HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Alamogordo Public Schools celebrated the official grand opening of their newest school, Holloman Elementary, with a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan.17, 2023.
The new school was designed to accommodate over 500 students from pre-K to 5th grade and will be the official replacement for the current school on base.
“The new Holloman Elementary School shows how invested the community and our base are in improving our children's education,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Justin Spears, 49th Wing commander. “The architectural design is unique in that it captures the essence of our air power and truly honors the men and women in service.”
With approximately one-third of its student population being military children, Holloman Elementary will provide additional resources including embedded family life counselors and peer-to-peer programs.
“A typical military child moves between 6 and 9 times in their K-12 career, often impacting their academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being,” said Spears. “Starting a new school can be intimidating and scary, however, knowing the new school has staff and students who are familiar with the challenges of this highly-mobile lifestyle is often an immediate stress reliever.”
Although construction took a total of 21 months, the journey to the grand opening of Holloman Elementary School was a coordinated effort with military and civilian communities working together to advocate for the students.
More than 500 workers and four local subcontractors participated in the project, giving students from both the Holloman and Alamogordo communities a new, modern learning environment.
“There are so many people to thank for this wonderful school: the citizens of Otero County, the State of New Mexico, Holloman Air Force Base, past school board members and superintendents, and our incredible APS staff,” said Judy Rabon, Alamogordo Public Schools Board President. “It's so exciting to open this beautiful new school and to think about all the thousands of students that will grow and learn here.”