Christine Bernstein speaks to fellow LAPS board members during her last meeting as a board member. Also pictured are Board President Antonio Jaurigue and Board Member Sondra Wyman. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

BY CHRISTINE BERNSTEIN

Editor’s note: The following are the remarks made by LAPS Board Member Christine Bernstein during the December 12 board meeting.

As I have been approaching this last board meeting, I’ve been contemplating what I would like to say as I exit my role as a LAPS Board member.

I am an educator.  I have come to realize this more in the last four years than I realized in my two decades of teaching.  

I am going to tell you a brief story that nailed it for me:

Last year, I taught adult ESL at UNM-LA.  I was working one-on-one with a student from South Korea.  She understood English very well and could read and write well.  She struggled with fluency of speech…it took her a long time to organize words in spoken speech, and she stumbled often. 

We would talk about what we had for lunch, and I would become curious because I didn’t know the words for her foods in English, so I would ask her to describe how she would prepare them.  This became an activity, and I incorporated art into it.  After about a week, she was able to talk to me very fluently.  It was all of a sudden, and I saw the light bulb go off, and everything began to click for her. 

I felt intense joy.  I left the school that day with this joy welling up inside of me and filling me up the whole day.  And I realized then that I was a teacher, and that was why I teach.

I am currently working as a server and bartender in Santa Fe.  I often find myself in situations with my colleagues where I teach, or I get excited to assist my guests in learning about the foods and wines we serve. I naturally fall into this role and feel great joy when I can bring something new to the table, literally and figuratively.

Being on the board, I have been a learner more than a teacher.  And an advocate and a voice.

I have learned much in this role:

I learned that being a public servant is just that…. you are a public servant.  I have enjoyed that aspect.  It sort of aligns with the feeling of teaching.  I am doing something for others.  

I did my best to make choices that aligned with my own values around education and progress for kids.  I know that some decisions made many people unhappy, and others were pleased.  I learned that it is absolutely impossible to make everyone happy, but that is not the job.  The job is to support the system that provides education for students.  I had to keep that in my mind and always remind myself that is why I am here.

As an educator, I want to leave this position on the board with a few thoughts:

Remember that your board, superintendent, and district are all here because they want to be.  

They/We are all here because we care about our kids in this community.

Remember, your board are human beings, and they are doing their best to do the best for every child.  And we are flawed, imperfect, and vulnerable, just like everyone else in this community.

I have an ask:

Please remember that the people doing this work want the same as you: for our students to do well in school, be emotionally and socially ok, and become contributing members of society.

We have a great district, and we have a lot to celebrate.  I hope this board will also remember where the challenges are and be sure to do what they set out to do. 

I thank my community for electing me four years ago. I thank this board for their continuous dedication and work for our schools.  I am grateful to Jennifer Guy for her leadership and our exciting and educational conversations. I will miss our weekly meetings greatly.  I am grateful to the administration for all the work they put in, and I am mostly grateful to our teachers, who show up and do the work every day to educate our kids. Especially right now when there is a nationwide exodus of teachers leaving the profession.  

 And lastly, I am incredibly grateful to my own children for their patience with me and for supporting their mom in her dedication to education.  I know they must be tired of hearing me talk about school.

And for my partner Greg for listening, his support, and allowing me endless time and space to do the work I did and have been dedicated to.

I look forward to new doors opening and new adventures!

I leave you with a quote from Jiddu Krishnamurti:

“There is hope in people, not in society, not in systems, but in you and me.