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LAPS Newsletter

Week of January 13, 2025

LAPS NewsletterWeek of January 13, 2025

Welcome 2025 and the start of the spring semester.

On the Calendar

Holidays and School Breaks

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, January 20 (no school for staff and students)

Concerts and Performances

Spelling Bees

Wednesday, January 15 District Spelling Bee

Science Fairs

Friday, January 17: Los Alamos Online Learning Academy

Saturday, January 25: District Science Fair

Meetings

The next School Board meeting is Tuesday, January 14. Click here for more information about the School Board meetings.


The next Parent Council meeting is Tuesday, January 21 at noon online.

Calendars

Around the District

Holiday Music

Music was in the air to wrap up the school year with the Barranca Bobcat Choir and K-Kids caroling at Aspen Ridge, and the Piñon Elementary 3rd and 4th grade music performance Flakes.

Aspen Elementary

The kindergarten tradition of Pancakes and Pajamas continued, and 4th graders enjoyed a field trip to the ice rink.

Barranca Mesa Elementary

PreK students went on a hunt for runaway gingerbread men

5th grade DARE graduation

Barranca Bolting Bobcats

Chamisa Elementary

Outstanding principal

Principal Craig Washnok

Fourth grade inventions

Mountain Elementary

Hawktime Fun

There were a lot of fun activities for Los Alamos Middle School students to choose from during Hawktime.

Candy making

How not to burn your face off science

Jewelry making

LAMS student council hosted an assembly for students before the start of the winter break which included fun games and a basketball game between staff and the 7th and 8th grade girls basketball team. The girls basketball team won in the last few seconds of the game.

LAHS Staff vs. Students Volleyball

Los Alamos High School staff challenged students to a volleyball match on the last day of school before the start of winter break.

LAOLA on the Move

Students enrolled in the Los Alamos Online Learning Academy (LAOLA) have been on the move in Los Alamos.

Visit to the Los Alamos Public Library

Ice skating

Wild Robot field trip

Social-Emotional Wellbeing

Meet Our SROs

Corporal Joseph Robinson

Los Alamos County Police Department


I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday break full of celebration and time with friends and family. I also want to thank you all for a wonderful fall semester of this school year.


With this much needed break for students and staff, I am excited to enter the next semester. Much of what we did through the beginning of school will carry on to other schools for the next few months. I had a wonderful time at Barranca, Mountain and Aspen schools bringing D.A.R.E. to them, and I am looking forward to delivering the courses to Pinion and Chamisa.


I am also looking forward to continuing discussions with each of the Elementary School campuses regarding continued safety for staff and students. I am working on ideas in which we might be able to employ something continuous through each school to maintain consistency.


Many of you already know me, since I have been an SRO for the last year and a half. But here is some information about me you might not know.


I was born and raised in Los Alamos, attended Barranca Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School. After high school, I moved to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, where I lived and worked as a mechanic for about 6 years. In 2008 I decided to move back to Los Alamos to become an officer with the Los Alamos Police Department.


That came to be in March of 2009 when I was hired by Los Alamos PD. Since being hired I have assumed many roles. For many years I was the departments Defensive Tactics Instructor, a Field Training Officer, Domestic Violence Instructor, Detective, Evidence Technician and Custodian, as well as School Resource Officer.


During this same time, I had two children, both of which attend Los Alamos Public Schools. I met my fiancé, Blair Redmond in June of 2022, and we plan to marry in June of 2026. Together, we have a combined 6 kiddos in our house.


I look forward to working with each and every one of you, and if you ever have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at my email at joseph.robinson@lacnm.us or you can contact me through LAPD Dispatch at (505)662-8222.

For Parents and Guardians

For Students

Space Science Programs

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) invites Girl Scouts to join two exciting space-themed programs this January at Los Alamos Nature Center.


Brownies can earn their Space Science Adventurer badge Jan 19, exploring the solar system and stargazing indoors.


Jan. 26, Junior Girl Scouts will earn their Space Science Investigator badge, with activities like using a solar telescope and enjoying a planetarium show. Both programs promise hands-on experiences that will inspire young minds to reach for the stars!


Event Details:

  • Brownie Scouts – Space Science Adventurer Badge: 1-2:30 p.m., Jan. 19;
  • Junior Scouts – Space Science Investigator Badge: 1-2:30 p.m., Jan. 26;
  • Location – Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Road; and
  • Admission – $10 per scout, pre-registration required.


For more information, visit peecnature.org/events. Stay connected on social media for updates on each week’s activities.

Saturday School

Saturday School is open to all Los Alamos Middle School and Los Alamos High School students as an opportunity to catch up on late work, complete missed assignments, take make-up tests and receive help with homework.

All Saturday School sessions for the 2024-2025 school year will be in person in E-wing at LAHS.


Sessions run from 8:30 am - 11:30 am for 7th and 8th graders, and 8:30 am - 12:00 pm for high school students.


