Alamogordo Public Schools

The first school in the city opened in 1898, originally using a tent, although the school district itself was organized in 1914. The district considers 1898 as its year of establishment. Enrollment around World War II increased with the opening of Alamogordo Army Air Field (now Holloman Air Force Base), causing a previously stable student population to increase. In 1947 it had 1,500 students and 53 teachers. In 1949 Alamogordo High School began admitting African-American students, and by 1951 the school district was racially integrated. On July 1, 1959 the following school areas consolidated into Alamogordo schools: Cienega, High Rolls, La Luz, Orogrande, Piñon, and Weed. 325 total students were in these schools. Previously Weed schools were under the Otero County Board of Education. Weed residents believed the Alamogordo district would be more likely to keep their schools open if there was an enrollment decrease, so in 1958 they decided to join Alamogordo schools instead of Cloudcroft Municipal Schools. The Cloudcroft school board disliked the decision and in 1958 passed a motion stating that the district should not accept Weed or Pinon students even if their respective areas offered to pay tuition to Cloudcroft schools. Upon obtaining the areas, the Alamogordo school board closed the elementary schools in Orogrande and Piñon. The Piñon community appealed, but in December 1959 the board upheld its decision. In 1967 it had 8,900 students and 415 teachers. In May 1970 it had 9,947 students. ==Attendance area==

In addition to Alamogordo it serves Boles Acres, High Rolls, Holloman Air Force Base, La Luz, and Orogrande. It also includes the Mountain Park area. The area around the former Cienega School is about from Alamogordo and from Dell City, Texas; while it is in the Alamogordo district boundaries, due to the respective distances, so that district could educate students from the Cienega area. Dell City ISD served grades 9-12 from that area after the opening of Alamogordo district's grade 1-8 Cienega School in 1965. In 1967 the eighth grade was moved to Dell City ISD. In 1970, all grades K-12 were and are sent to Dell City ISD as Cienega School closed. ==Schools==

There are fifteen schools in Alamogordo Public Schools, including one standalone preschool program, nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one regular high school, and one alternative high school. Former schools • Alamogordo Mid-High School - Established in 1969 in the former Central Junior High In 1970 the Cienega area had 14 elementary students at Cienega School and 24 junior and senior high school students attending Dell City schools. The cost of sending one student to Dell City was $450 while the Cienega School had a per student cost of $1,400. • Delaware School for Negro Students By 1992 it became a year-round school. The projected enrollment for the 1992-1993 school year was around 9, but because multiple Weed parents decided to send their children to Timberon instead, the actual enrolled student count that year was 18. The school was acquired by the Cloudcroft district in 1992 and continued operating until May 26, 2002. The school served Piñon secondary students even before it joined to Alamogordo district, For the 1992-1993 school year the projected enrollment was 24. By August 1992 the teacher criticized by Weed parents remained while the other teacher did not go back to Weed Elementary. The parents opposed to the remaining teacher withdrew 20 of the children. By August 29, 1992 no students showed up to Weed Elementary. Area parents sent them to the Timberon school or to Cloudcroft Schools. The Cloudcroft district chose to accept the Weed students. Under New Mexico law a school with less than eight students should not operate, so the Alamogordo district decided to close Weed Elementary. The Alamogordo district offered jobs in Alamogordo schools to the Weed elementary employees, including the only remaining teacher. The district still chose to employ the teacher instead of keeping the school open. At that point all grade levels K-12 were officially designated to Cloudcroft schools. By October 1992 Weed area parents were campaigning to have the elementary school reopened. In November 1992 the Cloudcroft district's board passed a resolution to annex portions of the Alamogordo district, including Weed. In a separate motion the district drew new electoral boundaries with the annexed area effective the approval of said annexation. ==Other facilities==

The district headquarters, the former Indiana Elementary School, became used for the purpose in 1958. The lighted athletic field, which had 4,500-seat bleacher facilities, a cinder running track, opened in 1957, with a concession stand/field house opening in 1965. ==References==