9-03-2024 12:00am

Construction Begins on New Holloman Middle School

Chris Edwards Editor

The Alamogordo Public School system announced that the construction of new Holloman Middle School is officially starting. Work will begin on Tuesday September 3rd, 2024 with the installation of fencing marking the construction zone.

Due to the fencing, students will not be able to walk across the football field or next to Holloman Elementary School. To ensure the safety of students they will need to use alternative routes to enter Holloman Middle School.

The diagram below outlines the fenced area with a blue line and alternative pathways with black arrows.

Safety remains a top priority. All emergency exits will remain accessible, and in case of an emergency, the red arrows on the diagram indicate the designated exit routes for students.

Per an APS news release, "while the sudden change may present some initial challenges, the APS leadership is pleased to share some exciting new additions. The blue area on the diagram will be transformed into a new outdoor recess space for HMS students. This area will feature basketball half-courts, tetherball, shaded benches and chairs, and sand volleyball!

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we embark on this exciting phase."

Alamogordo Public Schools (APS) celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Holloman Middle School on Holloman Air Force Base, on Monday, July 29th, 2024 and now work is beginning.

The new Holloman Middle School is part of a $59 million grant awarded by the Department of Defense's Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC), as announced on January 11, 2023 and negotiated under the previous school board who at the time was under the leadership of APS School Board Chairwoman Judy Rabin and then, interim Superintendent Pamela Rentería (who is still on ongoing paid administrative suspension pending an ongoing investigation.)

This funding is the Federal share of a larger $86,278,937 project aimed at replacing both Holloman Elementary and Middle Schools on Holloman Air Force Base.

As a part of that effort under Mrs Rabins leadership as board president, the APS board and HAFB leadership in August 2022 invited Senator Luján to visit with the 49th Air Wing Commander to discuss the capabilities and mission sets of Holloman and the need for financial support for a school upgrade. During that visit, the Senator discussed the infrastructure needs of the schools on Holloman Air Force Base. In December it was announced that Senator Luján delivered over $273 million in investments for 146 local projects across New Mexico through the Omnibus Spending Bill that President Biden signed into law.

“For too long, service members have had to consider whether to geographically separate from their families to accept an assignment at Holloman. The nearly $60 million to the Alamogordo School District from DoD will not only vastly improve the lives of these children and set them up for future success, but will provide peace of mind to the airmen and airwomen living at Holloman. As a member of the HELP Committee, I’ve prioritized investments in our children and the teachers that support their learning, and will continue to do so,” said Senator Luján.

In remarks from July, 2024 Col. Ethridge, Holloman Air Force Base Commander, emphasized the importance of the community’s investment in education, stating, “The quality of schools and the quality of education shows how much a community cares about its future because our children are our future, and if we don't continuously work to develop our kids and give them a future, we're not really working to make our community better. What I've seen here really shows how much this community cares about continuing to improve itself and to give our children better options for the future and a better education.”

According to the leadership that was associated wirh the planning and grant application process to garner the funding which was facilitated in 2022 and 2023: "The innovative design of the new Holloman Middle School will create a cohesive K-8 campus by tying it to the existing Elementary school campus. This campus will enable the sharing of resources and space, fostering a more integrated and efficient educational environment. The planning process has been meticulous, involving close collaboration with staff to ensure the creation of a modern school with abundant flexible and collaborative spaces. This attention to detail underscores the district's commitment to providing an outstanding learning environment for all students."

Holloman Middle is ranked #5 in New Mexico Middle Schools. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school per US News and World Report Rankings. U.S. News analyzed 103,099 pre-K, elementary and middle schools for 2024.