UNM-LA Mil Levy Fails!
Voters failed to pass the UNM-LA Mil Levy by a 52.21 – 47.79 percent margin. The unofficial results from the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office show 2,662 ballots in favor of the Mil Levy and 2,908 against it. UNM-LA Business Director Lisa Wismer said, “I can’t tell you how hard we all worked … we all have a passion for education and had hoped the community would support this … we will have to take a look at our options… .” The crowd assembled in the lobby of the Municipal Building to hear the election results applauded Wismer for her efforts Read More
UNM-LA Officials Clarify Mil Levy Misconceptions
UNM-LA News:
UNM-LA Executive Director Cedric Page and Dean of Instruction Cindy Rooney today addressed misconceptions surrounding the use of funds from the mil levy.
Cindy Norwood Rooney: “Just for clarification, the UNM-LA request does not involve construction projects, nor will the county control the use of the funds. The funds will be used to continue programs in fire science, EMS, robotics, and other programs that were initially funded with grant money. The additional funds will also allow UNM-LA to improve dual credit opportunities for high school students.”
Cedric Read More
Today Last Chance to Vote in UNM-LA Mil Levy Election!
COUNTY CLERK News:
Los Alamos County Clerk Sharon Stover reported this morning that her office has received 5,075 ballots for the UNM-LA Mil Levy election as of Monday night.
Registered voters still have until 7 p.m. today to cast their ballot at the County Clerk’s Office. All ballots must be physically inside the County Clerk’s Office by 7 p.m. today.
The lobby and Council Chambers at the Municipal Building will be open today at 7 p.m. when voting closes to allow community members and media to await the results, which will be posted in the lobby.
Los Alamos County Election Manager Read More
School Board Green Lights Landscaping, Parking Lot Installation at LAMS
From left, Los Alamos School Board President Jim Hall, Vice President Judy Bjarke-McKenzie and Secretary Matt Williams say the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of Friday’s Special School Board Meeting. Courtesy photoLAPS News:
The Los Alamos School Board held a Special Meeting Friday, Sept. 13 to discuss school construction projects.
Board President Jim Hall, Vice President Judy Bjarke-McKenzie and Secretary Matt Williams were in attendance at the meeting held in the newly constructed Los Alamos Middle School. This marked the first official use of the facility.
The Read More
Skandera Details State’s Educational Direction During Talk at Los Alamos Community Dinner
New Mexico Secretary of Education-Designate Hanna Skandera lists her five strategic levers of change for the state’s K-12 grades and outlines her vision for improving education across the state. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com
Local Republicans and other community members and civic leaders listen to Secretary Skandera speak about the importance of elevating education in New Mexico from the lower end of national lists. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com
Hanna Skandera. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com
First TAC Meeting 6-7 p.m. Monday
TAC News:
TAC stands for the Topper Advisory Committee.
This committee serves as a site-based advisory council for Los Alamos High School to advise the principal on critical issues that directly impact the needs of all students, to develop broadly based communication mechanisms to enable stakeholders to work together and become a resource for all, to evaluate the site goals and Educational Plan for Student Success (EPSS) yearly and make recommendations for the following year’s EPSS and goals, and to disseminate information to stakeholder groups.
Parents are invited Read More
Students Organize Suicide Awareness Activities
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Two high school students have planned a week of activities on suicide prevention next week at Los Alamos High School.
Faith Glasco and Elizabeth Hjelvik have put together a list of activities.
“After the events of last school year, I decided it was time someone did something to try preventing this tragedy,” Hjelvik said. “I did a lot of research on suicide and discovered that it is 100 percent preventable if the person is reached out to and having this week’s activities will show people that people do care about them.”
Partners in this events include Key Club, National Honor
Naval JROTC Holds Nut Sale Fundraiser
JROTC News:
The Los Alamos Naval JROTC unit is raising funds through a nut sale with the Virginia Diner Company.
The sale is the biggest fundraiser the students do and will fund travel and team costs throughout the year.
Those interested can go to https:////www.virginiadiner.com/ to shop for what they want. Then enter LAHS NJROTC in New Mexico and the cadet name, Rachel Barthell, and then check out.
The unit has 104 students in the program this year and they hope to hold their first meet at Los Alamos High School.
If you would like a cadet to stop by and help with ordering, call the Read More
Still Time to Vote for UNM-LA Mil Levy
Los Alamos County Election Manager Gloria Maestas, left, with Los Alamos County Clerk Sharon Stover Thursday in the room where ballots for the UNM-LA Mil Levy election are stored. They said turnout so far has been on the low side at 4,500 ballots returned through late afternoon Thursday. Local mail in elections typically draw about 6,000 ballots. Registered voters still have 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to cast their ballot at the County Clerk’s Office. All ballots must be physically inside the County Clerk’s Office by 7 p.m. Tuesday. Photo by Carol A. Cark/ladailypost.com Read More
Letter to the Editor: Vote ‘Yes’ for our Community, our College
By MORRIE B. PONGRATZFormer member Los Alamos Board of Education
I have joined with many in our community including leaders of the local Democratic and Republican parties in supporting the UNM-LA mill levy.
As a retiree, I benefit from the training our EMS folks get at UNM-LA. We all benefit from the Fire Science courses our fire department personnel take at UNM-LA.
Most of all the presence of this high quality institution makes Los Alamos more attractive to the “best and brightest” that LANL needs to attract to compete effectively for future
Schools, LANL, County Remain Open Today
Staff Report
Los Alamos Public Schools, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Los Alamos County remain open today.
