ABOUT US
Head of School Julianne Puente

Julianne Puente grew up in Yonkers, New York, and is the granddaughter of musician Tito Puente. She shares with him a love of music, playing both the drums and guitar. She is also an athlete who has coached school teams throughout her career in education. She cherishes afternoons at a field, gym, pool, track, or court, watching her students compete, and appreciates the power that team sports can have in shaping ethical and courageous young people as well as developing deep friendships.

Julianne graduated from the Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York, and credits much of her success as an educator to her relationships with the faculty at Hackley. At Cornell University, she received her bachelor of science degree from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, before returning to Hackley, where her former teachers enthusiastically welcomed her. She remained at Hackley School for 14 years in a variety of roles: kindergarten intern, history teacher, associate director of admissions, college counselor, dean, coach, and, finally, director of middle school student life. While working at Hackley, Julianne earned her master’s degree in American Studies from Columbia University.

In 2009, she was recruited by a colleague to work at a new school in Madaba-Manja, Jordan, known as the King’s Academy. Unintimidated by a challenge and a dramatic change of culture and eager for a new opportunity, Julianne took the position as deputy headmaster and dean of students at King’s. From writing handbooks and developing curriculum to establishing a shared culture among students from dramatically different backgrounds, she helped create a world-class school in the desert that serves children of royalty alongside those receiving financial assistance.

Impact on Albuquerque Academy

Julianne took on the role of head of school at Albuquerque Academy in July 2020 and immediately set to work on adapting the Academy educational experience to fit the requirements of COVID-19 restrictions. For the 2020-21 school year, the Academy switched from a quarter/semester system to trimesters, and students took just two classes per semester, limiting contacts when school was in person and reducing the chaos of a busy schedule when classes were online. She also immediately began creating optional, in-person extracurricular offerings.

In the years since, she has brought about a number of initiatives that will help the Academy embrace the future of education.

Introduced new daily schedule (classes meet every other day – more time for projects, labs, deep discussion; better-paced homework)
Changed graduation requirements to provide more flexibility so students have the ability to dive deeply into their passions
Has overseen the creation of dozens of new course options
With the Board of Trustees, school leadership, and input from all community members, created a strategic plan to take the school into 2025
Is a member of a group of leaders from independent secondary schools across the U.S. developing a written framework to help secondary schools support academic inquiry, expression, and viewpoint diversity in light of rising levels of partisan rancor and national polarization (read more)

Administration

Julianne Puente — Head of School
BS, Cornell University
MA, Columbia College, Columbia University

Christine Lenhart ’94 — Associate Head of School
BBA, University of Notre Dame
MEd, University of Notre Dame
PhD, University of New Mexico

Chris Dineen — 6-7 Division Head
BA, University of New Mexico
MA, Washington University in Saint Louis

Elizabeth Payne ’04 — 8-9 Division Head
BA, University of New Mexico
MBA, University of New Mexico

David Kim—10-12 Division Head
BA, Colorado College
MS, University of Arizona

Shawn Ricketts —Chief Financial and Operations Officer
BBA, New Mexico State University
MBA, University of New Mexico

Amy Eglinton Keller — Director of External Relations
BA, University of Notre Dame
MPH, Emory University

To contact the head of school, please send an email or call (505) 828-3201.

In Her Words

Julianne Puente hosts a monthly podcast, What I Learned in School, where she discusses topics in education, and regularly addresses our community about important issues.

Why Going to School Matters: An Email to Parents (September 2025)

Dear parents and guardians,

I am writing to you today about a topic that feels more urgent than ever: Why Going to School Matters.

One of the things that makes the Academy so special is the way we learn with and from one another. A conversation, a question, or even the energy a student brings into the room can change the direction of a class. Curiosity, conversation, and connection are not things that can be downloaded or made up later — they happen in real time, on campus, with real people. That’s why being present — on time, every day — is one of the most important commitments we can make to one another.

