Families & Students

Welcome to Barranca Mesa

Hello Barranca Mesa Families!

I’m thrilled and honored to join the Bobcat family as the new principal! I have heard amazing things about the Barranca students, staff, families, and the school community. In the days ahead, I look forward to meeting you and learning more about the Barranca community, building relationships, and working together to create an inspiring and supportive environment for our students.

I am a former LAMS Hawk and LAHS Hilltopper. I graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in reading. I earned my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico Highlands University and then earned my administrative license. Being an educator in LAPS for the past twenty years has been a true blessing. I taught at Aspen Elementary for four years and then transferred to Piñon Elementary where my oldest son started kindergarten. Piñon has been my home for the past 16 years. Making a difference in the lives of students and watching them learn and grow is my passion.

My husband, Jason, and I have three kids. This past spring we celebrated our oldest son, Jaxson, graduating from college. Our middle son, Maddox, will be a senior and our daughter, Nixyn, will start 5th grade at Piñon this coming fall. I stay busy cheering my kids on at their sports and activities. Life is never dull at the Martines’s house!

In order to begin meeting students and families, I will be hosting a Meet the Principal event, Popsicles with the Principal on Monday, August 5th. It will be from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on the back patio by the bus loop. I would love to see you all there!

I value your input, ideas, and involvement in making our school the best it can be. I am excited about the excellent things we will achieve together. If you have any questions before we meet in person, please feel free to email or call me.

I’m beyond excited to be a part of the Bobcat family!

Sincerely,

Kristen Martines

School Calendar

Barranca Calendar

Bell Schedule

Delay/Cancellation

To find out if there is a Delayed Start, School Cancellation, or Early Dismissal due to Snow or Ice:
• Visit the District Office homepage announcements at www.laschools.net
• Call 663-2223 (LAPS Info-Line)
• Watch one of the local morning news programs
• Call your school”s info line (below)

This message is to provide district-wide procedures, communications strategies, and to help us further prepare for the winter of 2015-16. The information may be particularly important because the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting ~150% of the annual average snow fall for northern New Mexico this year.

Communications:

The decision to close school or delay the start of school will usually be made by 5:30 am.
Official announcements will be made via the media, district web page, School Messenger, the school district’s information line (663-2223), and each individual school line.
We will be coordinating with LANL and the County on all decisions about a delayed start, cancelation, or early dismissal. In general, if the Lab is on a delay, school opening will be delayed. If the Lab is closed due to weather, our schools will usually be closed.
When school is dismissed early or cancelled for the day, all after school programs including athletics (both home and away contests) and activities are cancelled.
This information will be used to update the LAPS webpage and Employee Handbook.

Student Discipline

Emergency Procedures

Should an emergency or disaster situation ever arise in our area while school is in session, we want you to be aware that the schools have made preparations to respond effectively to such situations. In fact, public schools in New Mexico are built to meet stringent construction standards, and they may be safer than your own home in the event of a disaster.

Should we have a major disaster during school hours, your student(s) will be cared for at this school. Los Alamos Public Schools have detailed emergency response plans, which have been formulated to respond to a major catastrophe. While the specific details of these plans cannot be made public, we will provide any information necessary for your emergency planning needs and peace of mind, in case of an emergency. After you have thoughtfully reviewed this process, please sit with your child(ren) and help them to understand that it is necessary for them to follow the directions of any school personnel in times of an emergency drill or actual emergency situation. The safety of all depends on all personnel and students treating drills and emergency directions with serious respect.

Your cooperation is necessary in any emergency:

Do not telephone. You can receive updated information through an emergency communication system, provided by the school district and Los Alamos County. Telephone lines may be needed for emergency communication.
In the event of a serious emergency, students will be kept at their schools until they can be picked up by an identified, responsible adult who has been listed as such on a LAPS emergency card, which is required to be completed by parents/guardians at the beginning of each school year. Please be sure you consider the following criteria when you authorize another person to pick up your child at school:
- S/He is 18 years of age or
- S/He is usually home during the
- S/He could walk to school, if
- S/He is known to your
- S/He is both aware and able to assume this

During an extreme emergency, students will be released at designated reunion sites, to be identified by the Incident Commander and located on school campuses. Please instruct your student to remain at the school until you or your designee arrives.

