Sandia Base Elementary School

21001 WYOMING SE KAFB EAST

School District

Albuquerque Public Schools
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
Type

public

School Map for Albuquerque Public Schools

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 15, 2024

I’ve seen the principle(Mrs. Garcia) scream at the children, I can’t fathom how she still has a job.
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2023

The teachers are all wonderful and try their best. The principal Mrs. Garcia is the equivalent of Miss Truntchbull from Matilda. A horrible, confrontational woman. The kids are not believed when they are victims of bullying until it is confirmed on camera. Even then there is no apology from her. Glad to be leaving this school.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2018

Horrible, we refused to let our kids come back here so we found them a much better school where they are happy and excelling.
Submitted by other on August 30, 2018

O. Horrible experience. Will not refer at all. Take your kids elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2018

It has been a nightmare ever since encountering that principal.
Submitted by parent on January 09, 2018

Very unpleasant. I am glad to have my child in a new school outside of New Mexico. My hope is that Mrs. Garcia retires soon. The teachers need a new leader. I regret enrolling my child there. The PTA officers never change and it's always the same each year.
Submitted by other on July 12, 2016

Teachers show interest in every student in their classroom. They offer a wide range of subjects that the students find fun, entertaining, which makes it easy for students to retain the information of the subject matters. It is also nice to know that the school is very safe for faculty and students.
Submitted by parent on June 29, 2016

My daughter went here from Kinder to 4th grade. All of her teachers have been wonderful and caring. Once the principal was changed to Ms. Garcia the school completely changed for the better! Parents were kept well informed, students excelled and communication was opened up for parents. Issues were addressed when Ms. Garcia came to the school. She came into a very broken school and did a fantastic job fixing it!
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2016

Started out ok, but if you are not in "The Circle" you might as well not come into the school. It is convenient if you live on base, but there are far better schools out there. My children will definitely be transferring.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2015

Mrs. Garcia has done an amazing job with Sandia base! Parent/teacher involvement is great as well!
Submitted by other on November 18, 2015

She is great with the students knows each and every one of them by name.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2015

I have been on the fence about this school from the beginning. Unfortunately, I haven't found any redeeming qualities. I am constantly treated like a child by teachers and the principal. Like they actually bend down, put their hands on their knees and tilt their head while speaking to me. I feel that everyone is in desperate need of total control. It's suffocating. This may sound weird, but I am concerned at the amount of pressure they put on the kids academic standing. It is my belief that learning should be fun and enjoyable! But these people are so focused on looking good on paper I worry about how it'll effect the kids and how they view education/learning in the future. It's sad to think that SBES was worse in the past.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2015

We are finishing our first year at Sandia Base Elementary School (SBES) and couldn't be happier. This school reminds me a lot of our previous experience within the DoD school system. It is a small school so all the teachers know each other, the students and parents. The PTA is very involved in helping to make up shortfalls that funding from the school district cannot cover such as buying planners for every student. There are always family friendly events (dances, bingo, parent-day out) being scheduled that help to form the amazing sense of community. My son has participated in the free afterschool clubs program for two different sessions and loved every minute. There is a diverse student population (mainly from military kids) the benefits of exposure to cannot be quantified. My son's teacher and teacher's aide truly care about his success and have worked with me as part of their team so that I can facilitate it at home as well. I am looking forward to next year at SBES!
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2015

This is my children's first year at Sandia as we just moved into the area this past summer. I was very nervous about sending them to Sandia based on the reviews I had read and also comments other parents had made. However, we have been very happy with the school and my children's teachers are wonderful they go out of there way to make sure the children are challenged and learning as much as possible, I couldn't say enough positive things about there teachers. The school has a fun after school club that my children fully enjoy and it's a great club that is free of charge a big thank you to those who run it. From the cafeteria to the school nurse everyone is great and we don't have any complaints.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2015

I find the previous reviews on Sandia Base and the principle VERY inaccurate. They seem to be from parents who do not spend enough time at the school to really have a full understanding of its principal, staff, and its policies. The principal is by the book and follows rules to the "T". Forgive her for making sure YOUR CHILD'S safety and academic experience is well established and taken care of. Parents who complain on sites like this are no where to be found at school meetings, and they certainly do not make appointments with the principal to address concerns. The principal has a very open door policy and welcomes all concerns brought to her in a civilized manner. Take the time to understand policies and the "method to the madness" BEFORE running and blabbing that Sandia Base is 'the worst school ever'. The principal runs a tight ship and takes no nonsense, from anybody. Forgive her for expecting parents to take the responsibility of setting the example of following the rules. I leave my children at Sandia Base with confidence every day, because I know "the method to the madness" works and it will keep my children safe and provide an excellent academic experience for them.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2015

This school does not receive much praise. Several years ago, it was not a vet impressive school. Since the new principal arrived 3 years ago, she has done a remarkable job in turning the school around. She has continued to make improvements that are much needed. It saddens me to see this school not receive higher marks. As far as a learning environment for my children, I could not be any happier.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2014

Most of the teachers at this school are great teachers and are great people. However, I do NOT have anything positive to say about the principal. She is very rude and disrespectful to not only the parents, but her faculty as well. Just hope that if your child attends this school that you never have to deal with her. If you have a disagreement with her about her treatment/discipline of your child as compared to other children in similar situations or that may have been involved and you call her out on it, expect your child to take the brunt of what comes afterwards and expect your child to have a target on their back for the remainder of the school year. My son and some of his classmates overheard the principal talking bad about some her faculty to other faculty members out in the open and was cussing in the process...setting a great example for my son and the other students. Just a little background, Sandia Base Elementary is now stuck with her after she was removed from her previous school. Her previous school's faculty threatened the school board with resignations if she was brought back as the principal. She is one of the biggest reasons we chose to school our child elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on August 07, 2014

This school has become increasingly better each year. We have had three children here with my youngest now starting Kindergarden. I had my older children in private school before and the education they received here was better.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2014

I have to say I am impressed with the teacher my student has, she's a first year teacher but you could not tell that from the way she teaches and from the students behavior in her class. She really cares for her students and about them being SUCCESSFUL. I am GLAD my child is in her class. I couldn't have asked for a Better First Grade Teacher. She's always available to help when needed. I hope she comes back next year.
Submitted by parent on April 23, 2014

Our kids have been in SBE since 2012, and I have to say that I have loved the support that my kids have had in this school. I truly think it depends on the teachers your kids have. I have always felt that my kids were safe and really encouraged to learn. My son's teacher makes the effort to give him harder work when she felt that the work she had planned was too easy for him. Both of my kids are also in the gifted program, and we have great open communication with all teachers. We are supposed to be zoned to bandelier elementary but we still choose to drive them daily to SBE. The secretary in the front, Ms. Alexis, is super nice and she remembers my kids names, among hundreds of other children. definitely recommend!