Named after Admiral W. T. Sampson, USN, who during the Spanish–American War headed the U.S. Fleet that operated in the water surrounding Cuba.

[8] During the Cuban Missile Crisis students were evacuated to the mainland United States.

[9] In 1976 the school was incorporated into the United States Department of Defense Education Activity and was no longer directly operated by the Navy.

Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald characterized the new Sampson as "one of the world’s priciest schools".

[11] The company that built the school was Munilla Construction Management LLC, a Cuban American concern based in Miami.

[3] Students of the DODEA school system are subject to two assessment standards to measure academic performance.

"DoDEA students scored substantially higher than the national average (50th percentile) in all subject areas.

The school has an Information Center, one full-size computer lab, Internet access in all classrooms, and a gymnasium.