Santa Fe Advantage Academy

9790 Southwest 107th Court

Miami, FL 33176

33 Reviews

School District

Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

charter

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on May 11, 2018

This school has been nothing but AMAZING to my 1st grader! She has learned so much. The principal ms Nieves and the Entire syaff are amazing. Unfortunately the school ia closing because its no longer a profit to the charter board but they shoukd5have given the parents time to bring in enrollments and save our little school. Shame on the Charter school baord for allowing thia great school to close down. Now im going to go to public school just so the other charters cant profit off of us. Again I wish this school was staying open me and my child live it and everything about it.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2018

this has been the best school my daughter has been to
Submitted by other on August 23, 2016

My experience at this school completely changed my perception about charter schools. Unprofessional and cold with no accountability. My child who is on the spectrum was bullied by children, staff and parents. I kid you not. Forget about getting any help. There is no accountability. The funny thing is my child after he left Santa Fe is repeatedly on the honor roll and has even won county wide awards for academics, all after he left Santa Fe. He excels in science and math. Because you see even though he is on the spectrum he is also highly gifted. Imagine that. :-) I use to think charter schools was a great option for parents. Not anymore, not after Santa Fe.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2016

It s a pleasure have my daughter in SFA!!! . I recommend is school for new children that they are learning English.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2015

Santa Fe Academy is truly a Gem of a school. I have two children who have attended the school and they are top notch students who excel in not only academics, but socially and athletically. It is very safe and it feels like a family atmosphere as even the 4th grade students know the first grade students etc.I would also like to post that the test scores from the school are some of the highest in Miami-Dade. You can research it yourself. IT has been an A+ school for a couple years but now the test scores verify just how great a school it is with other A schools. Top scores, family atmosphere, no bullying, and children who love it while being in honor roll....That's a winning combination.
Submitted by other on August 30, 2015

This is our second year in this school and I must say that I love it! The principal knows every kid by their names and she's nice, what I like the most is that is a small school so bullying can't go unnoticed, the principal will not tolerate it! my son experienced some bullying from another classmate and they immediately took action and the bullying stopped. They are very strict which I don't mind but at the same time very loving with the kids and for those who complained about the principal not been approachable well they are wrong because she is appoachable and cares about the kids (I'm not her friend nor part of any group/click) don't judge the book by its cover!!
Submitted by other on July 11, 2015

Because everybody goes out of their way for our children. Also the stuff are very nice
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2015

You can see that faculty respect each other and that also reflects in the students. Great Principal. Family oriented atmosphere. Its a great school!
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2014

Regarding the pink behavior forms that are sent home, my child has received two this year, however, this has not effected his grades academically. Most schools have conduct grades as well as academics. When this form is sent home it only effects the student's conduct grade and as a parent instead of being upset with the school you should be talking with your child and making sure that they understand that the behavior that caused them to receive the form is unacceptable. Yes, sometimes the children are in the parking lot of the school but that is not gym nor recess and it is chained off during school hours. Overall Santa Fe is a great school, has always encouraged parental involvement and my child is extremely happy there. He didn't want to leave for the summer, telling me that he is going to miss all the teachers. Being that he just finished kindergarten, I am hopeful that my experience with the school will only get better each year, as it has been amazing for me this year.
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2014

Is a good school with a friendly atmosphere the staff are excellent and help each child according to their needs I recommend
Submitted by other on May 06, 2014

The P.E. field is actually not in the parking lot. The church next door allows Santa Fe to use their relatively large yard which can be accessed through a side door by the playground. It may not be perfect but better than a parking lot.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2014

There is a lot of room for improvement. Having a child who attends this school I can tell where all of these reviews are coming from. Some teachers are gems, others are forgettable. As a whole the school on the outside seems great but is actually very fast paced at everything they do and lacks organization. Its not like how school was when I was little where parents had a growing relationship with the staff and teachers. They offer PE class which has a very good teacher however it is a parking lot which doubles as the PE field. That's not the fault of the teachers because this school shouldn't have been built were it is. The principal has a strong character. It may rub people the wrong way at times. Speaking to her personally I can say that she is helpful and interested in every child in that school. However, it truly is her way or none at all. I didn't like that and it seems its not open for discussion no matter what. A few teachers also seem to share that demeanor but most of them don't. Overall, its not bad its just not as good as it could and should be. One more thing, stop asking for money and focus on the education and character building. Thank you
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2014

Some people have good experiences with their child's school and others don't. I totally understand the parents having an unpleasant experience. My child will not be attending next year and I'm thankful. As for the parents having a good experience that's great for them. Eventually they will have run ins with an unprofessional and rude principal as Santa Fe's. And I'm sure the parents giving 5 stars are those in the parent clique or a staff posing as a parent just to help out the school rating. As for the 'religious' teaching (holidays) at school, that should be kept separate and at home, not in a school setting. That's not being ignorant.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2014

