By JEFF WAUSONThe LAPS school board needs compassionate, yet knowledgeable leadership with new ideas, different points of view, and someone who can spur the board into action while working collegially with all stakeholders.
Balancing what the staff and students truly need is important and so necessary at this time when teacher morale is at an all time low. Ellen herself is an educator with first hand experience of the constant demands the profession faces. She has also been an LAPS parent, and has seen first hand what our school district needs to better bridge the gap between school and home.
Over the last several years, she has been in every school in Los Alamos and has talked with every principal and counselor. She has varied and extensive experience from her former position on the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, a working relationship with the Superintendent, the principals, and the teachers.
As Mr. Wadt’s letter pointed out, there are “two excellent candidates”. Now is the time to look forward to see what new ideas and points of view can bring to the table in an effort to improve LAPS.
Our teachers are frustrated and demoralized. Ms. Ben Naim is ready to work to improve the climate in our schools. She is not interested in adding more to a teachers’ workload but is interested in looking at ways to efficiently use our teachers’ time. She is not interested in adding classes for them to teach, nor take away some of their leave days. She knows that our outstanding schools deserve outstanding teachers and believes in treating our school staff with the dignity and respect they deserve.
She is a thoughtful listener who takes in and evaluates information from all sides. Rather than just talk about possible solutions, she acts on it. Los Alamos needs innovation and change. Ellen Ben Naim is the person the school board needs now.
