SANDIA PARK, N.M. — East Mountain school broke ground today on a major campus expansion to add a middle school program that will initially serve 90 new sixth graders next year. The construction project, which will ultimately create a full grades 6-12 campus, is designed to provide a more predictable and seamless educational pathway for families in the East Mountains.
Executive Director Trey Smith noted that recent high school freshman classes have included students from 29 different middle schools, prompting the administration to close the gap and align younger students with the school’s culture and inquiry-based curriculum. “This expansion represents an investment in opportunity and a commitment to ensuring more students have access to the educational experience that has made East Mountain successful,” Smith said.
While the exact total cost of the expansion was not disclosed, Smith said the project was made possible by financial support from several community partners and lawmakers. Funding for the new building includes a $1 million capital contribution from Gov. Lujan Grisham, as well as capital outlay funds from state Sen. Anthony Thornton and state Rep. Stephanie Lord, and support from the nonprofit Excellent Schools New Mexico. The fully completed campus is expected to be ready the year after next.