I could not read and not post. Santa Fe Advantage Academy is a school of choice. I chose it because it's a small school, everybody knows everybody, parents are very friendly, and teachers are accessible. They send flyers galore, they send reminders by text, e-mails, you name it! I am happy with the teachers, their family ambiance. My child is happy, loves his school, teachers, Principal. If my child is happy, I am happy. Yes, there have been time that they have said "no, we don't need more help for now" but that is because they honestly don't, with so many parents trying to serve they have to say no at some point. In my opinion and experience teachers and Principal work very hard to be sensitive to the children's needs and well-being not only educational but emotional and social as well. I may not agree with certain things, but, such is life, it will not bend to my needs, if I don't like something I either change it (if I can) or accept it and make the best of it or move on to hopefully better places and people. For now, my child and I will stay where we are loved.
Submitted by teacher on April 24, 2014

I would like to respectfully disagree with the parent who made the negative comments as to SFA. As a staff member since it's opening, SFA has prided themselves as a top school in academics and parental involvement. Behavior notifications are simply that, notifications to a parent about an action that was not acceptable. Those forms do not change the child's grades! As to parent participation, parents are encouraged to attend as many events possible. Unfortunately, some events are limited to a certain number of participants, therefore we make all attempts to give everyone an opportunity to attend by taking turns. Times have changed and one of our top priorities is the safety of our students, this means, at times we are forced to limit the number of non-school personnel on campus. We are very respectful of all religious beliefs/cultures and do not teach "religion". As a Florida Public Charter School, we must follow the State's curriculum, including teaching about different cultures. We strive on making every student, parent, and visitor feel like an integral member of our Mustang Family. I am proud of all we have accomplished thus far, and look forward to many more years at SFA.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2014

My child has been at Santa Fe since they opened in 2011. I have been extremely happy with the teachers and staff. My child WANTS to come to school every day. He is excited about all the activities they do in class with his wonderful teachers. Every week there is a science lab and a hands on math activities that engages my son and it is all he talks about. He absolutely LOVES science and math now. I have seen him flourish in not only academics, but social skills and he has become more responsible and independent. I couldn't be happier at Santa Fe.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2014

I am a parent at Santa Fe Advantage Academy and when I read the review from the other parent, I had to respond because I completely disagree. I receive notifications all the time to remind us of school policies and to encourage us as parents to get involve and volunteer for school functions. Also, in regards to religious beliefs SFA teachers are respectful and have allowed my child to complete activities that are similar but do not disrespect our beliefs. For example, my son completed a spring basket with flowers while other students in the class used eggs with the basket. Also, the teachers taught many types of religions from around the world during the winter holidays so my child learned about places and things from around the world. The principal Mrs. Cantillo is a warm and welcoming person, who greets each of her families by name and I leave each morning knowing my child is in good hands. His teachers are always quick to respond to emails and notes I write in the agenda. I will continue to support Santa Fe Academy as I have for the last three years.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2014

I am surprised by the possition from the other parent. My child has kids from many diffrent religions and they have always respect that and never have they shown any difference. If by teaching religion they mean learning about different traditions such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, it is not a religious perspective but a point of view on traditions. They are teaching the kids how the world is different and that only promotes respect. Knowledge is a tool; ignorance is the reason for so much hatred in the world. My kids love the school. They feel safe and loved. The school still needs some organization, but it is indeed a new school and the good things outshine the little small details that are not perfect. They care and treat every kid with respect, care, and love!!!
Submitted by parent on April 23, 2014

My child attends Santa Fe academy and I cannot wait until this year is over. The review about the principal's attitude, 'it's my way or the highway' is spot on. They are super disorganized. Report cards are given late, notifications for assignments are last minute, parents have to scramble at the last minute to do projects. Oh, but to ask for money they are on time! It's been a mess since the first day. They don't have your usual music classes or a proper P.E. field either. I do t know why they got a four star rating.
Submitted by parent on April 23, 2014

My child is a student at Santa fe advantage academy. They say their pink slips and violation notices are ways of communication to the parents but every notification affects the child's grade. They do not let parents be present in most activities, you have to be chosen by the teacher or staff to be present. They are also not respectful to different religious beliefs. A school should not be teaching anything religious as part if their curriculum. And a parent should have the right to choose whether their child should participate in a religious activity or not and they should provide alternate assignments if a parent does not want their child learning something religious they are teaching. The child should not be penalized for it with an incomplete or bad grade. The principal is not professional. I do have to say though that Nanette Hernandez, her assistant is wonderful, professional and helpful.