Local Organizations and Businesses Partner to Help Students
Local organizations and businesses join together to help students. First row from left, Joyce Nickols (Self Help, Inc.), Ellen Ben-Naim (Otowi Station Bookstore) and Alison Walters (Rotary.) Second row from left, Rick Garland (Masonic Temple), Judy Goldie (Rotary) and Jane Phillips (Rotary.) Third row from left, Lewis Muir (Rotary), Mary Burns (Rotary), Linda Anderson (Rotary) Steve Ciddio (Rotary) and Linda Hull (Rotary.) Not pictured: Brian Newnam (Rotary) and a representative of REMAX of Los Alamos. Courtesy photo
Advancing Lives: Our Journey to Excellence
Los Alamos Board of Education President Kevin Honnell welcomes staff back to school Monday. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos School Board President Kevin Honnell welcomed the staff back to school Monday morning, Aug. 13. The annual event includes a “Back to School” breakfast for staff and opening remarks from Superintendent Gene Schmidt.
In his remarks, Honnell praised staff for the high quality and important work that they do.
“Los Alamos is a recognized leader in education,” he said.
“What makes a school excellent?” Honnell asked before answering his own question, “iPads, Smartboards, Read More
New Mexico Dead Last in Internet Availability
Staff report
In an age where being connected and having access to information is critical to economic success, U.S. Census figures show that New Mexico is dead last when it comes to households having access to the Internet.
The Census Bureau survey shows that only 64.1 percent of New Mexico households had high-speed internet access in 2010.
The average rate nationwide for Internet access is 71 percent.
New Hampshire is number one with a rate of 86.2 percent.
Even Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana have higher access rates than New Mexico.
Following New Hampshire, Read More
LAMS Construction Completed in Time for School
Dave Wharram of Gerald Martin briefs the Board of Education on the status of the Los Alamos Middle School construction project during Tuesday’s meeting. Photo by Kirsten Laskey
By Kirsten Laskey
Despite a two-week delay in the construction project, Los Alamos Middle School was ready to greet students for the 2012-2013 school year Wednesday.
Dave Wharram of Gerald Martin, which serves as the owner representative for the project, reported the good news to Los Alamos School Board members during their regular meeting Tuesday night.
“McCarthy, the contractor in charge of the project, Read More
Public Invited to Join PEEC’s Fire Recovery Walk
Flood damage on the trail to Upper Crossing just beyond Ponderosa Campground due to severe burns above. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
For the first program of its Fire Recovery Series, PEEC will offer an exploratory hike from Ponderosa Campground starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25.
The hike will be led by Terry Foxx and Chris Judson, and will be non-strenuous.
It is free and open to the public, with no registration required.
This slow meandering walk will focus on observation and discovery of the complexity of the ecosystems of the Pajarito Plateau, and the change that these ecosystems Read More
Katherine Hemphill Receives Kiwanis Scholarship
Los Alamos High School graduate Katherine Hemphill has received an educational scholarship from the Los Alamos Kiwanis Club for her good works in the community. Hemphill served as a Key Club member and will attend Arizona State University to study Biomedical Engineering. Pictured from left, Kiwanis Club members Morrie Pongratz and Don Casperson, President Kristy Ortega, Hemphill and her father Richard Hemphill. Kiwanis has a focus on youth projects and meets at noon each Tuesday at the Masonic Lodge near 15th Street and Sage. Kiwanis was founded in 1948 and is the oldest service organization Read More
Column: Money IQ for the College Bound Student and His or Her Parents
Money IQHow quickly the time has passed and now you are sending your child off to college.
You might be asking yourself, “What does my student know about money management and how can I prepare them for it?”
This week’s Money IQ introduces you and your college bound student to Student checking accounts and the tools available to help manage them.
Most financial institutions have accounts for students. The question is, “How do you determine which one is right for you and your student?”
Start by looking for Student accounts that have low or no minimum balance requirements.
Most will Read More
LAPS Hosts Annual All Hands Breakfast and Meeting
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Superintendent of Schools Gene Schmidt, right, and Los Alamos Board of Education President Kevin Honnell welcome staff and teachers to the annual “All Hands Breakfast and Meeting” Monday morning at Los Alamos High School. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com
Jim Ivanovich, newly hired principal at Mountain Elementary School greets staff and teachers arriving for breakfast at LAHS. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com
Tim O’ Leary from the Los Alamos Site Office helps greet teachers and staff at the All Hands Meeting. Photo by Salvador Read More
The Valles Caldera Deserves a Rim Trail
Yvonne Delamater of Los Alamos looks out over the Valles. Courtesy photo
LOS ALAMOS MOUNTAINEERS News:
The Valles Caldera deserves a trail around its rim. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15 in Fuller Lodge, Historian Dorothy Hoard will tell of her 12-year still unfinished odyssey to make the dream a reality.
The resurgent dome of the Valles Caldera is, geologically speaking, very young. Its structure is largely intact.
It is also a small caldera, a mere 13 to 15 miles in diameter, so it is easy the see its bowl-shape depression atop a mountain.
These attributes led a small group of dedicated Read More
UNM-LA Community Education Offers Unique New Classes
By Bonnie J. Gordon
This fall, the UNM-Los Alamos Community Education department kicks off the semester with an interesting set of new course offerings and ambitious plans for expanding the program even more in following semesters.
