[1] The academy was founded in 2000 to provide a classical and technology-based approach to education in a public school setting.

The new facility is located in Rancho Viejo near the Institute of American Indian Arts, and was constructed on privately donated land.

The main building and the Phoenix Center, which hosts the cafeteria, kitchen and the Susan Lumley gymnasium, which was dedicated to the former principal in 2023.

Committees consisting of students, parents, and faculty members were created to weigh the benefits and detriments of the option, and the final decision was made by principal Odin Frostad, son of greg.

In the 2023/2024 school year, three 8th graders, Damian Garcia, Ayden Haynie, and Emily Busemeyer founded the Weekly Phoenix newspaper.

As an academic leader ATC offers Advanced Placement courses in subjects including English, Government, History, Math, Spanish, etc.

Cross-country at ATC trains on its beautiful course one of the finest in the state and hosts an annual preseason invitational each year for Santa Fe schools.

In 2007 ATC was selected as one of America's Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report, receiving a Bronze Medal.