EM Enrollment

East Mountain High School has established itself as a leader in the charter school community. By adding a middle school, we aim to engage students earlier in our academic programming, enhance their preparedness for high school, and provide a clear, consistent pathway from middle to high school within the same educational environment.

The new middle school will serve sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students.

The middle school will begin classes in the Fall of 2026 with a cohort of 90 6th graders. 7th and 8th grades will be available by Fall of 2027.

The middle and high schools will operate as one cohesive institution under a shared Executive Director and Governing Council, while maintaining separate principals and teaching faculty.

The middle school will be located on the same campus as East Mountain High School, housed in a separate building.

The application will open in October 2025 and will be available at Eastmountain.org.

Yes. East Mountain Middle School is a public charter school and enrolls new students through a lottery process.

No. There are no entry requirements or placement tests for students applying to East Mountain Middle School.

Students enrolled with a 6th grade spot are then guaranteed a spot in the high school.

Yes. Enrollment in the middle school does not require continued enrollment in the high school.

Yes. Students can apply directly to the high school regardless of whether they attended the middle school.

Siblings of current East Mountain High School students receive preference in the admissions process. If a Lottery Enrollment Form is submitted by the deadline, those siblings are exempt from the random drawing. Visit our enrollment page for more details.

East Mountain’s curriculum is rooted in inquiry-based learning. Students will benefit from small class sizes, leadership and enrichment opportunities, and a supportive environment focused on academic and social-emotional growth.

Yes. As needed, some 8th-grade students may be able to take high school-level courses for high school credit. Middle school students will be able to access the Vista Grande Community Center. The new building will contain two community spaces, the multi-purpose room and library, that will be utilized by both high school and middle school students.

Yes. East Mountain provides services for gifted students, special education, and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.

Yes. 8th graders may compete in NMAA athletics. 6th and 7th grade students may participate in intramural sports as available.

While the middle and high school students will share the same campus, their daily schedules, classes, and core activities will be kept separate to ensure appropriate learning environments. However, there may be staff-monitored opportunities for interaction through shared events, clubs, or enrichment programs.

Yes. Bus pickups will be available and more information will be available on eastmountain.org.

School hours are being finalized and will be shared with families ahead of the 2026–2027 school year.

Yes

Updates will be regularly shared through eastmountain.org and the Family Portal on our website.

Stacy Sesnie, family liaison, stacy@eastmountainhigh.net

Construction will begin with parking lot work in October 2025. The new building is scheduled for construction from October 2025 to November 2026. A standalone modular building will be utilized to house the 6th grade in the Fall 2026 school year.

SMPC Architects and Franken Contractor are leading the design and construction.

No. Construction activities will be managed to avoid disruption of the high school’s daily operations.

The middle school building will be located in the current main parking lot, on the southwest portion of the campus.

We continue to upgrade the existing high school classroom buildings. The Sunflower Pavilion was recently completed to allow for more seating options during lunch. The exterior of the portable buildings are being painted in the Summer of 2025. Additional classroom spaces are also being constructed on the high school side.

All construction zones will be securely fenced and off-limits to students and staff. Safety protocols will be strictly enforced throughout the process.

No. All current school operations will continue in their existing locations.

As finances allow, additional upgrades will be added to the new building, including additional kitchen equipment, audio-visual equipment for performances, and additional finishes for classrooms.

The expansion is funded through public school capital funds.

The middle school will operate under East Mountain High School’s Executive Director, Trey Smith and a newly hired middle school principal will lead daily operations.

There will be a middle school principal with shared administrative staff between the middle and high schools. Most faculty will specialize in either middle school or high school.

Yes. Both schools will operate under the same charter, maintaining a unified mission and governance structure.

No changes to the charter are required for this expansion.

The expansion was approved by the East Mountain High School Governing Council and the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) Board in 2023.

Adjustments to the Governing Council structure will be made as needed to support both schools and ensure continued community representation.

Surveys and community input sessions have been conducted over the past 5 years to assess the demand for middle school grades in this area of the East Mountain community. Substantial community input was provided to the Albuquerque Public Schools board in preparation for the board’s approval in 2023. Surveys of current families indicate 100% intend to enroll their younger siblings in middle school.

East Mountain High School remains committed to its core values: Collaboration, Integrity, Reflection, Curiosity, and Empathy. These values are central to the design of the middle school experience as well.

A new parking lot is being designed and will be completed prior to the start of construction on the middle school building.