More than 20 new topics have been added to the schedule of classes, which includes new areas of focus such as:
- “Local History and Culture”
- “Contemporary Arts”
- “Native American Culture”
Class series, in topics such as Science Fiction, will also be debuted in the fall. In addition, the fall schedule previews the new Enrichment Classes Read More
Betty the Bullfrog Attracts New Parents
ROTARY News:
Betty the bullfrog charmed members of the Rotary Club of Los Alamos so much that the Club has adopted the portly beauty for an entire year beginning Nov. 1. Betty lives at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and is big and round, with a dark colored back and a creamy colored belly. She likes to hide underwater as well as float along the surface. Betty sometimes comes out of the water to bask under a warm lamp. She dines on earthworms, crickets and pinky mice. Courtesy photo
Staff report
Live animals are an important but costly part of the educational mission at the Pajarito Read More
Los Alamos Coaches Gather at Griffith Gym
LAPS News:
More than 75 Los Alamos Public Schools coaches met Sunday, Aug. 5 at Griffith Gym to hear presentations by County Transportation Director Keith Rosenbaum; Los Alamos High School Principal Sandra Warnock, Athletic Secretary Kim Smith, Athletic Director Vicki Nelms and Wade Salem from Character Matters who presented Professional Development to the coaches on the Character Matters program. Courtesy/LAPS
Courtesy/LAPS
Courtesy/LAPS Read More
Kiwanis Presents Prestigious Jeannette O. Wallace Scholarship Award to Michelle Boerigter
KIWANIS News:
Tuesday, Aug. 7, Kiwanis awarded Michelle Boerigter the prestigious Jeannette O. Wallace Scholarship award. Wallace was a longtime Kiwanian and former New Mexico State Representative for District 43. Michelle will be attending Hope College in Holland, MI and will study Bio Chemistry and Religion/Theology. From left, Key Club members Morrie Pongratz, Kiwanis President Kristy Ortega and Don Casperson; Terry Wallace, son of Jeannette Wallace; Michelle Boerigter; and parents Cathy and Steve Boerigter. Photo by Sharon Stover
Rotary Club Breaks Ground for LAHS Memorial Garden
From left, Dave Foster, Sandy Warnock, Dawn Venhaus, Travis Richins, Linda Hull, Kevin Honnell, Skip King, Eric Ferm and Robyn Ladino. Courtesy/LAPS
From left, Eric Ferm, Tony Ladino, Robyn Ladino, Candy Haskins and Rick Haskins. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
“These trees and this Memorial Garden allow future generations of students to reflect, relax and remember,” said School Board President Kevin Honnell at the official ground breaking ceremony of the new memorial garden planned for Los Alamos High School.
Families and friends of students who died while in high school attended the ceremony Read More
Paleontologist Ralph Chapman Virtualizes Dinosaurs
Entrepreneurs John Battles, left, and Chuck Mansfield join audience members gathered Thursday evening at The Hive in White Rock to listen to Paleontologist Ralph Chapman present a talk about virtualizing dinosaurs. Chapman is an owner/partner of New Mexico Virtualization, a Los Alamos-based company that specializes in the 3-D scanning of objects, especially for museums and educational institutions. The company’s latest project was for Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History and included the scanning of the whole skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton sometimes referred to Read More
Tools for School Ready for Delivery
The Unitarian Church youth group that helped unload the truck with the Tools for School supplies: Back row: George Hrbek, Bobby Hrbek, Ryan Van Cleave and Grayson Venhaus. Middle row: Kai Coblentz, Devon Cantua, Rowan Cantua and Theodore Petersen. Front row: Michelle Alexander, Elannah Venhaus, De Anna Hoyle (Youth Director), Amaya Coblentz and Caleb Schultz (not pictured Sophia Galvez.) Courtesy photo
SELF HELP INC. News:
Self Help Inc. has been the sponsor of Tools for School for 15 years and once again another successful program has been completed.
With money from United Way, other grants, Read More
Summer Art Camp Ensures Artistry Never Stops
Fuller Lodge Art Center calls its Summer Art Camp “The Best Six Weeks of Summer” for children from Los Alamos, surrounding communities and even foreign countries. Courtesy photo
FULLER LODGE ART CENTER News:
This summer 80 to 100 students age 4 through 6 grade filled the classrooms at Fuller Lodge Art Center on Central Avenue each week, while teens met for classes at Village Arts on DP Road.
Whether painting, drawing, sculpting, dying yarn and knitting or creating things from recycled materials, these young artists were exploring their creativity with enthusiasm and laughter. Read More
Los Alamos School Board Aug 14 Agenda
Los Alamos School Board News
Courtesy Photo. Los Alamos School Board
The Los Alamos School Board will hold its Regular School Board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug 14, 2012 at the Los Alamos High School Speech Theater.
AGENDA
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Call to Order
3. Roll Call
4. Recognition by the Board
Dossier Teachers: Julia Agnew Bell, Barb Chigbrow, Dana Kline, Jaclyn LaFon, Molly Lithgow, Stephanie Mitchell, Melanie Mueller, Sarah O’Brian, John Pawlak, John Pyle, Elizabeth Richardson, Dorene Salazar, Kati Steinberg and Sandy Tobin. National Board Certification: Mary Grace and Sigrid Read More
Council Recognizes Individuals Completing Boys and Girls State
From left, Ben Mitsunaga, Cory Geyer and Kyle Partin accept Council’s recognition of individuals completing the American Legion’s New Mexico Boys’ State and Girls’ State program. The trio spoke about their experience and growth while participating in the program. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Councilor Vincent Chiravalle presents special pins to Boys’ State participants from left, Kyle Partin, Cory Geyer and Ben Mitsunaga. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com Read More
Council Proclaims August ‘Assets Building Month’
Council proclaims the month of August 2012 as “Assets Building Month” in Los Alamos County and presents the proclamation to Assets Coordinator Bernadette Lauritzen as her son passes out cookies to Councilors and staff. The 40 Developmental Assets Program, a program of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, identifies 40 building blocks that help youth grow up healthy, caring and responsible. The assets are grounded in extensive research in youth development, resiliency, and prevention. They represent the relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities that young Read More
