Education

Letter to the Editor: Voting Yes for School Bond Makes Sense

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By Kathryn E. Thomas
Retired LAPS Assistant Superintendent

My name is Kate Thomas, and I resigned in 2010 from Los Alamos Public Schools as Assistant Superintendent. Since then I have worked closely in different situations related to the schools. 

I have been involved in education for 42 years, either as a teacher or an administrator. I am writing this letter to strongly urge Los Alamos voters to vote “Yes” to continue the funding of school renovation in our school district.

Learning is a complex activity, which supremely tests students’ motivation and physical condition. Teaching Read More

UNM-LA Faces 8 Percent Budget Shortfall

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UNM-LA Advisory Board members meet Monday evening with college administrators and staff. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

By Bonnie J. Gordon

UNM-Los Alamos faces a budget shortfall of $290,000 for fiscal year 2012-2013, reported UNM-LA Campus Resources Director Lisa Wismer at the Jan. 14 meeting of the UNM-LA Advisory Board. 

The campus will attempt to institute an 8 percent budget cut, although, “I don’t think we can pull back 8 percent,” Wismer said.

Wismer pointed to three cost areas that had major negative impacts on the budget: 

  • The one-time bonus (approximately
Read More

Garcia Richard Signs Education Appropriation Bill

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At the start of the 2013 60-day session Tuesday, newly elected Dist. 43 State Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard at her desk on the House Floor signs the education appropriation bill to fund New Mexico schools in 2013-14. Garcia Richard was named to serve on the House Appropriations Committee and is cosponsoring this funding bill. Photo by Garcia Richard’s daughter, Elia Vasquez Read More

Old Boiler Caused Cold Classrooms at Aspen

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Ms. Morey’s students at Aspen Elementary School recently performed a reader’s theater of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Courtesy/LAPS

Staff Report

Speculation that the thermostat at Aspen Elementary School was shut off over night and on weekends turns out to be false and not the reason for frigid temperatures in classrooms earlier this week.

The culprit is the 60-year-old boiler straining under the extended blast of below freezing weather plaguing the area.

“This is yet another reason we are hoping to pass the bond so that we can get a better heating system for that school with the Read More

Dr. Anastasia Steffen Presents Talk at PEEC

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Dr. Anastasia Steffen examining an archaeological site post-burn. Courtesy/PEEC

PEEC News:

Come to PEEC from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 to learn about how archaeologists study ancient sites in the wake of forest fires. 

Dr. Anastasia Steffen will give a hands-on introduction to archaeological obsidian analyses and an overview of current projects underway at the VCNP.

The large forest fires of the last few decades have burned a much of the eastern Jemez Mountains including about one third of the Valles Caldera. 

Culminating with the recent Las Conchas Fire, this spate of wildfires Read More

Column: No Tax Rate Increase Means No Tax Rate Increase

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By Dr. Gene Schmidt
Superintendent of Schools

Your YES Vote Means NO Tax Increase. Los Alamos voters received mail-in ballots this past week, which seeks voter approval of a $20 million Bond. If passed, Bond 2013 provides construction funding for Aspen Elementary School and for much-needed upgrades and repairs to school facilities. Bond information provided to the community states passage of the bond will not increase your tax rate. Yes, you heard right. Approval of the $20 million bond will not increase tax rates. This becomes possible because Bond 2013 acts as a replacement for bonds set Read More

UNM-LA and Los Alamos Daily Post to Co-Host College Board Forum

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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” on the college campus later this month.

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

The forum will take place 7-8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan 30 in Building 2, Room 230 at UNM-LA.

Below, 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 Read More

UNM-LA Dedicates Jeannette O. Wallace Hall

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UNM-LA Executive Director Cedric Page, left, applauds as Terry Wallace and his sister Janice Wallace Parra cut the ribbon on the wall plaque at the front of Jeanette O. Wallace Hall. Wallace’s wife, Michele Hall, left, and niece Caitlin Parra, and off camera Sheryl (Wallace) Crabtree and her daughter Nicole Crabtree look on. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Terry Wallace speaks to the crowd gathered to honor his mother, Rep. Jeannette Wallace, featured on the film behind him, during the dedication of Jeannette O. Wallace Hall Sunday. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com Read More

Letter to the Editor: Let’s Walk the Walk and Vote Yes for School Bond

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By Stephanie Garcia Richard
State Representative, Dist. 43

In the next few weeks we in Los Alamos have a choice; vote to keep our schools as they are or vote to make them better.

As the mother of two daughters attending Los Alamos Public Schools, it will come as no surprise that I am voting for the school bond.

But there are many reasons for all of us in White Rock and Los Alamos to vote in favor of this bond.

Los Alamos is known around New Mexico as having the highest quality schools for educating our children. It is something to be proud of, and we can thank the quality teachers and staff who make our schools Read More

Michelle Hall Garners Top Geophysical Education Award

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Michelle Hall of Los Alamos with Michael McFadden, President of the American Geophysical Union at an awards ceremony last month in San Francisco at which Hall was honored. Courtesy photo

 

By Carol A. Clark

Michelle Hall of Los Alamos received the 2012 American Geophysical Union Excellence in Geophysical Education Award during a special honors ceremony Dec. 5 in San Francisco.

Hall is a geophysicist and science educator who is married to Terry Wallace, Principal Associate Director of Global Security at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Hall was recognized and honored by the AGU for her Read More