The 2025 New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) Excellence in Student Achievement Award winners, center from left, Meagan Selis, Betsy Stauffer and Jenae Schultz pose with the LAPS School Board members, from left, Board Secretary Lauren Coupland, Vice President Sondra Wyman, President Melanie Colgan and Member Ryan Adams. Not pictured Member Ellen Specter. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS School Board members gather for a photo with recipients of the 2025 NMSBA Excellence in Student Achievement Award, (holding plaques) and nominees (holding certificates) during a presentation early this month during a School Board meeting. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) Board selected Los Alamos Middle School teacher Meagan Selis, Pinon Elementary School Special Education teacher Jenae Schultz, and Pinon Elementary School occupational therapist Betsy Stauffer as the recipients of the 2025 New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) Excellence in Student Achievement Award. The awards were presented earlier this month during a School Board meeting.
The NMSBA Excellence in Student Achievement Awards are presented to individuals selected by local boards of education throughout New Mexico who have played an important role in improving student achievement in their local school district. Sixty-four school boards participated in this year’s program and a record 189 award recipients were selected. Recipients are honored at local school board meetings throughout New Mexico.
Comments from several nominations for Selis, who teaches 8th grade history and coaches the middle school softball team include, “Mrs. Selis puts so much work not only into her class but outside”, “No one does spirit week like her” and “She is supportive and fun”.
A parent who nominated Schultz said, “Jenae has worked with my daughter for the last five years. She started as an EA in ILP and became a special ed teacher. She loves her students with all her heart, and has even stopped by to visit while my daughter was in the hospital. Jenae also goes out of her way to make sure the students go skiing with the adaptive ski program. She is wonderful.”
“Mrs. Stauffer is an amazing OT professional; we feel blessed to have had all our three children receive her expertise. She also helps educate us as parents on assisting our kids at home and is honest and very knowledgeable, recognizing during OT sessions and reporting concerns that otherwise might have been overlooked,” were the comments included in Stauffer’s nomination.
This year, the LAPS Board received 31 nominations for the Excellence in Student Achievement Award. School Board Secretary Lauren Coupland and board member Ryan Adams composed the selection committee and said the nominees this year were all excellent candidates. Several candidates received numerous nominations.
Nominees for the 2025 award received a certificate during the presentation.
Along with Selis, Schultz and Stauffer, this year’s nominees included Shelby Gernon, Curriculum; Keith Rosenbaum, Transportation; Heidi Schembri, Barranca Mesa Elementary School; Analicia Leyba, Chamisa Elementary School; Angela Martinez, Chamisa Elementary School; Nancy Willis, Chamisa Elementary School; Stephanie Abney, Los Alamos High School; Sierra “Cristine” Faseler, Los Alamos High School; Emily Johnson, Los Alamos High School; Mick Matuszak, Los Alamos High School; Ildiko Nadaskay-Goeller, Los Alamos High School; Alison Renner, Los Alamos High School; Colleen Swavely, Los Alamos High School; Sherri Bublitz, Los Alamos Middle School; Rachel Frank Barber, Los Alamos Middle School; Emily Gartz, Los Alamos Middle School; Christopher Greenlee, Los Alamos Middle School; Maria Musgrave, Los Alamos Middle School; Christina Wadlington, Los Alamos Middle School; Jacque Griego, Los Alamos Online Learning Academy; Marcie Jo Johnson, Los Alamos Online Learning Academy; Regan Hall, Mountain Elementary School; Jennifer Naes, Piñon Elementary School; Naomi Sanchez, Piñon Elementary School; Courtney Smith, Piñon Elementary School; Melissa Youssef, Piñon Elementary School; and music teachers Nic Montoya-Valdez and Michelle Rosette.