In my World Religions class, I see every day how much is lost when students aren’t fully present. Last year, out of 42 class meetings, only 21 began with every student on time and in their seat. This isn’t just my classroom’s challenge — it reflects a broader trend across the Academy, where class and daily attendance have been steadily declining over the past five years, and across our state, where poor student outcomes are tied to absenteeism. Last year, the Academy experienced 24 days where we had more than 100 students absent for the full day and eight days where over 125 students were absent for the full day. These stats do not include students who missed any portion of those days. (If we included those numbers, we would have as many as 280+ students missing for a given block.)

I am not saying students should come to school when they are sick, and I am not saying they should forgo an opportunity to see a doctor because the only time an appointment could be secured conflicts with a class. What I am saying is that when students are not in school, the impact is real, and the shared learning we might build together simply doesn’t happen. As a teacher, I post readings, assignments, and guiding questions on Canvas, but no amount of online preparation can replace the time spent in class wrestling with essential questions. Topics like “How does a soul attain moksha in Hinduism?” cannot be reduced to a quick hallway exchange or even an extra help session — these questions demand the presence, attention, and patience of a full conversation. Absence is more than missing content; students miss the opportunity to listen, to contribute, and to witness the unfolding of thought that only happens in community.

I’ll admit — it feels strange to be writing this to a community like ours. We have brilliant students, dedicated families, and faculty who are deeply committed to their craft and discipline. One would think the importance of attending school is so obvious that it doesn’t need to be said. And yet, here we are, because this is now one of the most pressing issues we face. So, I’d like to share my thoughts about why showing up every day to school is more essential than ever. I ask you to read them, reflect on them, and share them with your children.

Why Going to School Matters

Learning happens in the moment. School is not just about collecting information — it’s about being present for the experiences, discussions, and discoveries that unfold in real time. While teachers are more than willing to meet outside of class, those sessions cannot recreate what actually happened in the room: the questions that arose in the moment, the give-and-take of dialogue, and the shared insights that emerged only because people were present and engaging together.
Every student’s presence shapes the class. School isn’t just about what a student takes; it’s also about what they give. Each student’s ideas, questions, and energy make the class richer for everyone else. When a student is absent, it isn’t only their own learning that suffers — the whole class loses the valuable opportunity to learn from their unique perspective.
Habits matter. School is not just about today — it’s about the patterns you set for tomorrow. Showing up on time, every day, builds responsibility, resilience, and a sense of shared commitment. These habits are not small — they are the foundation of success in college, work, and life.
AI makes face-to-face writing instruction essential. In a world where AI can generate a passable essay in seconds, the teaching of writing has fundamentally changed. While the classroom is not the only place you can learn to write, it has become the most vital space for developing student voice. AI makes learning to write well much harder. Teachers were never grading simply for grammar and structure; we have always focused on critical thinking and clear, precise, nuanced expression of that thinking. Our mission has always been to move beyond simply assigning papers and into the deeper work of teaching students to be detectives of language, to engage in the essential work of close reading and rigorous analysis — skills no machine can replicate. The human interaction of the classroom is the only place these skills are truly developed, debated, and refined. When a student is absent, they miss the chance for a one-on-one conference with a teacher, the spontaneous peer feedback, and the dynamic class discussion that pushes their thinking and their writing in a new direction. As AI becomes more powerful, it makes in-person engagement with writing more valuable, not less.

I know absences aren’t taken lightly. Families make decisions with care, and the reasons often feel valid and even are valid. But even the most understandable absence carries a cost that no amount of makeup work can remedy. The reality is that an “excused” absence doesn’t mean a student isn’t missing something critical. It only means the absence is sanctioned. The loss of in-person learning, however, remains. This is true even for school-related absences. We celebrate extracurriculars, travel, and the many rich opportunities our students experience outside of class. They matter deeply. And the reason this school exists is the learning that happens in classrooms, in the moment, with one another. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the understanding that a student at a debate competition or on a soccer pitch is still missing the unique, in-person lesson from their teacher and the rich experience of learning with their classmates.

