Kha'p'o Community School Explained

Kha'p'o Community School, formerly known as the Santa Clara Day School, is a tribal elementary school^[1] in Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico, with an Española postal address.^[2] It is affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).

Located in proximity to Espanola, it was formerly directly operated by the BIE.^[3] In 1990 it had the highest number of students of the three Native American schools in the northern "pueblos" of New Mexico.^[4]

History

In 1987 the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredited the school.^[5]

In 1991 a bill was filed in the New Mexico Legislature in honor of the school's achievements.^[6]

A NACA-Inspired Schools Network-spearheaded change, partly done to ensure students kept fluency in the Tewa language, meant that in 2016 it became operated by a tribe, and it gained its current name.^[3]

Operations

After completing education at Kha'p'o, students typically go to Pojoaque Valley School District facilities.^[7]

Further reading

• Book: Swentzell, R.. Conflicting Landscape Values: Santa Clara Pueblo and Day School. V. B. Price. B. H. Morrow. Canyon Gardens: The Ancient Pueblo Landscapes of American Southwest.. Albuquerque, New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press. 2006. 125-132.

External links

• Kha'p'o Community School

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kha'p'o Community School. National Center for Education Statistics. 2023-03-16.
2. Web site: Contact Us. Kha'p'o Community School. 2023-03-16. Kha'p'o Community School 625 Kee Street Espanola, NM 87532. - While the address says "Espanola", the school is in Santa Clara Pueblo (see US Census Bureau map for 2020)
3. Web site: Todd. Leah. Native schools move forward by looking to the past. High Country News. 2016-10-08. 2023-03-15. - See also at Santa Fe New Mexican.
4. News: Tsoodle. Pat. Pueblo School Makes First Cut in National Competition. Rio Grande Sun. Española, New Mexico. 1990-03-29. B3. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
5. News: Santa Clara Day School granted national credentials. The Santa Fe New Mexican. Santa Fe, New Mexico. 1987-05-14. A-9. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
6. News: Bill Honors Pueblo Day School. Rio Grande Sun. Española, New Mexico. 1991-02-14. A8. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
7. Web site: INDIAN EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO, 2025. University of New Mexico. 79 (PDF p. 85/183). - Refers to the school as "Santa Clara"