Thursday, October 22, 2026

Los Alamos Public Schools Board Meeting 
Thursday, October 22, 2026 5:30 PM 
Los Alamos Middle School, 2101 Hawk Dr, Los Alamos, NM 87544 
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Call to Order
3. Roll Call
4. Routine Business/Approval of Agenda
5. Recognition by the Board
6. a. LAHS Student Liaisons
b. Superintendent’s Report
c. Public Comment for items not on the agenda
7. Routine Business/Consent Agenda items
Budget Adjustment Report
Policy 5126, Pol - Student Grades and
Transcripts, Policy Reviewed, Non-Substantive
Changes
Draft Minutes, October 13, 2026

Account # Acct Description Debit Credit
REVENUE 31600.0000.45303.0000.041000.0000.920.0000 SALE OF PERSONAL AND REAL PROPERTY > $5,000 10,600.00$                  
REVENUE 31600.0000.45304.0000.041000.0000.920.0000 SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY/EQUIP.- TRANS. 3,125.00$                    
EXPENDITURE 31600.4000.57331.0000.041000.0000.920.0000 FIXED ASSETS - TRANSPORTATION 13,725.00$                  
Reason:
Requester: Brenda Halder, Business Mgr./Maria Elena, Budget Mgr. 13,725.00$             13,725.00$             
FY26/27  For Board Approval
October 22, 2026
Proceeds from Auction sale for bus and 2 vehicles
10/19/2026 PAGE 1 OF 1

STUDENT GRADES AND TRANSCRIPTS  POLICY 5126 
 Page  1  of 2 
 PURPOSE 
 The Board of Education establishes this policy to define the District’s philosophy and guiding principles 
 for grading and reporting student achievement. Consistent with the District vision and strategic plan, 
 grades shall serve students, families, and educators as an honest and meaningful communication of 
 learning. 
 PHILOSOPHY OF GRADING 
 The Board believes that a grade should communicate, as accurately as possible, what a student knows 
 and is able to do relative to grade-level standards and course expectations. A student’s academic 
 grade shall reflect demonstrated content knowledge and skills. Schools should support continued 
 learning by preserving meaningful opportunities for students to demonstrate growth and mastery over 
 time. The Board affirms the professional judgment of teachers. The grade assigned by the teacher shall 
 not be changed by the Board or the Superintendent except as provided by law, Board policy and 
 administrative regulation. 
 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 
 Grading and reporting practices throughout the District shall be guided by the following principles: 
 1.  Accuracy and meaning.  A grade should be a valid reflection of a student’s learning. Grading 
 practices should be designed so that grades communicate student achievement and mastery as 
 clearly and accurately as possible. 
 2.  Transparency.  Students and families should understand  how grades are determined and should 
 receive timely, clear information about academic progress so that they can act on it. Grading 
 practices and student expectations should be communicated at the start of a course or grading 
 period. 
 3.  Consistency and professional judgment.  Students enrolled in the same course shall be 
 evaluated in relation to common academic standards and course expectations. Educators are 
 encouraged to collaborate to promote consistency while retaining appropriate professional 
 judgment in instructional and assessment practices. 
 4.  Equity and fairness.  Grading practices should provide students with fair and meaningful 
 opportunities to demonstrate learning. Academic grades should primarily reflect achievement, 
 course standards and learning expectations and not means or resources available to the 
 students. 
 APPLICATION ACROSS PK-12 
 These principles apply uniformly across the District and are implemented in developmentally 
 appropriate ways at each level. The form that grading and reporting take—for example, 
 standards-based reporting in the elementary grades and letter or percentage grades in the secondary 
 grades—may differ, but the underlying commitments to accuracy, transparency, consistency, equity, and 
 support for learning remain constant from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. 
 TRANSCRIPTS 
 Student transcripts are permanent records and shall be processed and archived by the high school 
 registrar. 
 DELEGATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT 
 The Board directs the Superintendent, or designee, to develop, maintain, and communicate 
 administrative regulations and school-level procedures that put this policy into practice, including the 
 development of specific grading scales.

STUDENT GRADES AND TRANSCRIPTS  POLICY 5126 
 Page  2  of 2 
 Legal References: 
 NMSA 22-2-8.13  Standardized Statewide Grading System 
 1.21.2.189 NMAC  Student Transcripts 
 6.29.1.9.J.7 NMAC  Standards for Excellence 
 6.30.10 NMAC  Final Course and Other Student Grade  Changes 
 6.60.9.9 NMAC  Code of Ethical Responsibility of the  Educational Profession 
 Policy Revised 05/17, 10/26 
 Policy Reviewed 12/14 
 Policy Adopted 11/08