The Academy’s expectations are clear: If your child misses an assessment, it must be completed before the next class meets. But beyond assignments, I am asking us to make daily attendance a shared priority. We’re a community, and when your child chooses to be here, they show up for their classmates, their teachers, and themselves. This commitment extends to the full school day. Learning happens on the Path, in the dining room, in the hallways, and during assembly. Please remember that all students in grades 6-11 are expected to remain on campus for the entire school day, even if they have a free period. To support this, we ask that you do not sign your child out during a free period unless it is absolutely necessary.

Thank you for helping us re-create a culture where being present — fully present — is the norm. Our students’ presence matters. Their absence is felt. The best gift we can give one another is to show up, every day, ready to learn together.

I look forward to seeing you… on campus!

With appreciation and urgency,

Julianne Puente
Head of School

Parent Responses

“This resonates. In-person learning is irreplaceable, especially as technology reshapes how we work and think.” ~Kirsten, parent of a 6th grader

“Exactly the reason we chose the Academy… the ability to send our children here is the most meaningful and important thing.” ~Katie, parent of a 6th grader

“Thank you for continuing to hold our community to a high standard. Thank you for calling out long-term trends and patterns that don’t serve our students. Thank you for letting us know what’s on your mind.” ~Sarah, parent of an 8th grader

Marking Time with Music: Convocation 2025

This year’s convocation celebrated the school’s 70th anniversary with a musical journey through time and featured seven songs, performed by Academy faculty, creating what Julianne Puente called a “sonic timeline.” Music, she said, not only marks moments in history but also carries deeply personal memories of friendship, growth, and belonging.

Learning to Let Go: Commencement 2025

Julianne Puente’s commencement remarks included details from a schoolwide cleanout earlier in the year, when over 300 faculty and staff unearthed decades of forgotten items. “It was funny. It was messy. But it was also revealing,” said Julianne. “Because it showed us just how hard it is to let go of things that once mattered. Even if they’re gathering dust.”

Freedom of Expression: Convocation 2024

Starting the school year alongside a heated presidential campaign season, Julianne Puente focused on the freedom of speech and its role at the Academy. Free speech, she stressed, must be paired with the responsibility to listen. “With freedom of speech comes the responsibility to listen.”

Putting Away Our Phones: An Email to Students and Parents (Summer 2024)

Dear Albuquerque Academy parents, guardians, and students,

As you might recall, we recently surveyed parents and faculty regarding the potential decision to prohibit cell phone use during the school day. We collected 535 responses from parents, and 79% indicated that they either agreed or strongly agreed with the potential decision to prohibit cell phone use during the school day.

Chart 1: Parent Responses by Grade Level

Chart 2: Parent Opinion Regarding Potential Cell Phone Ban

Of the 117 teachers who replied to their respective survey, 80% supported a school-wide policy prohibiting cell phone use during the school day.

Chart 3: Faculty Support of School-Wide Cell Phone Ban

The Academy survey results align with what other public and independent schools are finding across the country. The growing support for cell phone bans in schools may be due in part to studies that show a correlation between the increased time students spend on their phones and higher rates of anxiety, depression, and mental illness in teens and young adults nationwide. Over the past decade, social media platforms have become addictive, with features designed to keep users engaged longer. By 2015, most American teenagers had smartphones, and nearly every indicator of youth wellness worsened, including increased rates of loneliness and isolation.

The Academy is not immune to these trends, as observed through our direct work with students (and their families) struggling with varying levels of anxiety and depression and confirmed by the data collected through the Authentic Connections survey last year when we asked all students in grades 6-12 to answer a comprehensive set of holistic questions regarding their well-being and sense of school connection. Charts 4 and 5 referenced in this letter come from the data we compiled through the survey. We intend to make the Academy a respite from the negative influence brought about by constant cell phone use by our students.

