Education

Among the more serious findings of a yearly audit of the millions of dollars in state and federal funding that flows through the Los Alamos Public School System: LAPS spent $12 more than it should have in special education. The firm conducting the audit also found that a $78 check that was not cashed, was not taken off the books in a timely manner.

According to Griego Professional Services LLC, an accounting firm approved by the New Mexico State Auditor’s Office of Management and Budget, that was very good news to the LAPS officials. The auditor was hired by the Los Alamos Board of Education.

During the presentation, J.J. Griego, principal at GPS LLC, thanked District Finance Officer John Wolfe and others for making the huge task easier.

“The audit went very well this year and we were able to be in and out earlier than ever this year,” Griego said. “That’s in no short order to Mr. Wolfe, the finance department as well as all the departments we worked with including the federal programs, the state programs and pretty much everybody else.”

However, Griego also made it clear he works for the school board.

The community is invited to pay tribute to the memory of Jeannette O. Wallace from 12:30-2 p.m. Sunday in room 505 (Building 5) at the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos.

In honor of her service to the Los Alamos community and commitment to education, the faculty and staff of UNM-Los Alamos will dedicate UNM-LA’s newest lecture hall in her name. The dedication will take place at 1 p.m.

Wallace, a longtime community leader, died from illness in April 2011. She was serving her 11th term as a New Mexico State representative, which she won at the age of 76. Since 1991, Wallace served New Mexico District 43 which covers Los Alamos, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties. Wallace was a member of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee as well as the Health and Government Affairs committee and the Printing and Supplies committee. She had previously served on the Los Alamos County Council and was one of the co-founders of the Leadership Los Alamos program.

Campus Resources Director Lisa Wismer worked with Wallace’s family and artists Don Taylor and Ken Nebel to design the plaque for the lecture hall. The plaque will be unveiled at the dedication.

Directions and parking for the dedication can be found at la.unm.edu/PR/campus_map.html.

As the crowd huddled with their candles in the cold twilight at Ashley Pond Friday evening, Soumyo Lahiri-Gupta, president of the Los Alamos High Student Council, started reading the names many of the attendees were already too familiar with, even though Newtown, Conn. is 2,000 miles away.

As he made his way down the list of names and ages of victims in the horrific tragedy from just one week ago, some looked straight ahead and some bowed their heads in silent prayer. Many also wept.

Gupta organized the candlelight vigil, saying it was something he had to do.

“It reminded me of Columbine,” he said. “People needed to think about this, they needed to let their sadness out, because no matter who you are, this affects everyone.”

Featured speakers at the event included county council Chair Sharon Stover and Superintendent of Schools Gene Schmidt.

“Tonight, we’re here because we care about others,” Schmidt said to the crowd. “It is my belief that love is stronger than hate,” Schmidt told the crowd. “It is my belief that light is stronger than darkness. That’s why we’re here today with our candles.  …My guess is that there are many candles burning tonight for the children of Newtown, Connecticut.”