Child-Led Green Hour Hikes Start Wednesday
Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
Weekly Green Hour Hikes begin at 9 a.m., Wednesday at Quemazon Trail.
These child-led hikes organized by Pajarito Environmental Education Center meet at a different trailhead each week. Babies carried in arms or worn are welcome.
All participants are asked to be prepared for travelling outdoors and to bring water, snacks, and sunscreen. This group was created to encourage children to enjoy being outside. It is not the mileage, but the quality time outside that matters.
For more information about this and other PEEC programs, visit www.peecnature.org, email Read More
Sen. Howie C. Morales: Costly Superintendent Buyouts Can And Should Be Eliminated
Jessica Martinez, veteran educatorA contract between public school boards and the superintendents is typically a term of three years nationwide.
Sen. Howie Morales
These contracts typically include a buyout provision should the district find it necessary to terminate the contract for reasons ranging from unsatisfactory performance to violations of the negotiated contract. These buyouts include the annual salary plus the salary of years remaining on the contract. Recent superintendent Read More
AFTNM Recognizes Labor Day
AFTNM News:
Sacrifices of Past Generations of American Workers Still Matter Today
ALBUQUERQUE – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:
“The American worker has fought for, and is responsible for, the end of child labor, overtime pay, an 8-hour work week, and safer working conditions, among many other rights we currently enjoy in the modern workplace.
“It is only fitting Read More
School Board To Discuss Construction Tuesday
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos School Board will hold a Regular School Board Meeting and an Executive Session at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Los Alamos High School Speech Theater. The Executive Session will take place after the Regular Meeting is adjourned.
The agenda includes:
- Recognition by the Board
- Summer Reading Challenge – Recognize Los Alamos Public Schools student winners and businesses
- Smiths Market Place Community Rewards check(s) presented to Los Alamos Public Schools by Community Specialist Kathryn Fulton,
- Most Educational Initiative – First Place: Museum of the Coastal Bend
LAPS Announces Early Student Dismissal For Homecoming Friday Sept. 11
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools has announced the early dismissal schedule for students on Friday, Sept. 11 for Homecoming:
- All elementary schools: noon (no lunch service);
- Los Alamos Middle School: 12:45 p.m.; and
- Los Alamos High School: 1 p.m.
AFT Lawsuit Against NMPED Moves Forward
EDUCATION News:
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:
“Thursday’s ruling from Judge Thomson is an important acknowledgement in our lawsuit against the abusive policies of the New Mexico Department of Public Education under the leadership of Governor Martinez and Secretary Skandera. Judge Thomson’s granting of a hearing for a preliminary injunction beginning on Sept. 16 is a huge win for our union and all educators across New Mexico.”
“We fundamentally disagree Read More
UNM-LA Awards Tenure To Irina Alvestad, Ph.D.
UNM-LA News:
Being awarded tenure from a higher education institution means many things to the professors who achieve it, such as increased job security, a pay raise, and more flexibility to focus on different projects.
For recent tenure recipient Irina Alvestad, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of New Mexico Los Alamos, it represents her commitment to the University and her students.
“It’s about recognition and to prove I’m committed to this institution and to the students,” she said. “Any faculty member here would say the same thing, that we’re here for what we Read More
Labor Day Citizen Science Project: Yard Day Bird Count
Spotted Towhee. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
On Labor Day, Dave Yeamans, a long-time enthusiast of the natural world, is opening his home for a citizen science project, Big Yard Day Bird Count.
To participate, register at www.peecnature.org for the Big Yard Day and stop by Dave Yeaman’s house anytime between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. “Everybody learns something and has fun or my job is not complete,” says Yeamans, who also is a caring host.
Participants are encouraged to wear natural-colored clothing, move gently, and whisper to improve the chances of seeing a wide variety of birds. Light snacks and Read More
Poet Laureate Joan Logghe Returns To Teach Creative Writing At UNM-LA
Author, Poet Laureate, Joan Logghe
UNM-LA News:
Joan Logghe, Santa Fe’s Poet Laureate 2010-2012, will be returning to teach a Creative Writing class at UNM-LA. The class will meet 9-11:45 a.m., Fridays from Sept. 11–Dec. 4.
Logghe encourages writers of all levels to take her class. “There will be a healthy and fun mix of poetry, memoir, creative non-fiction, and sudden fiction. This class is an introduction to creative writing and will be great and gentle for beginners; published writers may also refresh their writing style. You may be making a writer’s timeline of your life for a memoir, Read More
Community Invited To Hear Panel Of Los Alamos Residents Who Witnessed WWII At Lecture Sept. 8
HISTORICAL SOCIETY News:
The Los Alamos Historical Society announces its 2015-2016 lecture series, “70 Years Since World War II.”
We are honored to have a panel of Los Alamos residents who witnessed World War II in quite different ways. Young Mary Zemach was hiking with her botanist father in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Mia McLeod was not yet a teenager in Holland when the Nazis occupied her country.