At the Academy, we have witnessed how cell phone use has prevented socialization and interpersonal connection among our students. In speaking with long-time Academy teachers about what’s changed most at the Academy in recent decades, they often mention cell phone use and that students are not talking to one another as they used to. This anecdotal evidence was confirmed in the Authentic Connections data, where 20% of our students reported feeling lonely and 33% said they do not rely on friends for emotional support. This is fueling an environment of disconnection, and we believe more face-to-face time can improve and strengthen their social bonds. A cell phone ban during the school day should be seen as restoring critical interactions that our students missed – to their lasting detriment – during our COVID closures and that have been further exacerbated by constant cell phone use on campus.

When surveyed, 77% of the Academy teachers described cell phones as a distraction preventing learning and disrupting their classrooms. (Only 3.4% of faculty responded that they found cell phones positively impacted the learning environment of their classrooms.) Despite existing rules and expectations regarding cell phone use at the Academy, we know most students use their phones during school. In the data we collected from Authentic Connections, we found that our students are on their phones during the day in ways that are detrimental to their learning and social interaction. See Chart 4 below.

Chart 4: Hours Spent on Screens as Reported by Academy Students

A study by Common Sense Media found that 97% of kids aged 11-17 use their phones during school hours.

Academy students are in line with these findings; more than 60% of our students reported that they engage with social media platforms for two or more hours per day (see Chart 5). We believe that this underscores the urgent reality that our current cell phone policies are ineffective and must be significantly altered.

Chart 5: Hours Spent on Social Media as Reported by Academy Students

After analyzing the survey data from faculty and parents and considering our observations as school administrators, there seems to be broad agreement among faculty and parents that the Academy should ban student cell phones during the school day. Starting on August 15, the Academy will implement new guidelines for cell phone use among students in grades 6-12. These guidelines aim to foster interpersonal connections and minimize unnecessary distractions. The expectations are as follows:

Cell phones, wireless earbuds/headphones, smartwatches, and all handheld smart devices must be TURNED OFF when entering the school campus and may not be used from 7:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. while school is in session. This means cell phones, wireless earbuds/headphones, smartwatches, and all handheld smart devices are not allowed to be used anywhere on campus, such as classrooms, the library, the quad, lockers, common areas, restrooms, or gyms. (Wired headphones are allowed.)
Cell phones, wireless earbuds/headphones, smartwatches, and handheld smart devices must be kept in a student’s backpack or locker, not on the student’s person.
Cell phones, wireless earbuds/headphones, smartwatches, and all handheld smart devices can be turned back on at the end of the school day (3:30 p.m.).
If students need to make an emergency call during the day, they should visit their respective divisional office.
Should parents or guardians need to reach their student during the school day, they can contact their respective divisional office, and we will give the student the message and provide a landline they can use to reach their parent/guardian if necessary.

As we considered some of the varied perspectives that parents and faculty brought to the discussion, we came to the conclusion that we still feel that the new policy will benefit students greatly. Some parents, for example, argued that cell phones are an important tool for introverted students. We counter that students struggling with being social are allowed to retreat into their devices between classes and then never work on their communication skills.

We are aware that some teachers may want their students to use their phones as computers. While we understand, as teachers ourselves, that this may be more convenient at times, we believe it is better to let students use a computer than to have a phone because apps and notifications constantly serve as distractions. Research tells us that even one cell phone notification increases a student’s cognitive load, divides attention, and impedes learning. Also, non-sanctioned screen time on laptop computers is much easier to control and monitor than trying to do so with cell phones.

A few teachers and parents wrote that students need to learn how to manage cell phone use and should control their impulse to check their phones during the school day. We know that the frontal lobe of the teenage brain is not fully developed. Expecting students to understand how to manage their phone use sets them up for failure. We will help them better manage impulse control by providing guidance, setting clear boundaries, and creating a supportive environment that prioritizes in-person connection and relationship building.

We believe these expectations will create a healthier learning environment, keeping students focused and engaged, and we believe this will aid in their development of critical social skills.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Sincerely,