American Heart Association
Through our physical education program, Sunset Mesa's elementary grade students participate in Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart , alternating from year to year. Since Mrs. Hinman, our PE Instructor, has been at Sunset Mesa the school has raised over $40,000 to help fight strokes and heart disease.

Run for the Zoo
SMS strongly supports Run for the Zoo as a family fitness event that occurs annually on the first Sunday in May. Sunset Mesa has won the Participation Award for the private school category for 12 consecutive years, raising thousands of dollars to benefit the Rio Grande Zoo. See this years news..... Run for the Zoo 2008


Scouting
We have many Cub Scout and Girl Scout troops at Sunset Mesa, all of which are very active in service projects. The SMS Girl Scout troops collect over 2000 used books each year to give to children in need throughout the Albuquerque community. The Cub Scouts are active in helping SMS recycle cans and paper.


Gift Drive for Nursing Home Residents
Our fourth grade students collect new items and raise money to purchase items for residents of local nursing homes. Once the money is raised, the students plan and purchase the gifts as part of a study in economics.


“Canned” Art Exhibit
Using cans as the theme and motif, the students created artwork depicting anything and everything that could possibly come in cans. We collected canned goods as our admission fee to the exhibit and donated them to the Rescue Mission and the Albuquerque Christian Children's Home.


“Old Dogs and Children: Valuing Age” Art Exhibit
Sunset Mesa elementary students designed and created artwork using, as their inspiration, dogs from old cartoons and television that don't age the way people do. They also created sculptures and drawings of the elderly in our lives and society, and what they have taught us. As our entry fee we collected personal items for local nursing care facilities and Casa Angelica.


Kindergarten Partner School Project
SMS kindergarten students, in lieu of a holiday gift exchange, bring in scarves, hats, mittens and school supplies to send to another kindergarten class in Clovis, NM.



Children's Grief Center
Sunset Mesa provides a location and other support for the Children's Grief Center of New Mexico. Children's Grief Center offers peer-support groups for children who have lost a loved one to death. For more information, please visit www.childrensgrief.org.



Toy Drive
The Sunset Mesa Parent Association holds an annual toy drive to collect new and gently used toys to donate to local charities. This event has been very successful and the toy contributions have been gratefully received by organizations such as: Christina Kent Day Nursery, All Faiths Receiving Home, Joy Junction and the Albuquerque Police Department.

Parent Association
Established 2003 Sunset Mesa Schools has an established parent organization known as the Sunset Mesa Parent Association (SMPA). This organization was created by parents to support the teachers and staff at Sunset Mesa and to build a strong parent community.

Our school programs are enhanced by the additional parent time and support that the SMPA provides to the Sunset Mesa community. Some of the major contributions include the SMPA’s outpouring of teacher support and appreciation and helping to make our newest families feel a part of our school community.

All parents are welcome to participate in any of the various SMPA committees. All our committees gladly welcome anyone’s involvement at any time during the year. Please contact any SMPA officer or committee chairperson. Their information can be provided by the north or south campus office.

SMPA Committees
Community Building: Community Building helps design functions, including various fundraisers, for parents to interact with other parents, i.e. book club, toy drive

Hospitality:
Hospitality coordinates back to school get-togethers, open houses, and first day coffees School Telephone Directory: Publication that provides a central location for information regarding the students, faculty and our school.

Events Planning:
Events Planning works with SMS Administration to coordinate parent volunteers for school events, i.e. Fall Get Together and Spring About Teacher Appreciation, north campus and south campus: Plans events to recognize teachers and staff for their commitment to educating our children.

Yearbook:
Organizes and publishes the annual school yearbook.

Teacher Assistance:
Teacher Assistance provides organized help to teachers for various school projects.

Newsletter:
Publication of the SMPA_Newsletter is done quarterly to inform families of all the activities taking place throughout the year.