Welcome to the New Alamo Heights High School Classroom Building!

The old 1949-era building that we knew so well is now gone. In its place is a remarkable, modern, fully functional, and extremely attractive structure that was nearly two years in the making with a $123 million price tag.

Our old high school home was a two-story building that was, by comparison with the new one, somewhat dark and unimpressive by today's standards. The new building, now three stories in height, gives homage to the exterior appearance of our old haunt, but with more exterior glass and a welcoming feel.

 

On Saturday, August 8, 2026, the Alamo Heights School Foundation welcomed the Golden Mules Alumni (those of us who graduated fifty years or more ago) to a reunion and a tour of the new structure. The faculty had just begun bringing what they needed for the academic year into the building the week before, and the students were due to start classes the next Monday. Here are some photos taken during the tour.

While the new building has a familiar feel, right down to the Art Deco letters on top of the entrance canopy, it also conveys a true sense of welcome. The main entrance, at the top of the stairs you see in this photo, is a double entry, designed for security. Once inside, on the main floor, the old familiar logo still occupies its prominent place in the center of the hallway. 

Wide stairways lead to the second and third floors while an elevator aids those who cannot negotiate the stairs. The classrooms are at least 150 square feet larger than those in the old building to meet and exceed contemporary standards, and have glass windows next to the doors to allow more light to enter the hallways. Because of the realities of the world today, the glass is bulletproof, with metal screens that can be quickly pulled across inside the classroom for further security. Those screens serve a dual purpose, with whiteboards on the classroom side that can be used for more instructional space. The locks on the doors are electronic and impenetrable, all for enhanced safety.

The rooms are bright and filled with sunlight and technology. 

Outside the classrooms are gathering areas where students may take class time to work on class projects or hold discussion groups.

 

At the top of the stairs on the third floor is a mural with images of school life at Alamo Heights.

On the third floor, there is a balcony with a view looking toward the athletic complex. This is on the southwest corner of the campus.

As the tour exited the building back on the ground floor, we were invited to view the wall of class photos. In this picture, ours is at the upper right, about eight feet above the floor. Do any of us still have sharp eyesight to be able to find ourselves here?

As we departed the main building on the east side, toward the center of the campus, a look back at the building and courtyard provided this view. There is outdoor seating and tables in this area.

The rest of the morning's activities were held in The Oaks, the school's cafeteria.

We can all be proud of the entire facility that our scholastic descendants now occupy and where they are having their own unique Alamo Heights High School experiences. 

If you still live in the area and are helping pay for the bond that built this incredible structure, know that your dollars have been well spent. If you live far away and haven't been back in a while, know that your high school has transformed into something magnificent that will serve its students and the community well for decades to come.