Assistant Superintendent Gerry Washburn told the Los Alamos Daily Post a few moments ago that the schools coordinate their closures with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
“We have not heard from the Lab so unless something changes, our schools will remain open today,” Washburn said.
LANL’s Communications Office told the Los Alamos Daily Post that it has not received notice that the Lab intends to close early today. The County also said this morning that there Read More
NM K-12 Funding Cuts Among Deepest in Nation
NMVC News:
ALBUQUERQUE—New Mexico ranks fifth worst in the nation in how deep it has cut spending on K-12 education on a per-student, inflation-adjusted basis since the start of the recession. These cuts deepened the recession, slowed the recovery, and will make New Mexico less prosperous in the future.
A new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) shows that New Mexico cut $874 per student in inflation-adjusted spending between fiscal years 2008 and 2014. Only four states made larger cuts. Although New Mexico increased K-12 spending between FY13 and FY14 by 1.1 percent, Read More
Pegasus Staff Seeks Vendors & Items for Swap Meet
LAHS News:
Pegasus, Los Alamos High School’s art and literary magazine, has slated its fifth annual swap meet for Saturday, Sept. 21 in the LAHS parking lot along Diamond Drive.
Spaces cost $20 and vendors keep any money they make.
Donations of items for sale by the Pegasus students are being accepted for the event and may be dropped off at the LAHS Main Office through Friday, Sept. 20 or at 7:45 a.m. on sale day. Crafters are also welcome to participate. Vendors must supply their own tables and shade.
Payment may be made at the LAHS Bookkeeper’s Office or by mail to 1300 Diamond Read More
Local Bus Available to College Fair at UNM
LAHS News:
Los Alamos High School is offering bus service Sept. 29 to the RMACAC College Fair at the University of New Mexico’s “The Pit” Arena.
The bus leaves LAHS at 10 a.m. and returns at approximately 5 p.m. at a cost of $15 per rider. A minimum of 20 students are needed or the bus will be cancelled. Interested students should register by Sept. 25 with Connie Goettee in the Career Resource Center.
The annual RMACAC (Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling) College Fair attracts more than 100 colleges and universities from all over the country.
Students planning to Read More
Pinon Students Clown Around With Legendary Lou Pierotti
Softball legend Lou Pierotti tells Pinon students about Pierotti’s Clowns while his friend and neighbor Los Alamos Middle School Librarian Lisa Whitacre looks on. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.comIn 1953, Lou Pierotti of Los Alamos formed Pierotti’s Clowns, the only five-man fast-pitch softball team in the nation.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Pierotti, now in his 90s, shared the story of the Clowns with fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at Pinon Elementary School in White Rock and answered their questions about the team. Read More
Bradbury Science Museum Launches Explosives Exhibit Sept. 18
A typical explosives experiment fired in front of the PHERMEX bunker produces a brilliant fireball long after the hydrodynamics measurements have been recorded. PHERMEX was the location for more than 1,000 hydrotests and was the premier radiographic test facility during the Cold War. Courtesy/LANL
LANL News:
For more than 70 years, Los Alamos National Laboratory has been a frontrunner in explosives research, development and applications. To highlight the Laboratory’s work in the field of explosives, the Bradbury Science Museum is opening a new exhibit titled “The Science of Explosives” Read More
Board Approves Master’s Degree Program for Teachers
Assistant Superintendent Gerry Washburn, left, and Superintendent Gene Schmidt asked the School Board Tuesday night to grant approval of a plan to create a master’s degree program for Los Alamos teachers. Although the program will require initial funding, the increase in State funding received by the district for having teachers with higher levels of education will offset much of the cost in the future, Schmidt explained. In a 4-0 vote, the Board granted approval of the program. After some discussion, Highlands University was chosen over the University of New Mexico to deliverPLAN Test for Sophomores Set for Oct. 26
LAHS News:
Los Alamos High School will administer the PLAN test 7:45-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
The PLAN test is offered by the ACT Company, and is designed specifically for sophomores.
Unlike the PSAT, the PLAN test is optional and is only offered to sophomores. In addition to measuring English, math, reading and science reasoning in a format similar to that of the ACT, the PLAN provides additional assessment of study skills, educational needs and career choices.
Space for this test is limited, so interested sophomores are encouraged to register quickly.
The cost of the PLAN Read More
Los Alamos Teachers Overwhelmed, Protest Skandera
Los Alamos teachers gathered at the corner of Diamond Drive and Trinity protesting policies of New Mexico Secretary of Education designate, Hanna Skandera, who is in Los Alamos today visiting the Los Alamos Middle School and High School. Skandera is also giving a speech tonight at the Los Alamos Research Park for the local Republican Party. Los Alamos High School teacher Joy Handsberry explained why the teachers are protesting during an interview with the Los Alamos Daily Post. “Skandera is creating more work for us and she is not improving education … moral Read More Eight LAHS Students Are Semifinalists in 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program
2014 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists from Los Alamos High School in front row from left, George Barnum, Melanie Boncella, Lauren Tencate and Alexandra Berl. Back row from left, Calvin McKinley, Daniel Ahrens, Tristan Goodwin and Collin Hemez. Courtesy photo
LAHS News:
Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced today the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Eight Los Alamos High School students were named semifinalists including Daniel Ahrens, George Barnum, Alexandra Berl, Melanie Read More
