Education

Two UNM-LA Students Named To PTK All-State Team

Alan Van Cleave and Heaven Talachy, members of the 2020 Phi Theta Kappa New Mexico All-State Community College Academic Team from UNM-LA, meet State Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos. Photo by Kathryn Vigil/UNM-LA

From left, UNM-LA Advisory Board member Steve Boerigter and Chancellor Dr. Cynthia Rooney introduce UNM-LA students Heaven Talachy and Alan Van Cleave to New Mexico Secretary for Higher Education Dr. Kate O’Neill. Photo by Kathryn Vigil/UNM-LA

UNM-LA News:

UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) students Heaven Talachy and Allan Van Cleave were recognized during the State Legislative Read More

Secretary Groginsky Announces Open Application For Early Childhood Education And Care Department Advisory Council

Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today, Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky announced the formation of ECECD’s Advisory Council.

The Council – created by Senate Bill 22 in the 2019 Legislative Session – will include stakeholders from across the early childhood community, including eligible providers, community organizations, educators, employee representatives, and staff from the Legislative Finance Committee and the Department of Finance and Administration.

“New Mexico has extraordinary early Read More

LAPS Foundation Grant Applications Now Being Accepted

Students in the garden at Pinon Elementary School. Courtesy/LAPSF

LAPSF News:

Another year and another semester has begun and the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation wants to help educators start the year off strong by opening its spring semester grant applications.

Any licensed LAPS teachers may apply before the Feb. 29 deadline. Many thanks to the wonderful individuals and organizations that continue to donate and contribute to more than $18,000 available for our educators.

Teachers may apply for the following grants:

  • Great Ideas Grants;
  • Professional Development Grants; and
  • Professional
Read More

Santa Fe New Mexican: Ringside Seat

Sen. Bill Tallman

By MILAN SIMONICH
The New Mexican

Talk about reversal of fortune. After 10 years of defeats, proponents of spending part of a $19.7 billion state endowment for early childhood education saw their proposal rescued Monday from the legislative graveyard.

The Senate Rules Committee cut in half the amount of money the program would receive. But the committee also gave the revamped proposal life as the legislative session heads into its final three days.

Two Democrats who had previously opposed the measure — Sens. Bill Tallman of Albuquerque and Clemente Sanchez of Grants — saved Read More

Polaris Founding Team Announces Meeting Schedule

Polaris School Team News:

The Polaris Public Charter School Founding Team will host a set of community meetings to provide information about the school and seek feedback.

Meeting dates and locations:  

  • Feb. 20 (Thursday) 4-6 p.m. 
    Mesa Public Library  
    Meeting Rooms 2, 3 on third floor
  • March 12 (Thursday) 4-6 p.m.
    White Rock Branch Library  
    Big Meeting Room
  • March 18 (Wednesday) 5-7 p.m.
    Los Alamos Steam Lab
    1615 Central Ave., Suite 202
  • April 14 (Tuesday) 5-7 p.m.
    Family Strengths Network
    3540 Orange St.

The informal, open-house style meetings are open to the public; come when you can, stay

Read More

LAPS: Open Enrollment; In-District Transfer March 2

LAPS News:

Los Alamos Public Schools will make available the Open Enrollment Application process (for students who reside outside of Los Alamos County) for the 2020-21 school year at 8 a.m. Monday, March 2.

The application will be accessible online at http://laschools.net/home/registration and may be completed on a smartphone or computer.

In addition, the In-District Transfer form will be available beginning Monday, March 2 for elementary students who reside in Los Alamos County but wish to transfer to a different school zone.

For more information, contact Sandra Osborn at 505.663.2228 Read More

$6K Grant Aims To Boost Youth Interest In STEM Via Science-Based Musicals In Northern New Mexico

Marie Curie (Sandie Bowman) prepares a lecture at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. Courtesy/Sean Buckley

BSMA News:

The Bradbury Science Museum Association (BSMA) will bring Matheatre, a musical troupe, to Northern New Mexico starting Feb. 27 in Taos.

The group performs Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) based theatrical renditions.

“This math-theater is an amazing blend of science and art. We are thrilled to be able to offer these free performances around northern New Mexico, thanks to funding from N3B,” said Ryn Herrmann, president of the BSMA, a non-profit that Read More

UNM-LA And Los Alamos Music Teachers Association (LAMTA) Celebrate Beethoven’s 250th Birthday

Beethoven winners from left, Gala Nelson, Malaika Philip, Anuita Dzuiba, Janna Warren and Alyssa Sun. Courtesy photo

Beethoven Winners: Left-to-Right Philippa Fung, Julian Hu, Sean Lo, John Kang, Madeline Williamson. Courtesy photo

MUSIC News:

This year marks the 250th celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthday.

To honor that occasion, the UNM-LA campus has invited the Los Alamos Music Teachers Association (LAMTA) to kick off the year at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23, at UNM-LA in the Student Services Building.

