Los Alamos Reporter

LAPS Announces Classified And Certified Employees Of The Year

Los Alamos High School security officer Scott Reynolds is the LAPS Certified Employee of the Year. Courtesy photo

Aspen Elementary School third grade teacher Shelby Gernon is the LAPS Teacher of the Year, pictured here with a bulletin board decorated in her honor by colleague Marianne Anaya. Gernon is the LAPS nominee for the state Teacher of the Year. Courtesy photo

BY KURT STEINHAUS
Superintendent
Los Alamos Public Schools

Please join me in congratulating Shelby Gernon, Classified Employee of the Year and Scott Reynolds, Certified Employee of the Year.  There are so many wonderful things to say about Shelby and Scott.  Here are highlights and a photo.

Shelby, 3rd Grade teacher at Aspen, will be the LAPS nominee for New Mexico Teacher of the Year.  A parent recently said “She is an incredible teacher, and she figured out what kind of approach works with our son.  Not every teacher reaches that kind of success with him.”  

Shelby:

  • Is a true professional with a never-ending smile.
  • Is committed to her students and the teaching profession.
  • Remains positive and demonstrates dedication, perseverance, and resilience. 

Professionally, Shelby is pursuing classes and certification to learn about some of the most complex topics in primary education. She is fascinated by current research about how students learn to read as well as specialized instructional methods for dyslexia.

Scott Reynolds has been with LAPS for nine years as a Security Officer.  He knows and respects our students and they feel the same way about him.  Through the years, Scott has handled some of the most sensitive moments in students’ lives in a caring manner with the utmost discretion.  

Scott:

  • Works tirelessly to make everything at the high school work smoothly.
  • Tackled COVID-safe practices and helped prep every classroom for our return to face-to-face learning.
  • Demonstrates outstanding skills in building trust with students and staff.

He develops friendly, professional relationships with each student, and manages to be held in high regard, while still being able to work with students when they have discipline issues.  Los Alamos High School would not be the same without Scott.