Los Alamos Assistant Superintendent of Schools Gerry Washburn speaks at the June 11 meeting of the Los Alamos School Board. Washburn has arranged for Barranca and Mountain elementary schools to participate in a research study of the new math curriculum, Everyday Math. The schools were randomly selected from the three schools using this curriculum. Participating in the study by SEDL of Austin, Texas will save the district aproximately $70,000 in curriculum materials, which are furnished by the company during the two-year study. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Susan Mack, executive director of Family Strengths Network addressed the School Board on the issue of her organization’s one-year lease with Los Alamos Public Schools. FSN rents space in the Pueblo Complex on Diamond Drive for $300 per month, which covers utilities. FSN renders $38,000 worth of services to LAPS students in grades K-12 and an additional $70,000 of services for younger children. Board President Jim Hall called this “an outstanding deal for the schools.” The board unanimously decided to waive $2,000 in improvements to the property required of FSN in the former lease and to lease the property to FSN for one year at the $300 monthly rate. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
School Board President Jim Hall, right, spoke for the entire board when instructing Superintendent Gene Schmidt, left, and the Strategic Planning Committee to proceed with invetigating the feasibility of using teachers to assist elementary school principals rather than hiring a full-time employee to travel to all five schools to perform these functions. The position was funded as part of the 2013-14 budget and the hours and compensation would be divided into five part-time positions at the schools to be filled by existing staff working extra hours. The cost is approximately $70,000 per year to the District. Fourth grade teacher Andrea Determan expressed opposition to the proposal, saying the money would be better spent elsewhere and that teachers should not be put in the position of supervising other teachers at the elementary schools. Other teachers spoke in favor of the proposal, stating that it would give teachers the opportunity to get supervisory experience. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