As an 18-year-old, Joe Bergstein survived the Bataan Death March and spent the next four years as a prisoner-of-war in the Philippines and Japan. Joe’s brother Ivan (Chick) Bergstein entered Read More
Internationally Acclaimed Alpha Program Begins At IHM
IHM News:
If you have ever wondered if there is more to life than this, how you can make the most of your life, about the existence of God, the afterlife, who is Jesus, or how we can have faith, the Alpha Course may be just what you are looking for.
Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Dec. 16, the course is 6-9 p.m. each Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall. There is no charge for the course and no commitment.
“The Alpha Course is a practical to the Christian faith, a place where guests have an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly Read More
Pajarito Environmental Education Center Leads Efforts To Certify Los Alamos As A Community Wildlife Habitat
PEEC Board members celebrating the certification of the nature center as a Wildlife Habitat, from left, Jeremy Campbell, Bob Walker, Jennifer Macke, Selvi Viswanathan, Esta Lee Albright, Michele Altherr, Nancy Arendt, Felicia Orth, Ann Shafer, Sue Watts, Mary Carol Williams, Becky Shankland, Talia Dreicer, Karla Sartor and Rebecca Oertel. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
A team of Pajarito Environmental Education Center volunteers is working to make Los Alamos the first certified Community Wildlife Habitat in New Mexico.
To date, our community consists of 126 backyards, four common areas, Read More
Governor Surprises Piñon Elementary Student With Grand Prize In Summer Reading Challenge
Gov. Susana Martinez surprises 2nd grade student Rocko Del Mauro Monday at Piñon Elementary School. The Governor announced that Del Mauro is a grand prize winner of the Summer Reading Challenge. Courtesy/LAPS
Alberta and Ronald Heil (grandparents), Diana Del Mauro (mom), Summer Reading Challenge grand prize winner Rocko Del Mauro, Gov. Susana Martinez and David Del Mauro (dad) celebrate the 2nd graders achievement Monday at Piñon Elementary School. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Gov. Susanna Martinez visited Piñon Elementary School in White Rock Monday to award a grand prize to 2nd grader Read More
LAPS Mental Health Design Team Launches Survey
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos Public Schools has created a Mental Health Design Team that has been charged with providing a report to the Board of Education by the end of November that includes a statement of preferred future for mental health programs in Los Alamos Public Schools, a brief situational assessment, a gap analysis and drafting a 3-5 year LAPS Mental Health Project Plan.
One of the first tasks is to gather community and stakeholder input. This survey will focus on the state of mental health awareness and support that we desire.
Surveys are available is Spanish Read More
New Mexico Department Of Transportation Sponsors Statewide Child Safety Seat Clinic Sept. 19
NMDOT News:PEEC: September Night Sky Planetarium Shows
Night Sky Milky Way Astrophotography from Wikimedia Commons by ForestWander. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
Do you want to know how to identify more of the planets and stars in the night sky?
Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is holding star shows in the Los Alamos Nature Center planetarium at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5 and 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.
Each show will introduce celestial objects easily viewed through binoculars this month including planets, the lunar eclipse, star patterns, star clusters, nebulae, double stars, and other celestial objects. Read More
Los Alamos School Board Continues To Grapple With Testing And Teacher Evaluations
Superintendent Kurt Steinhaus and School Board President Jim Hall ponder student testing and evaluations. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos American Federation of President Ellen Mills speaks against using attendence to evaluate teachers. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.comTesting and teacher evaluation were back on the agenda at the Los Alamos School Board Work Thursday.
School Board staff has been gathering Read More
Aspen Boys Invited To Raingutter Regatta 6:30 p.m. At East Park Today
ASPEN News:
Aspen Elementary School cub scouts will be having a fun time this evening at East Park starting at 6:30 for the Raingutter Regatta where they race little boats down rain gutters and eat ice cream afterward.
Anyone wih a boy in grades 1 to 5 at Aspen School interested in Cub Scouts is invited to join Cub Scout Pack 22 this evening at East Park.
For further information, contact the Pack Committee Chair at 505.661.9619 or tewapack@rt66.com with a clear subject line about Cub Scouts or Pack 22. Read More
Meet Classic Air Medical At Los Alamos Nature Center
Classic Air Medical helicopter in flight. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
To live in Northern New Mexico is to be surrounded by rugged beauty. But what happens if you have a medical emergency when you’re out exploring the wilderness?
Luckily Classic Air Medical, a helicopter medical transport service, is ready to help. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, at the Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Road, meet pilot Geoff Rodgers and the medical team to discuss the exciting work of this helicopter rescue company and how they work with the local community.
Rodgers is a former Los Alamos County councilor who served Read More
LAHS Girls Soccer Team Spruces Up Pajarito Complex
LAHS Girls Soccer Team paints the handrails at Pajarito Complex as a community service project. Courtesy/LAPS
Painting underneath the handrails at Pajarito Complex as a community service project. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Senior players on the Los Alamos High School Girls Soccer Team came up with the idea of finding a community service project for the.
Since Girls Varsity Soccer Coach Gary Ahlers is married to Los Alamos Public Schools Chief Operations Officer Joan Ahlers, he received a long list of options.
The Ahlers together with the LAPS Facilities Read More
