Native American Community Academy facts for kids
Native American Community Academy (NACA) is a special kind of public school called a charter school. It teaches students from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade (K-12). You can find NACA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States.
NACA focuses on education that respects and includes Native American cultures and traditions. It aims to help all students succeed in school and in life.
How NACA Started
NACA first opened its doors in 2006. Back then, it was a school for students in grades 6 through 12. The younger students, from grades 6 to 10, had their classes in temporary buildings. These buildings were located at Wilson Middle School.
Older students, in grades 11 and 12, went to classes at the University of New Mexico School of Law. School buses would take all students to Wilson Middle School. From there, the older students would travel to the university building.
A New Home for NACA
In 2013, NACA found a new, permanent home. All students moved to Building 232 of the former Albuquerque Indian School. This building was also known as the Employees' New Dormitory and Club. It was the only building left from the old school campus.
NACA worked to keep the outside of this historic building looking the same. At that time, the school expected to have about 380 students. NACA also planned to add younger elementary grades in the future.
Growing the School Family
On July 21, 2014, NACA helped start a new group of charter schools. These schools focus on Native American education. The first school in this new network was Dream Diné Charter School. It opened in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Who Goes to NACA?
As of 2021, Native American students at NACA came from more than 60 different tribes. This shows how diverse and rich the school community is! NACA also welcomes students who are not Native American.
