Celebration Naming The Ross And Lola Ramsey Stage At Duane Smith Auditorium Draws Near
By Jenny McCumber
Executive Director
Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation
As the celebration of the Ross and Lola Ramsey Stage Naming nears, Los Alamos High School alumni near and far continue to give donations and share their memories about the Ramseys and the impact they had on former students.
The campaign to Light up the Stage for the Ramseys is still open for those who would like to donate. This project serves both to honor the memory of the Ramseys and their impact on students who graduated decades ago and also as a current impact for students who are in the Olions program now. The donations so Read More
Dr. Arsenio Romero Confirmed New PED Cabinet Secretary
Dr. Arsenio Romero
PED News:
Ready to “Steer the Ship” of New Mexico’s Education
SANTA FE – Dr. Arsenio Romero is New Mexico’s top education leader. It was made official Wednesday when lawmakers confirmed him as the cabinet secretary for the Public Education Department.
“Sec. Romero has lived the education experience as a student, teacher and leader,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “His expansive resume speaks for itself during this crucial moment as we increase student outcomes and elevate New Mexico education on the national stage. I look forward to seeing his continued innovation and Read More
LAPS: Shower Los Alamos Teachers With Love!
Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Don’t miss the opportunity to fulfill a teacher’s wish!
This spring the LAPS Foundation has sponsored a community-wide campaign to “Shower” Los Alamos teachers with things they need for their classrooms and there are two days left.
Check out all the items teachers need for their students and classrooms. LAPS has already purchased materials for many teachers but there are several left who haven’t quite received the donations they need for their items.
Text showerlove23 to 76278 or go to https://showerlove23.
It’s easy to click on a teacher and donate Read More
Bill Creating School-Based Health Centers Passes House
Bill co-sponsor Rep. Christine Trujillo
DPNM News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 397 Wednesday night, which would support development of school-based health centers in New Mexico public schools by a vote of 40-25.
School-based health centers provide physical and behavioral health services to students on or near school grounds. Among the services these health centers would provide are primary care, preventive care, diagnoses, treatment of chronic conditions, mental health care, crisis intervention, or referrals for additional treatment.
“Whether Read More
Mesalands Community College President Busch Resigns
Gregory T. Busch
Mesalands Community College News:
TUCUMCARI — Mesalands Community College Board Of Trustees has received the resignation of President Gregory T. Busch.
The formal resignation was received March 10 by members of the Mesalands Community College Board of Trustees.
The resignation was sent through legal counsel. Read More
Los Alamos High School Olions: Pippin Opens Thursday
LAHS News:
This week is Pippin’s opening starting Thursday. Performed by the Los Alamos High School Olions, this will be a production the community will not want to miss.
Pippin is a musical originally released in 1972 with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, was also a great contributor to the libretto. Fosse also originally choreographed Pippin, so you will see that the dance in our rendition is inspired by him.
The show premises on a mysterious impromptu performance troupe, led by the Leading Player, to Read More
SFWAF Presents Two-Day Symposium ‘When Ukraine Meets Russia Head-On’ April 13-14
Courtesy/SFWAF
SFWAF News:
The Santa Fe World Affairs Forum (SFWAF) announces its April 13-14 Symposium “When Ukraine Meets Russia Head-On” at the Santa Fe Community College.
When Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022, no one believed that a supposedly weak Ukraine could maintain its independence. As for Vladimir Putin, he expected to topple the Zelenskyy government in a matter of days—or less. And so, flagrantly violating the norms and laws that had promoted world peace and stability for 70 some years, a heavily armored column of Russian troops headed for Kiev. They never got there.
How could Read More
Governor-Backed Bill To Reform Special Education In New Mexico Gets Mixed Reaction
Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero understands it can be difficult for families to navigate special education services for children with disabilities.
He knows because he’s lived it, Romero said. His daughter, now a seventh grader, has autism, and Romero has been advocating to ensure she has access to the accommodations she needs throughout her schooling.
Despite his nearly 30 years in education — as a classroom teacher, principal, superintendent and now the top education official in Read More
Governor, Parents Urge House To Pass HB 285 – The New Mexico Special Education Act
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today urged the House to vote on and pass House Bill 285, the Special Education Act. The bill has been awaiting a vote on the House floor for nearly a week.
“New Mexico families are tired of hearing what the special education system can’t do for their children, not to mention the courts, which have already mandated that we act now – not tomorrow – to get special education students the resources they need,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Parents are tired of watching their children suffer, tired of watching educators not getting the Read More
LAHS Track & Field Athletes Make Strong Statement March 10-11 At Fred Loya Invitational In El Paso
Jaiya Daniels won the triple jump by nearly 3’ with a leap of 37’ 3.5”. Daniels was also part of the state qualifying 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams, and ran a state qualifying time in the 200 m. Photo by Blake Wood
Hailey McDowell placed 2nd in the 1600 m, with a state qualifying time of 5:35.2. Photo by Blake Wood
By BLAKE WOOD
Assistant Coach
LAHS Cross Country
The Los Alamos High School (LAHS) Boys and Girls Track & Field teams made a strong statement March 10-11 in their first out-of-state meet of the season, at the Fred Loya Invitational in El Paso, Texas.