Turn your radio to AM 1610 for emergency If students are to be kept at school, radio stations will be notified. If electrical service is not affected, information will be relayed via LAPS to the radio and television broadcast media. In addition, information regarding day-to-day school operations will be available by accessing our website, or subscribing to our E-Alerts web-based system. All sites have hotline numbers, which will be updated.
In the event that any emergency takes place during the time that students expect to be transported to or from school:
- If students are on the bus at the time, they will be kept on the bus, and the driver will ask for assistance through radio contact with the school and district
- Any child who is home waiting for the bus will not be picked up and remains the responsibility of the parent or
- In any situation, if the student’s bus does not arrive at the stop within fifteen (15) minutes, the student should return
- In the event that an emergency occurs in the afternoon, the driver will make every attempt to continue delivering the students to their homes. Should road conditions prevent the driver from delivering students to their home or to school in the morning, the students will be delivered to the nearest district site, and that site’s personnel will communicate with home school personnel to inform them of the students’
In case of a hazardous release event (i.e. chemical spill) near the school area, Shelter procedures will be implemented to provide “in place” All students and staff will clear the fields, report to their rooms, and all

efforts will be made to prevent outside air from entering the classrooms during the emergency. “Shelter-In-Place” signs will be placed in classroom windows or hung outside classroom doors during a drill or emergency. Students arriving at school during a Shelter drill or event should report to the school office or to a previously designated area at the school because classrooms will be inaccessible. When the dangerous incident has subsided, an “all clear” signal will be given.

In the case of a county-wide evacuation, which would include the schools, that evacuation would proceed in accordance with the protocols established in the Los Alamos County Emergency Operations Plan. Please access the County’s website for this county-wide evacuation plan.

Parental Roles in Emergency Preparedness

Discuss the Standard Response Protocol with your child(ren)
Please make sure to update your student’s school emergency Call or come by the school to update. Remember to update again when necessary.
Sign up for E-Alerts on the school and district You’ll be notified by email whenever an emergency results in a delay, cancellation, or early dismissal.
As part of your family plan, know your student’s Please check the accuracy of this schedule with your child.
Parents with students currently taking emergency medication (i.e. medication for diabetes, seizures, anaphylaxis, asthma, etc.), please provide the nurse with a three-day supply of medication in a prescription container that is clearly marked with your child’s name and Please include doctor’s orders for the prescription and parental permission for a dispensation of the medication and any special storage instructions.
Notify and provide the school with the special dietary needs of your

You might want to think about having your student have a change of clothes and personal hygiene articles (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, contact lens kit) in their locker.

Please discuss these matters with your immediate family. Planning ahead will help alleviate concern during emergencies.

Important Dates

Important Forms

Parent and Family Handbook

Parent Newsletters

School Messenger

LAPS uses the School Messenger system to notify parents for reasons that impact safety and academic performance of students.

Once your child is enrolled at LAPS, you will be automatically enrolled to receive email notifications from School Messenger. LAPS highly recommends that parents also sign up for text messaging so that they may receive important announcements via text, such as emergency notifications. To sign up for text messaging, please follow these instructions in English or Spanish.

If you have a student in one of our schools, please ensure that your school contact information and emergency contact information is up-to-date.

If you need to make a change to your contact information, please call or visit your school office.

Technology Advisement

The purpose of any computer utilization is to enhance the educational experience. All students and staff are required to have a signed district Technology Agreement on file. Use of computers is a privilege and not a right. Inappropriate use will result in the cancellation of those privileges. LAHS administration will determine what is inappropriate use and that decision will be final. Inappropriate use will result in the closing of an account at any time or by removal from a computer-based class.

• Ethical Use of Technology Board Policy 6144R

Internet Safety:
In today’s environment, Internet safety is a must. Los Alamos Public Schools takes this very seriously and has posted valuable information for you to read up on. Please click on the link below to read more about our policies.

Internet Safety Tips For Parents

Pre-K	Kinder	1st Grade	2ND Grade
3RD Grade	Fourth Grade	Fifth Grade	Sixth Grade

In This Section

2024-2025 School Supplies Lists