Education

School Bond Passes By Large Majority

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LAPS News:

Voters have passed the Los Alamos Public Schools bond 4,283 to 1,784, according to unofficial results from the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office.

“On behalf of staff and students and the entire community of Los Alamos, I would like to thank you for your investment in the future of our youth,” LAPS Superintendent Gene Schmidt said in a statement following tonight’s vote tally. “Passage of bond 2013 presents the opportunity that we not only will build better schools but brighter futures for our students. The bond provides funding that will move the district Read More

Chamisa Third-graders Returning to School Wednesday

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LAPS News

Chamisa Principal Debbie Smith announced that the school will begin bringing back students on a staggered basis beginning tomorrow, Jan 30, with the third grade. Classes will be relocated on a temporary basis as listed below.

“Chamisa staff has been flexible, creative, and proactive throughout this process,” Smith said “They are anxious to get all their children back in school! I appreciate the cooperation from all students and staff and applaud the hard work of our fourth though sixth graders during this crisis.” 

  • Third-graders will resume classes tomorrow,
Read More

Site of Special School Board Meeting Changed

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LAPS NEWS

The site of the Special School Board Meeting to discuss vandalism has been changed. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Weds., Jan. 30 at the LAPS Administration Office at 2075 Trinity Dr. Suite V in Los Alamos. The meeting is in response to the recent vandalism at Pinon School.

On Saturday evening, Jan. 25, Pinon Elementary School was “tagged” by vandals. The graffiti consisted of a number of vulgar and inappropriate words and phrases.

During the meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gene Schmidt intends to request the School Board post a $1,000 reward for the arrest and conviction Read More

Community Invited to UNM-LA / Los Alamos Daily Post College Board Forum 7 p.m. Wednesday

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Staff Report

UNM-Los Alamos and the Los Alamos Daily Post will co-host a “UNM-LA Advisory Board Candidates Forum” from 7-8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan 30 in Building 2, Room 230 on the college campus.

The public is invited to attend the forum, which will feature Position 1 incumbent Ron Dolin and challenger Michelle Hall in the only contested position among the three seats coming up in this year’s race.

Below, the candidates share brief details of why they decided to either seek reelection or run for the first time to serve on the UNM-LA Advisory Board for the next four years:

Incumbent Read More

Letter to the Editor: Setting the Record Straight on the School Bond – Rationale for an All-Mail Ballot

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Setting the Record Straight on the School Bond: Rationale for an All-Mail Ballot

By Gene Schmidt

Over the last two weeks, I have been following an interesting conversation in the Los Alamos Daily Post about the timing of the school bond election. 

At least one writer wondered aloud why the bond election was not tied to the general election last November.

Another wondered why the district chose to run an all-mail ballot that costs taxpayers up to $30,000 – money that might have been saved had the School Board chosen to run it as part of the general election last November.

In order to set the record Read More

School Bus Service Alert! No Bus Service into Quemazon Today!

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LAPS News!

Bus Service Alert! There will be no bus service into Quemazon today, Jan. 29.

Chamisa Update – Today, Tuesday Jan. 29, classes are again cancelled for Kindergarten through Third Grade at Chamisa Elementary School in White Rock.

“As you may know, we have had to cancel grades K-3 at Chamisa because of water damage to rooms following the recent wet weather. Because safety of students and staff is important, we felt it best to cancel these grades while we thoroughly investigated the water damage to the classrooms. It is important to know that we are actively working with the Read More

Pinon School ‘Tagged’ by Vandals

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LAPS News:

By DR. Gene Schmidt
Superintendent of Schools

On Saturday evening, Jan. 25, Pinon Elementary School was “tagged” by vandals. The graffiti consisted of a number of vulgar and inappropriate words and phrases.

As a community, we should not put up with this senseless disregard and marring of our public property. As such, I asked Kevin Honnell, Los Alamos School Board President, to convene a special Board meeting at Pinon Elementary at 5 p.m., Jan. 30 to discuss the district’s response to vandalism.

During the meeting, it is my intent to request the School Board post a $1,000 reward Read More

Los Alamos Wins Big at New Mexico FLL State Championship

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Two Los Alamos teams won State Championship Awards at the third annual New Mexico FIRST LEGO League Championship held Jan. 26 at Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque. Front Row from left, “Banoona Skunk Band” members Emily Holmes, Risa Bridge, Maddie Ovaska, Brooke Weatherbie, Jessica Erkkila, Eleanor Henderson, Ellie Rightley, Elia Vasquez and Coach Karen Doebling. Back row from left, Coach Vicki Erkkila, “Atomic Flying Pickles” members Coach Susannah Rousculp, Evelyn Doebling, Lauren Stubben, Haylee Richardson, Summer Bronson and Catherine Rousculp. Read More

Column: Pikas – Icons of the High Country

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PEEC Amateur Naturalist: Pikas – Icons of the High Country
Column by Robert Dryja

Winter has come to the ski slopes above Los Alamos. A walk through the area shows all of the slopes now covered by snow – the silence is profound except when the ski lifts are running. 

As people ride the lifts to the top of the mountain, they pass over a mass of broken rock without realizing that small creatures, icons of the high country, are just a few feet below them.

Pikas are the icons who rest quietly in their rocky dens, waiting for spring. A talus slope of snow-covered broken rock forms a roof above them Read More