a <strong>2020</strong> Prep graduate and<br />
Alex, a rising Prep sophomore.
ORGANIZATION IS KEY<br />
<strong>Sandia</strong> Prep has a required assignment<br />
planner for all middle school students.<br />
It contains a school calendar, middle<br />
school study skills guide (prepared<br />
specifically for Prep students), important<br />
phone numbers, and helpful homework<br />
and research tips. Teachers will work with<br />
you in classes to help you utilize your<br />
planner. Planners will be made available<br />
toward the beginning of the school year.<br />
STAY CONNECTED<br />
Be sure to regularly visit your PrepNet Portal<br />
at portals.veracross.com/sandiaprep.<br />
Your login information will be sent to you<br />
before the beginning of the school year.<br />
On your PrepNet Portal you will find:<br />
• School calendars<br />
• Curriculum guide<br />
• Your class schedule<br />
• The Student-Parent Handbook<br />
• and much more!<br />
“<br />
I love my<br />
independence at<br />
school and being<br />
the manager of my<br />
own time. I love<br />
the energy <strong>Sandia</strong><br />
Prep has!<br />
Macario ’25<br />
Rising <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep 8th-Grader<br />
“
HELLO, MY NAME IS...<br />
MEET SOME OF OUR TEACHERS<br />
Ms. Nakigan<br />
Ms. Nakigan teaches middle and upper school art and has been at<br />
<strong>Sandia</strong> Prep since 2014. Ms. Nakigan’s main goal as a teacher is to be<br />
supportive and inclusive, while providing a fun and challenging classroom<br />
environment. During her free time, Ms. Nakigan loves the outdoors and<br />
enjoys hiking, camping, and sketching outside. She also loves writing and<br />
spends much of her free time reading good novels.<br />
She says, “Prep is a wonderful school full of amazing opportunities,<br />
inspiring teachers, and new friends. I am very happy that you are joining<br />
our community, and I can’t wait to learn more about you.”<br />
Mr. de León is Prep’s Director of Innovation and teaches 6th-and<br />
7th-grade DareDevil Design, as well as Entrepreneurial Studies for<br />
upper school students. Mr. de León is a first generation American<br />
and comes from a long line of entrepreneurs and innovators.<br />
Mr. de León<br />
He started his journey at <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep in 2000, where he taught all<br />
levels of Spanish. During the last few years, Mr. de León has shifted<br />
his focus to STEM and expanding Prep’s makerspace and designthinking<br />
courses.<br />
Mr. Westerlund<br />
This will be Mr. Westerlund’s fifth year teaching science at Prep, after<br />
working as a teacher in both the private and public sectors for nine years.<br />
He also coaches the Girls Varsity Soccer Team, which won its fourth state<br />
championship in a row last fall!<br />
In his free time, he enjoys exercising, spending time with family (especially<br />
his 5-year-old nephew, Logan) and enjoying life to its fullest. He recently<br />
discovered cooking, baking, and dancing. He claims to have some pretty<br />
sweet moves!
Ramona ’22<br />
Rising <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep 11th-Grader<br />
“<br />
Prep’s engineering program<br />
has allowed me to explore my<br />
passion for engineering and<br />
creativity through a variety of<br />
projects, from building bridges<br />
to programming cars.<br />
“<br />
FREQUENTLY ASKED<br />
QUESTIONS<br />
Q<br />
What are <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep’s Lions and Unicorns?<br />
Q<br />
A<br />
Will I have a lot more homework?<br />
That’s difficult to say, since you come from<br />
many different schools. We can tell you that<br />
you won’t be bogged down by homework.<br />
A<br />
Lions and Unicorns came from the original<br />
Sandía School seal, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s<br />
Through the Looking Glass. They are mascots<br />
for two teams within the school and have been<br />
a school tradition for more than 50 years.<br />
The amount will be appropriate. <strong>Sandia</strong><br />
Prep takes into account that students need<br />
to balance homework and after-school<br />
commitments and activities. The best advice<br />
we can offer as you transition to Prep is to talk<br />
to your teachers and advisors about questions<br />
and challenges.<br />
Q<br />
A<br />
What are the Five A’s?<br />
<strong>Sandia</strong> Prep’s “Five A’s” represent the five<br />
areas that, together, create the school<br />
experience and well-rounded students:<br />
Academics, Arts, Athletics, Activity, and<br />
Atmosphere.<br />
Q<br />
A<br />
Where do I go if I have a question?<br />
If you have a question involving a class, first<br />
talk with your teacher. If you have any other<br />
type of question, speak with your advisor.<br />
Q<br />
A<br />
What is <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep’s school mascot?<br />
We are the <strong>Sandia</strong> Prep Sundevils!
<strong>Sandia</strong> Preparatory School<br />
532 Osuna Road NE<br />
Albuquerque, NM 87113<br />
A Look At Next<br />
School Year