ACADEMICS
SOUTHWEST LEARNING CENTERS
Southwest Primary Learning Center is a small community setting for grades 4, 5 and 6. There is one fourth grade class, one fifth grade class and two sixth grade classes. It is similar to a traditional school setting where one teacher teaches all subject areas for fourth and fifth grade. All students get to participate in areas outside the core curriculum including media arts, crafts, music, and Smart Lab. Students have access to laptops to aid them in the curriculum. Every three weeks students go to the Albuquerque Public Library to access materials for classroom assignments. In sixth grade, students have one teacher for math and science and one teacher for language arts and social studies. The curriculum is highly academic and challenging for the students. Our school has met AYP every year and in many areas has had 100% of the students pass the New Mexico Standards Based Assessment. All of our teachers are highly-qualified in their areas of instruction, the majority of our staff is multi-certified, and our school is certified by the North Central Accreditation Association.
La Luz Del Monte Learning Center is a hybrid of a traditional classroom environment and the Main Lab environment. Students receive instruction in Language Arts, Math, Spanish, New Mexico History and PE in the traditional setting. However, students receive their American History, Life Science, and Earth Science using the online curriculum. The Smart Lab is an additional part of student’s curriculum where they receive instruction in learning and implementing a wide variety of software. All of our teachers are highly qualified in their areas of instruction and our school has been certified by the North Central Accreditation Association. The mission of La Luz Del Monte is to prepare students to become self-motivated, self-controlled, independent, competent lifelong learners, and productive members of society.
The Southwest Secondary Learning Center was the first technology-based charter school in New Mexico. Our emphasis is on content mastery, rather than seat time. The student, parents, and teacher work together to design an individual growth plan with individual curriculum for each student. Computers are used as tools for instruction. The curriculum is highly academic and challenging and students learn and utilize technology the way the rest of the world does every day. All of our teachers are highly-qualified in their areas of instruction, the majority of our staff is multi-lingual and multi-certified, and our schools are certified by the North Central Accreditation Association. The secondary school is certified as a college preparatory school. Our programs prepare students for more than just college. Students are prepared for whatever post-secondary pathway they choose.
The Southwest Secondary Learning Center has the largest number of successfully completed Dual-Enrollment Courses of all the high schools in the City of Albuquerque. The school boast that over 35% of all students in grades 9-12 are dual-enrolled in post secondary educational opportunities. The dual-enrollment programs at Central New Mexico Community College, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Tech, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have become an integral part of our school's academic program in terms of supporting our vision and purpose for highly successful life-long learners.
Southwest Secondary Learning Center is the first in New Mexico to offer Flight School to students. It consist of both ground school and actual flight instruction. The goal is to graduate students from the program with a pilot's license. The course will require a minimum of one night a week of ground school instruction and monthly flying time out of either Double Eagle II airport or the Albuquerque International Airport.
The cost associated with providing this opportunity to students is shared between the school and the student and his/her parents. Due to Federal Aviation Regulations, the program is restricted to students 15 years old or older. Students are required to be in "good standing" to be allowed to participate. Successful students earn 2 elective credits to be used towards graduation. Good standing is defined by the NMAA as a 2.0 GPA (adjusted for % complete), with a 90% attendance rate, and currently failing no more than one class.
Southwest Secondary Learning Center recently introduced a Video Production Course into the curriculum. The goals of the Video Production course are for students to show proficiency in video film production. All students will produce at least four videos of differing styles. Each student through the presentation of the completed videos will exhibit proficiency in the following categories of video production; scriptwriting, storyboarding, camera operation, lighting techniques, audio operations, CG generation and graphic design, producing, directing, news, reporting/television anchor, time management, teamwork and interpersonal communication skills, research, writing skills.
Students will master the use of the Live TV Production Studio equipment. The students will be required to complete each position of Producer, Director, Lighting and Sound Engineer, Camera Operator, Scriptwriter. Students will also produce a 5 to 10 minute live or tape delay news broadcast to be disseminated throughout the schools network of plasma displays, while simultaneously sending out a webcast of the news broadcast.