The safety of our students, families, staff, and community remains our highest priority. One of the greatest concerns during morning drop off and afternoon dismissal is traffic backing up onto Highway 380 while vehicles wait to enter the school parking lot. This creates a potentially dangerous situation for families and other motorists traveling on the highway.
To improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, we will be making adjustments to the elementary student drop off and afternoon pickup route. If you pick up/drop off both elementary and middle/high school students, they will be dropped off and picked up at elementary also. We reviewed the current traffic flow with our community partners and local law enforcement and developed a short-term revised plan intended to reduce congestion and create a safer, more efficient process. This will alleviate issues immediately while we work with NMDOT and the Village of Capitan for a long-term solution to the congestion on Highway 380.
Beginning on Monday, September 28, 2026, the following changes will be fully implemented:
- Elementary student drop-off and pickup will take place at the front of Capitan Elementary School on Forest Street.
- Families should follow the revised traffic route shown on the attached map.
- Drivers must follow all posted signs and directions provided by school staff.
- Elementary families should not enter or park in the afternoon pickup line before 3:45 p.m. unless they have а specific need to arrive earlier.
Please take a moment to read our complete letter to families regarding the changes to student drop-off and pick-up procedures.