To register, email lahssaturdayschool@laschools.net with the student's name and date requested.


Click here for more information.


Upcoming Saturday School Dates

February 1 and 22

March 8 and 29

April 12 and 26

May 10 and 17


There are no Saturday School sessions in January.

LAPS in the News

Around Town

UNM-LA Certificate Programs

UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) is offering certificate programs to members of the community.


Certificates include:

  • Python Programming Certificate;
  • Broadband-5G Certificate;
  • IT and Cybersecurity Certificates;
  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate; and
  • Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate.


Scholarships for all certificates are available for a limited time.


For more information on these or other UNM-LA continuing education certificate programs, visit losalamos.unm.edu/community-education or contact the educational and workforce partnerships officer at audreysinclair@unm.edu.

Choir Winter Gala

The Choir Winter Gala to benefit the Los alamos High School Choir will be held on Wednesday, January 22 at 7 pm.

Events in Los Alamos

Check out the LAPS Community Events page for information about events and activities in the community for students and families.You can also check out the Los Alamos County 100 Days of Winter.

LAPS Athletics

Upcoming Games and Meets

Los Alamos Middle School

Boys Basketball

Tuesday, January 14 vs. Carlos Vigil Middle School @ Los Alamos Middle School Brousseau Gym,

7th grade 4 pm, 8th grade 5:30 pm

Friday, January 17, LAMS Basketball Tournament @ Los Alamos Middle School Brousseau Gym

Monday, January 20 vs. Pojoaque Valley Middle School @ Pojoaque Valley Middle School,

7th grade 4 pm, 8th grade 5 pm

Thursday, January 23 vs. Taos Middle School @ Taos Middle School, 7th grade 4 pm, 8th grade 5:30 pm

Friday, January 31 - Saturday, February 1, Taos Middle School Tournament @ Taos Middle School


Los Alamos High School

Boys Basketball

Tuesday, January 14 vs. Albuquerque Academy @ Griffith Gym, 9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm,

Varsity 7 pm

Thursday, January 16 vs. St. Pius High School @ Griffith Gym, JV 4 pm, Varsity 5:30 pm

Saturday, January 18 vs. Mesa Vista High School @ Mesa Vista High School, JV 1:30 pm,

rsity 4:30 pm

Tuesday, January 21 vs. Moriarty High School @ Moriarty High School, 9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm, Varsity 7 pm

Monday, January 27 vs. St. Michael's High School @ Griffith Gym, 9th grade 5:30 pm

Thursday, January 30 vs. Espanola Valley High School @ Griffith Gym, 9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm, Varsity 7 pm


Girls Basketball

Saturday, January 11 vs. Peñasco High School @ Peñasco High School, JV 4:30 pm, Varsity 6 pm

Tuesday, January 14 vs. Robertson High School @ Robertson High School, 9th grade 4 pm,

JV 5:30 pm, Varsity 7 pm

Saturday, January 18 vs. Mesa Vista High School @ Mesa Vista High School, JV 12 pm,

Varsity 3 pm

Tuesday January 21 vs. Escalante High School @ Griffith Gym, JV 5 pm, Varsity 6:30 pm

Thursday, January 23 vs. Moriarty High School @ Griffith Gym, 9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm,

Varsity 7 pm

Thursday, January 28 vs. Espanola Valley High School @ Espanola Valley High School,

9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm, Varsity 7 pm

Friday, January 31 vs. Taos High School @ Griffith Gym, 9th grade 4 pm, JV 5:30 pm, Varsity 7 pm


Boys Wrestling

Wednesday, January 15 vs. Española High School @ Española High School

Friday, January 17 - Saturday, January 18, Winslow Duals

Wednesday, January 22, LA Invite @ Los Alamos High School

Friday, January 24 - Saturday, January 25, St. Pius Tournament


Girls Wrestling

Friday, January 10, Lady Pinto Invite

Friday, January 17, Cleveland Duals

Wednesday, January 22, LA Invite @ Los Alamos High School

Saturday, January 25 @ Piedra Vista


Swimming and Diving

Saturday, January 11, Albuquerque Academy

Saturday, January 18, Patriot Invite

Friday, January 24 - Saturday, January 25, Griffin Invite


Cheer

Saturday, January 18, Cheer Competition @ Cibola High School

Saturday, January 25, Cheer Competition @ New Mexico State University


Check out RankOne for schedules.

LAPS Activities

Chess

Monday, January 20, Northern Schools Chess League Meet 4 @ Los Alamos High School


Hilltalkers

Friday, January 17 - Saturday, January 19, La Cueva Speech & Debate Invitational

Friday, January 31 - Saturday, February 1, V.Sue Cleveland Speech & Debate Invitational


NJROTC

Saturday, January 25, Extreme Raider Meet, Albuquerque


Topper Revue

Thursday, January 30, Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1, Duane Smith Auditorium

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School Websites

Connie Goettee, Editor
c.goettee@laschools.net