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Hobbs Schools board hears detailed update on two new middle school projects
Summary
District staff and designers updated the Hobbs Municipal Schools board on the design, schedule and early construction steps for a new middle school campus and the Hauser project, including a March earthwork start tied to PSFA and PSCOC approvals and a projected 2027 opening.
HOBBS — Hobbs Municipal Schools staff and their architects and construction manager told the school board the district is moving from design into construction documents for two middle school projects and expects early earthwork to begin in March if state approvals proceed on schedule.
The update, presented to the board as the design phase wraps, outlined a two-track schedule that would send early work packages for earthwork and road design to the Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA) and the Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC) for January approval, enabling contractors to begin site work in March and full building construction in the summer. The presenters said both campuses are on track for turnover in spring 2027, allowing time for furniture and teacher move-in.
The board heard that the construction manager at-risk and the design team have been meeting weekly since August to refine details and to reduce construction time. The district said those conversations led to changes intended to speed bidding and construction without reducing quality, including shifting some exterior wall systems and reducing masonry in favor of metal stud framing where masons are scarce.
Design details reviewed included site layout, circulation and phasing: phase 1 builds the new school on the existing field, phase 2 demolishes the old elementary and builds athletic fields; the campus plan includes a bus loop and separate car queuing off Del Norte. The presentation noted a decision to keep the school kitchen as a warming kitchen rather than expanding to a “master kitchen,” a choice driven by cost and state adequacy standards. The designers showed interior plans that keep classroom neighborhoods with shared multi-user bathrooms, acoustic panels in circulation spaces and visibility from the library into a small outdoor courtyard.
Presenters emphasized coordination with academic departments — science, art, athletics — to confirm room layouts, storage, locker counts and furniture/data outlet placement. A room-data-sheet process will list finishes, flooring and outlet locations so users see those specifications before construction.
The presenters said exterior materials were adjusted after contractor input: the team compared metal paneling with EIFS and reported a roughly $900,000 price difference per school, prompting use of EIFS with brick at impact-prone lower walls. The board was shown renderings and a site access diagram at the intersection of Calle Grande and the future Del Norte. The district confirmed the design capacity is 775 students; the project was originally funded for 640 but was adjusted during the design process.
District next steps include finalizing construction documents in January, issuing those documents to the construction manager-at-risk, and seeking final PSCOC construction funding approval. Presenters said PSFA had given positive feedback in earlier reviews and that PSCOC approval remains the final funding milestone.
Board members asked clarification questions about capacity and finishes during the presentation; no formal action was taken during the update.
The board will revisit the projects as PSFA and PSCOC actions are scheduled and as construction documents are submitted for bidding and permitting.
