Construction of Rio Rancho's two newest school campuses is nearing completion! Shining Stars Preschool and Joe Harris Elementary School are both scheduled to open at the start of the 2020-21 school year. Both should be ready to receive students when it is safe to bring students onto campus.

Joe Harris Elementary

JHE

Workers are busy at Rio Rancho Public Schools' newest elementary campus, adding landscaping, playground equipment, and other finishing touches. Joe Harris Elementary School will welcome about 400 students when it opens later this summer.

Joe Harris Elementary is located west of Unser Blvd. near the district's southern border. It is named in honor of Sandoval County Sheriff's Deputy and former Rio Rancho police officer Joe Harris, a champion for Rio Rancho children, who was killed in the line of duty in 2009. General contractor for the 87,500+ sq. ft. facility is Bradbury and Stamm Construction; the facility was designed by Wilson and Co. architects based on the RRPS elementary prototype school layout.

Shining Stars Preschool

Classroom construction is nearing completion, and work on the themed outdoor learning and play areas is underway at the new Shining Stars campus in central Rio Rancho. The new campus is designed especially with very young children in mind. It includes bathrooms connected to every classroom with toddler-size fixtures, color-coded entrances, and windows set low in the wall so students can see out. The campus will also include facilities designed to help children with physical and developmental disabilities

SSP

The new 45,000 sq. ft. facility replaces an ageing campus that has been in need of retirement for many years. The new campus was designed by architectural firm Dekker Perich Sabbatini; Brycon Construction is the general contractor.

Both campuses were funded by Rio Rancho voters through the 2016 bond issue (thank you!).

Shining Stars Preschool

2020-21 Parent University

New School Construction Update