Hobbs schools name new Del Norte Middle School; board hears progress on new campuses and discusses mill-levy timing

The Hobbs Municipal Schools Board of Education approved naming its newest campus Del Norte Middle School and received progress updates on several construction and facilities projects, including the district’s two new schools that staff said will total about 250,000 square feet between them.

District staff told the board that Del Norte Heights Inc. has provided roughly 22 acres in Hobbs for the campus site; board materials and staff comments said the donation and partnership met the district’s naming-policy requirements. The board voted — with a motion, a second and unanimous verbal assent — to name the new campus Del Norte Middle School. Representatives from Del Norte Heights who were listed in the meeting materials and present in the meeting included Maddie Mann and Tracy Coleman; other members named in materials were Ali Snyder and Scottie Holliman.

Facilities updates presented to the board included site work and foundation pours at two middle-school projects, air-conditioning and electrical- upgrade quotes for Taylor and Mills campuses, fire-alarm replacements at College Lane and Stone campuses, replacement of intercoms at Singer and Jefferson, completed summer parking repairs with striping underway, ordered classroom doors for Coronado, two practice fields east of the high school (Field 1 expected by Aug. 1; Field 2 about three weeks later), ongoing roofing inspections and the district’s plan to bring in an independent roofing observer after discrepancies arose with insurer/adjuster findings at some campuses. Staff also reported finishing freezer-door replacement and panel installation at the central kitchen, carpet and blinds replacements at several elementary schools, and security-camera updates in medically fragile classrooms.

The board approved the selection of Visions and Planning Inc. as the vendor that will undertake the district’s facility master-plan update; staff said the district begins facility master-plan work in year four so the new plan is ready by year five of the current plan.

Board members discussed the timeline for renewing or re-authorizing the district’s expiring mill levy. Staff explained the levy was approved in a prior special election and expires in December 2026; because general elections occur only in even-numbered years, the district must decide whether to put the question on the regular ballot in November 2025 (shared election costs) or pursue a special mail-ballot election in the summer of 2026 (district would incur 100% of costs). Staff said financial advisers and county election officials are coordinating the timeline; board members signaled support for placing the question on the November 2025 regular ballot to avoid the higher cost of a special election, if feasible.

Staff also provided personnel figures in the HR report: five classified hires since the June meeting, one certified hire who started the day of the meeting, one classified resignation and 10 certified resignations (several teacher hires listed with effective dates in May who subsequently resigned). The board was notified that staff professional learning begins July 31 and that the first day of school for students is scheduled for a few days later than last year; filing for two board seats is set for Aug. 26.

The board announced a groundbreaking planned for the new Del Norte Middle School site (a date in August was discussed; staff said details would be announced), and the board closed its meeting after routine adjournment motions.