The Hilltopper Girls won the Read More
Life After 50: You Just Need One…
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
LARSO
The recent arrest of a man selling fentanyl in our town better be more than a wake-up call. That mixed with two consecutive years of deaths of young adults due to accidental overdose and experimentation has seemed like just another day. Now, we have Xylazine, look it up.
Recently, one of my former leadership students embarked on research using the New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency data available at www.youthrisk.org. We have some missing data, but does it matter? Do we know or even pay attention to it? The buzz word was that, “we need to get to the Read More
Rabbi Jack Hosts Lunch-time Hebrew Bible Study Thursday
Rabbi Jack Shlachter of the Los Alamos Jewish Center holding a Torah. Courtesy photo
Los Alamos Jewish Center News:
The community is invited to join Rabbi Jack Shlachter of the Los Alamos Jewish Center noon to 1 p.m. this Thursday, March 16, for his monthly Third Thursday “Lunch-time Learn” discussion about the weekly Torah (Hebrew Bible) portion.
This month’s discussion will be conducted via Zoom.
Rabbi Jack will lead an exploration of a variety of traditional and contemporary Jewish commentaries looking at the last section of the Book of Exodus (35:1-40:38), which describes the construction Read More
Aspen PTO Hosts Spring Fling Carnival Friday March 17
Aspen School News:
The Los Alamos community is invited to join Aspen Elementary School 4:30-7 p.m. Friday, March 17 for a fun night for the family.
This carnival-style event is geared toward elementary aged kids however there are many games suitable for younger and older children.
There will even be a bouncy house and cake walk. Games cost 2-4 tickets, which can be purchased that evening ($10 for 50) or a “play all night” bracelet for $30.
Even The Hillstompers will be making an appearance.
There also will be a silent auction full of generous donations from local companies and beyond. Some items Read More
LAPS Elementary School Music Teachers Host Spring Choir Workshop At Chamisa
Elementary students from across the district performed during the spring choir workshop held Wednesday at Elementary in White Rock. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS Elementary music teachers, from left, Valerie Collins, Barranca Mesa; Nic Montoya Valdez, Piñon; Megan Tholen, Chamisa; Jacob Lucero, Aspen and Galina Austin, Mountain. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools elementary students met at Chamisa Elementary School for the Spring District Elementary Choir Workshop hosted by the LAPS elementary music teachers. Students from all LAPS elementary choir clubs were invited to Read More
LANL: Attention All New Mexico Girls – Apply For Free Summer Physics Camp In Santa Fe!
Women scientists and engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory teach the free Summer Physics Camp for Young Women. Courtesy/LANL
LANL News:
New Mexico middle- and high-school students who identify as female or non-binary are encouraged to apply for the free, two-week Summer Physics Camp for Young Women, taught primarily by the women scientists and engineers of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), June 5-16.
The application deadline is April 1, 2023.
New this year: After three years of virtual camp during the pandemic, the 2023 camp is in person, held at the New Mexico School for the Arts Read More
New Mexico Supreme Court To Resume Civics Education Program By Hearing A Case In Española
Members of the state Supreme Court speak to students at Organ Mountain High School in Las Cruces in 2022 as part of the Rule of Law Program. Standing at left is Justice David K. Thomson and seated from right to left are then Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil and Justices C. Shannon Bacon and Julie J. Vargas. Courtesy/AOC
AOC News:
SANTA FE — The state Supreme Court will hear legal arguments in a criminal case appeal next month in Española as part of a civics education program for students.
This marks the third year for the Court’s Rule of Law Program. The justices traveled to Las Cruces last year for an oral Read More
Holland: Extended School Year Bill Advances, FY ’24 Budget Heads To House For Concurrence, Captive Audience Ban Stalls On House Floor
By WHITNEY HOLLAND
President
AFT New Mexico
We are down to just four and a half days left in the 2023 Legislative Session and both legislators and our union were busy throughout the weekend to continue to work to advance our supported legislation and ensure that we keep our legislation on track to the best of our ability.
We are thankful to report that our preferred approach to extended learning (HB 130) is continuing to advance, with a small amendment, and the FY ’24 budget (HB 2) heads back to the House or Representatives for concurrence with the changes made by the State Senate.
Unfortunately, a Read More
Mesalands Professor Discovers New Fossils In Quay County
A collection of MCC Croc Fossils. Courtesy photo
Crocodylomorph at MCC Dinosaur Museum. Courtesy photo
Femur bones of Ancestral Crocodiles. Courtesy photo
MCC News:
Dr. Axel Hungerbuehler, Professor of Paleontology at Mesalands Community College, and field class students discovered new fossils on the edge of the caprock in Quay County. The specimen of primary interest was determined to be a left femur or thigh bone. It was an unusual find due its size and a deep natural groove crossing the lower end of the bone. The indentation is a characteristic not found in many animals from the Late Triassic Read More
Community Invited To Multicultural Festival March 15
LAPS News:
The community is invited to attend the10th annual Multicultural Festival, Around the World in White Rock. This year the event is 5 p.m. Wedensday, March 15 at Piñon Elementary School.
Presented jointly by Chamisa Elementary and Piñon Elementary Schools, the festival features dance, music, games, crafts and food tastings. This year will feature Brazil, Chile, China, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Korea, Norway, Uzbekistan and Cochiti Pueblo.
There also will be performances by Elias Davila, a hoop dancer from San Ildefonso Pueblo, Dance Arts Los Alamos Scottish Highland Read More
