HOBBS, N.M. — The original Southern Heights Elementary School was a one story building that served generations of students for nearly 70 years. On Tuesday, leaders of Hobbs Municipal Schools, some New Mexico State representatives, community members and students alike witnessed the ribbon cutting ceremony that symbolized the new Southern Heights Elementary School is reaching the final stages of completion.
Back in 2019, a voter-approved bond election gave Hobbs Municipal Schools the green light to replace the original Southern Heights Elementary School. Half of the $30 million bond went towards funding this project. According to Gene Strickland, the Hobbs Municipal Schools superintendent, the State of New Mexico also helped fund 46% of the project while the rest was fulfilled through the bond election.
The new two-story building is about 20,000 square feet larger than the former one, and sits just feet away from where the former one used to be.
"What the building itself will do is it will allow the students of Southern Heights today and in the future to be better equipped for that future that is uniquely theirs," said Superintendent Strickland.
Southern Heights Elementary School Principal Diana Salinas attended school at the original facility.
"We now have more up to date furniture and technology, and then our playground equipment as well," Salinas said. "Our parking has expanded some and so we have the pickup and drop off lane at the back of the school. I think parents appreciate that as well."
The school currently serves nearly 500 students. According to Salinas, she anticipates the rate of students at the new Southern Heights Elementary School to grow because of recent introduction of Pre-K at the facility.
Some of the items that remain on the checklist include two playgrounds that remain under construction and the road from the west side of the building to the east side where parents will soon be able to drop off students.
Salinas said the land where the original Southern Heights Elementary School stood before will now be replaced with a football/soccer field. All of the mentioned areas are expected to be completed during this summer and up and running when school starts on August 1, 2024.
"As with all of our campuses in town, those campuses become hubs for the communities that live around there and where the kids go to school. Southern Heights will continue to be that hub," Superintendent Strickland said. "Our playgrounds will be available for the community. We look forward to to hearing future stories of our [students] that persevere through grit and determination to succeed in their in their chosen field and their chosen career within our society."