Eagles Nest

Zia Elementary School

Zia Demographics

Zia Elementary School is a school of approximately 480 students from pre-school through fifth grade. It is located in the heart of Albuquerque, New Mexico midway between the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico State Fairgrounds and approximately 50 miles southeast of Zia Pueblo from which the school gets its name. 

Physically, Zia consists of an original brick building built in 1949 with an east and west wing; a later brick addition with a breezeway that houses several lower-grade classrooms and the office; a newly built cafeteria, ten portable classrooms that ring the playground; the Family Focus Center and Multi-Purpose building built in 1995, with its "Generations" mural designed and produced by local artist Lark Lucas and the students, parents and staff of Zia; and the new kindergarten building completed in 2002.

A new structure for the cafeteria and kitchen was completed in early 2007. Just south of Zia and connected to our playground is an enormous park full of cool green grass and tall shady trees which Zia shares with the City of Albuquerque Parks Department. Located between the east and west wings of the original building is our xeriscaped Outdoor Classroom which includes dozens of native plants, picnic tables, shady ramadas, tall cottonwoods, an amphitheatre on a small, grassy hill, and one of the most beautiful murals in the Land of Enchantment designed and painted by the students, parents and staff of Zia Elementary under the expert guidance of artist Ken Wolverton of nearby Cerrillos, New Mexico.

In human terms, Zia is a diverse school. It includes students from a variety of ethnic groups, home languages and family incomes and educational levels. Zia is an inclusive school, which means we accept students of all abilities and capabilities, including and especially the visually impaired, and those with other special physical and educational needs. At Zia you will find students from many different states as well as from many foreign countries including Mexico, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Russia, Germany and Costa Rica. You will also find students from several neighboring Pueblos and the Navajo and Hopi nations.

Please feel free to visit our pages and learn more about our school and its students, families and teachers, which we believe are second to none in the Great Land of Enchantment.