Facilities
Hózhó Academy
Hózhó Academy aims to provide a rigorous classical education – focused on the liberal arts and sciences, moral character, and civic virtue – to Gallup and McKinley County students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
In 2019, Excellent Schools New Mexico made a grant to Hózhó Academy to help catalyze the school’s growth from a K-5 school to a K-12 school serving 730 students at full-scale. In 2020, Hózhó Academy acquired an existing school building on 25+ acres of land in Gallup with plans to renovate the campus into the school’s permanent home.
Excellent Schools New Mexico made a zero-interest facility loan to Hózhó Academy’s affiliated nonprofit foundation, allowing the foundation to access low-interest facility debt from Raza Development Fund, a prominent Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that invests capital and creates financial solutions to increase opportunities for the Latino community and low-income families.
Hózhó Academy’s renovated, permanent campus opened in Fall 2021 and allows the school to provide high-quality educations to hundreds of Gallup and McKinley County families.
"Our new facility is a game-changer for Hózhó Academy! It was very difficult to find quality space here in Gallup. Because of our rapid growth, our previous facility was no longer feasible, and our staff was spending so much energy on space-related logistics. Everybody is really excited to have a new facility that enables our teachers and students to deepen their focus on learning."
Jeremy Boucher
Hózhó Academy Board President
- Co-Founders and School Leader: Patrick Mason, Rachel Mason and Arita Yazzie (co-founders); Juliane Hillock (school leader)
- Opened: 2021
- Location: Gallup
- Square Feet of Space Created: 60,000 sq. ft.
- Students Served At-Scale: 730
- Type of Investment: Zero-interest facility loan