STUDENT GRADE  S  CHANGES  AND TRANSCRIPTS  POLICY 5126 
 Page  1  of 2 
 Los Alamos Public School District is required to establish a written policy for any written changes to a 
 student’s grade under NMAC 6.30.10.  ¶ 
 ¶ 
 Student transcripts are permanent records and shall be processed and archived by the high school 
 Registrar. NMAC 1.21.2.189  ¶ 
 ¶ 
 The Superintendent will establish regulations to implement this policy in accordance with any state and 
 federal law and regulations. 
 PURPOSE 
 The Board of Education establishes this policy to define the District’s philosophy and guiding principles 
 for grading and reporting student achievement. Consistent with the District vision and strategic plan, 
 grades shall serve students, families, and educators as an honest and meaningful communication of 
 learning. 
 PHILOSOPHY OF GRADING 
 The Board believes that a grade should communicate, as accurately as possible, what a student knows 
 and is able to do relative to grade-level standards and course expectations. A student’s academic 
 grade shall reflect demonstrated content knowledge and skills. Schools should support continued 
 learning by preserving meaningful opportunities for students to demonstrate growth and mastery over 
 time.   The Board affirms the professional judgment of teachers  .  , who know their content, their 
 standards, and their students best, and asks that this judgment be exercised in service of accuracy, 
 fairness, and student growth. The teacher of each course shall determine the student's grade.  The 
 grade assigned by the teacher shall not be changed by the Board or the Superintendent except as 
 provided by law, Board policy and administrative regulation. 
 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 
 Grading and reporting practices throughout the District shall be guided by the following principles: 
 1.  Accuracy and meaning.  A grade should be a valid reflection of a student’s learning.  Grading 
 practices should be designed so that grades communicate student achievement and mastery as 
 clearly and accurately as possible.  Practices that distort the academic meaning of a 
 grade—inflating it or deflating it for reasons unrelated to demonstrated learning—should be 
 avoided. 
 2.  Transparency.  Students and families should understand  how grades are determined and should 
 receive timely, clear information about academic progress so that they can act on it.  Grading 
 practices and s  S  tudent  expectations should be communicated at the start of a course or grading 
 period. 
 3.  Consistency and professional judgment.  Students enrolled in the same course shall be 
 evaluated in relation to common academic standards and course expectations. Educators are 
 encouraged to collaborate to promote consistency while retaining appropriate professional 
 judgment in instructional and assessment practices.  Consistency within a course or standard. 
 Collaboration among educators helps a given grade carry comparable meaning from one 
 classroom to the next.  Students enrolled in the same course should be assessed against the 
 same standards and expectations, regardless of section or teacher. 
 4.  Equity and fairness.  Grading practices should provide students with fair and meaningful 
 opportunities to demonstrate learning. Academic grades should primarily reflect achievement, 
 course standards and learning expectations  and not means or resources available to the 
 students  .  A grade should reflect a student’s academic performance and demonstrated learning, 
 rather than circumstances unrelated to learning. Students shall not receive grade penalties or 
 rewards, such as extra credit, for non-academic compliance like bringing supplies. Every student 
 shall have a fair and meaningful opportunity to demo nstrate learning.

STUDENT GRADE  S  CHANGES  AND TRANSCRIPTS  POLICY 5126 
 Page  2  of 2 
 APPLICATION ACROSS PK-12 
 These principles apply uniformly across the District and are implemented in developmentally 
 appropriate ways at each level. The form that grading and reporting take—for example, 
 standards-based reporting in the elementary grades and letter or percentage grades in the secondary 
 grades—may differ, but the underlying commitments to accuracy, transparency, consistency, equity, and 
 support for learning remain constant from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. 
 TRANSCRIPTS 
 Student transcripts are permanent records and shall be processed and archived by the high school 
 Registrar. 
 DELEGATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT 
 The Board directs the Superintendent, or designee, to develop, maintain, and communicate 
 administrative regulations and school-level procedures that put this policy into practice, including the 
 development of specific grading scales. 
 Legal References: 
 NMSA 22-2-8.13  Standardized Statewide Grading System 
 1.21.2.189 NMAC  Student Transcripts 
 6.29.1.9.J.7 NMAC  Standards for Excellence 
 6.30.10 NMAC  Final Course and Other Student Grade  Changes 
 6.60.9.9 NMAC  Code of Ethical Responsibility of the  Educational Profession 
 Policy Revised 05/17  ,  10  09  /26 
 Policy Reviewed 12/14 
 Policy Adopted 11/08

8. Los Alamos Middle School Presentation
Presented by Principal Cardiel, Assistant 
Principal Meagan Selis, and Assistant Principal 
Colby Holland 
Discussion Only

9. Update on Future Expenditures for 
Upgrades and Renovations at 2075 Trinity 
Drive, 1900 Diamond Drive and 1104 4th 
Street 
Presented by Assistant Superintendent Mike 
Johnson 
Discussion Only 
 
10. Presentation of Los Alamos Public 
Schools Literacy Update 
Presented by Dr. Sharon Fogle

October: 
Literacy Month
Los Alamos Public Schools
School Board
October 22, 2026

Topics
National Literacy Month
Dyslexia Awareness- recognizing the unique strengths and talents of individuals with dyslexia
Celebrations
● Pinon 90% Grade 3 Reading Proficiency
● LAHS reading proficiency growth
Teacher Training
● LETRS
● CALP Training and certifications
● AIM Pathways
mCLASS
Family Read-at-Home Program
LAPS Reading Plan
9-12 ELA Instructional Material Review and Recommendation

11. Board Committee Updates  
12. Unfinished Business  
13. Future Business 
Tues, Nov 3, Election Day, No School 
Tues, Nov 10, LAPS Board Meeting, Mountain 
Elementary, 5:30 pm 
Wed, Nov 11, Veterans' Day, No School 
Wed-Fri, Nov 25-27, Thanksgiving Break 
Thurs-Sat, Dec 3-5, NMSBA Conference, 
Albuquerque 
Tues, Dec 8, LAPS Board Meeting, LAPS Board 
Room, 5:30 pm 
Mon, Dec 21-Mon, Jan 4, Winter Break 
  
 
14. Closed Executive Session 
School Board Vice President Coupland will ask 
for a Motion to go into a Closed Executive 
Session pursuant to Section 10-14-1(H)(7) NMSA 
1978 to discuss pending legal matters.   
 
15. Open Session 
School Board Vice President Coupland will state 
that the purpose of the discussion in closed 
session was limited to the items on the agenda. 
 
16. Adjournment