The event features a public piano recital featuring young Los Alamos pianists Read More

UNM-LA Film Class Visits Reel Deal Theater

UNM-LA Film Studies students Wednesday at the Reel Deal with their instructor, Dr. Cathy Hardy, and Reel Deal owner Jim O’Donnell from left, Jose Rivera, Dio Dominguez, Sheon Johnson, Hardy, Olivia Tepley, O’Donnell and Greg Wollner. Photo by Nancy Coombs/UNM-LA

Reel Deal owner Jim O’Donnell with a reel of film that ran on old projectors. Today films arrive on a hard drive with an encryption key that unlocks the drive during the time the film is rented. Photo by Cathy Hardy

UNM-LA News:

UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) Instructor Dr. Cathy Hardy and the Introduction to Film Studies Read More

Legislative Roundup: 6 Days Remaining In Session

Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:

PERA bill: A key House panel approved legislation on Friday that aims to erase the state pension system’s $6.6 billion unfunded liability. After clearing the full Senate earlier this week, Senate Bill 72, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, was passed 11-4 by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and now heads to the House floor.

Under the proposed model, annual cost-of-living adjustments would range between 0.5 percent and 3 percent, depending on investment returns, rather than the 2 percent annual raises retirees currently get. 

The bill, Read More

Ribbon Cut On Aspen School Playground Equipment

Aspen Elementary School Principal Michele Alter and ‘Aspen’ the Tiger cut the ribbon in a brief ribbon cutting ceremony this morning at Aspen Elementary School. The event celebrates new playground equipment that was purchased by the Aspen PTO and installed earlier this school year. Aspen PTO wants to thank Aspen staff, families and the community for supporting and donating time and money the past several years. With their support, Aspen was able to purchase three pieces of equipment totaling nearly $30,000. They also send out a special thank you to ExerPlay, Greg Neal and his group at PlayScapes–Santa Read More

Bill Investing Millions In Native Students Passes House

House Appropriations and Finance Chair Patricia Lundstrom

HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:

SANTA FE — Today House Bill 4 a bill to provide the equivalent amount of the full federal Impact Aid to schools and school districts that serve Native American students, passed the House floor. Sponsored by House Appropriations and Finance Chair Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup) and Speaker of the House Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe), House Bill 4 seeks to address decades of imbalance in the distribution of federal education funding.

Currently, instead of distributing Impact Aid funds to the neediest districts in full, Read More

LAPS: Apply Now For New Mexico PreK Programs

LAPS News:

Los Alamos parents with children who are four years old on or before Aug. 31, 2020 may apply for a half-day New Mexico Preschool Program for the 2020-21 school year.

Los Alamos Public Schools has a NM PreK program at Piñon Elementary School.

There is a maximum enrollment based on available funding so applications will be entered into a lottery for acceptance into the program. The lottery opens at 8 a.m., April 1 and will be accessible at laschools.net. There is no cost to parents or students selected to attend, and transportation is available to those residing within the school zone.

The Read More

UNM-LA: ‘Modern Astrophysics For Everyone’ Feb. 18

Dr. Nicole-Lloyd Ronning

UNM-LA News:

The UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) Community Education class “Modern Astrophysics for Everyone” begins Feb. 18, meeting 3-4 p.m. every Tuesday through April 28.

Facilitated by Dr. Nicole Lloyd-Ronning, this class provides a unique learning opportunity for all community members, regardless of math and science backgrounds.

Students will explore problems in astrophysics in an informal, discussion-style format. Students’ individual interests will guide topics for the class.

“I encourage anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what Read More

Scholarship Plan Clears Senate Education Committee

By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican

A scholarship plan aimed at covering all college tuition and expense costs for New Mexicans cleared yet another hurdle when members of the Senate Education Committee voted 5-2 to send it to the Senate Finance Committee.

But the bill may face deeper scrutiny once it gets there since a Legislative Finance Committee fiscal impact report says it may cost much more than the Higher Education Department estimates.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the program would cost about $35 million a year when she unveiled the proposal last year. Reacting to concerns expressed early Read More

Los Alamos Jazz Project Combos Perform Wednesday!

Several LAPS jazz combos and ensembles perform at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Smith Auditorium. Courtesy photo

The community is invited to hear jazz combos and ensembles Wednesday at Smith Auditorium. Courtesy photo

LAPS News:

Several jazz combos and ensembles will take to the stage starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 in Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School.

Six Los Alamos Jazz Project student combos, both Los Alamos Middle School Jazz Band 1 and Jazz Band 2, Los Alamos High School Jazz Band, and Los Alamos High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble will be performing jazz from New Orleans.

The public Read More

Nature Center Closed Today … May Open Tonight

UPDATE: The Los Alamos Nature Center will remain closed today and tonight.

PEEC News:

The Los Alamos Nature Center is closed today, Tuesday, Feb. 11 due to snow conditions.

The nature center may open this evening for its scheduled Family Star Party and Family Night depending on road conditions and weather. Read More

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