BY MELANIE COLGAN
Los Alamos School Board President

The LAPS School Board was as surprised as you were to hear the Governor’s announcement yesterday that secondary students could return to campus for Hybrid Learning as early as Feb. 8. Rest assured that the LAPS leadership team began working on implementing these plans as soon as the announcement was made.

However, like any large endeavor, the devil is in the details. In fact, just last evening, Superintendents received a 4-page memo from Public Education Department Secretary Ryan Stewart detailing specific requirements, procedures and restrictions. These will all take time to formulate and implement. Then we can apply to the PED for a “certification of readiness to open” our Los Alamos Middle School and Los Alamos High School campuses for Hybrid learning.

Here are some key points from the memo:

• “COVID-safe practices as outlined in the PED Reentry Guidance and Rapid Response Toolkit will be strictly enforced at all times.” The latest revised toolkit was published yesterday, Jan. 26, 2021.
  
• “No school or district can open without a successful site visit completed.” It takes at least 2 weeks to even schedule the site visit and even longer to receive the certification from the state.

As you can see, LAPS will need adequate time to plan and ensure we meet the new PED requirements. As always, LAPS remains committed to student and staff safety and health.

Since last summer, the School Board has passed several motions approving Hybrid learning across the district when it is safe and we can meet the gating criteria. On Feb. 9, at our School Board meeting, I look forward to a robust discussion about what the governor’s announcement will mean for LAMS and LAHS students and staff. The school board welcomes public input.  Please submit ideas and suggestions to public.comment@laschools.net