On December 16, 2024, the Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC) approved funding for a new Preschool Academy for Farmington Municipal Schools (FMS), with an estimated project cost of approximately $40 million. Both preschools will continue operating at their current locations during the construction of the new building, which is scheduled to begin in March 2025 and is expected to be completed by November 2026.
Superintendent Cody Diehl expressed his gratitude for this milestone decision, which includes a waiver of all construction costs, emphasizing the project's importance in enhancing the educational environment for preschool students.
“We are really excited about building a new preschool filled with areas for our students to explore and play. The new building will provide much-needed facilities for preschoolers and staff and will strengthen our school culture. We are deeply thankful to the PSCOC, the Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA), and our dedicated FMS staff for their tireless efforts in making this project a reality,” said Mr. Diehl.
“Farmington Preschool Academy is incredibly grateful to Superintendent Diehl, Mr. Gamboa, the PSFA, the PSCOC, and everyone who helped make our vision of one united preschool a reality. Early childhood education and intervention are transformative—not just for our youngest learners, but for our entire community. We are looking forward to a warm, central home where we can nurture young minds and support families,” shared Tanisha Edwards, Principal of Farmington Preschool Academies.
“Thanks to the PSCOC’s full funding of this project, this allows us to also allocate our bond funds to much-needed system upgrades, which include HVAC and roofing improvements. Additionally, this opens doors for FMS to expand our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, providing even greater opportunities for our high school students,” said Isaac Gamboa, Executive Director of Operations, Athletics & Activities.
Farmington Preschool Design
Since March 2023, FMS has collaborated with FBT Architects of Albuquerque to design a new Preschool Academy, encompassing 51,929 square feet. The project includes replacing the existing facility at 5840 Fortuna Drive, upgrading the exterior, and adding a new playground. This initiative will consolidate the current Preschool Academies East and West into one location, optimizing resources and improving the preschool experience. The design phase cost the state of New Mexico $1,159,000, while FMS contributed $583,000.
About the Preschool Academies and Recent FMS Projects
The Preschool Academy East, built in 1991, is serving 139 students during the 2024–2025 academic year, while Preschool Academy West is serving 148 students.
In the past six major projects, FMS invested 58 million dollars to build or renovate McKinley Elementary, Tibbetts Middle, Northeast Elementary, Hermosa Middle, Farmington High, and Country Club Elementary and spent an additional 11 million for costs that were above adequacy.
The Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC) offers to fund school districts planning the construction or renovation of school buildings by matching the estimated cost of a project. The Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA) serves as staff to the PSCOC.
