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It has now been two weeks since what we all considered "normal" was ripped from us. In the time since then, we’ve grieved, persevered, and come together as the loving community that we are.
And now, it's time for your children to begin to go back to their classrooms, so that a part of their personal “normal” will resume.
I want to extend profound thanks to Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco and her hard-working Superintendent’s Leadership Team for putting in countless hours in getting our PUSD students solidly on the path back to school. I also want to thank our brave and resilient teachers and staff, many who have lost homes of their own, to put aside their own personal recoveries and come to work so that learning can once again take flight.
Today, at Pasadena City College, we brought all PUSD staff back for Reopen, Restore, Rebuild & Rise a wonderfully restorative, healing event. Teachers, administration and staff were able to see each other for the first time since the disaster and plan their returns to school in a collaborative, supportive environment so that the first day experience is a smooth one for our students. I was so thankful to be a part of that event and experience the beautiful energy that makes our District so special.
Below, you can review PUSD’s phased reopening plan, which begins tomorrow and continues until January 30th, when all PUSD students will be back at school.
Scott Harden
Pasadena Unified Board Trustee, District 4
District Reopening Plan
To ensure campuses are safe and ready to welcome students back to school, PUSD will reopen campuses in phases over a two-week period, with all students back to school by the end of January. Campuses located furthest from the fire’s impact will reopen first. Each site will be reopened only after thorough cleaning, sanitizing, and testing for safe environmental levels, so there may be delays if any of the testing fails. I will keep you advised.
Schools Reopening January 23:
Phase 1 - 10 schools and programs
1.Hamilton Elementary
2.Willard Elementary & *Children’s Center
3.Blair Middle and High School
4.San Rafael Elementary
5.McKinley School
6.*Rose City High School
7.*Center for Independent Study
8.*Pasadena Adult Living Skills
9.*Twilight Adult School
10.*Aveson Global Leadership Academy (charter) - Sports Academy
*located on the Wilson campus
Approximately. 3,400 TK-12 students (and additional children’s center and Twilight Adult students) will return to school Jan. 23
Schools Reopening January 27 - 30
Schools
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Field ES
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Washington ES
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Octavia E. Butler MS
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Madison ES
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Norma Coombs ES
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Don Benito ES
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Sierra Madre ES
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Sierra Madre MS
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Jackson ES
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Longfellow ES
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Webster ES
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Muir HS
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Pasadena HS
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Marshall 6-12
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Eliot
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Altadena
Charters
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Aveson SL
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Odyssey
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Odyssey South
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Rosebud
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Alma Fuerte
Programs
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Jefferson CC
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Longfellow CC
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Cleveland CC
A guiding principle was to keep school communities together, including our charter schools. We have made offers of space in PUSD to all of our impacted charter partners. Their leaders will work with their own communities to announce their decisions and reopening plans. Below is the PUSD reopening plan for the relocation of impacted sites:
Eaton Fire Relief Information
This site will provide helpful places to get information and stay connected to the effort in getting kids back to school.
Student Support
Learning
PUSD students are welcome to engage in self-directed, online learning activities through our Student Learning link. Click to access the PUSD student learning link.
Childcare
PUSD partners are providing free or discounted child care services for PUSD families, including LEARNS childcare for students at select schools. Click to view the flyer for more information.
Recovery
Replacing Personal Documents
The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services provides links and contacts to replace these important documents. All of the organizations listed below offer online resources. If personal computers aren’t available, public libraries and other agencies may have computers available to the general public. Click here to access.
Health
The Los Angles County department of Public Health has issued a guide on how to respond in emergency situations. It gives guidance for parents and caregivers, as well as children. Click here to download.
Evacuation Centers
Pasadena Convention Center
Parking is available at the parking structure across the street from the Convention Center, located at 155 E. Green St. Please enter from Marengo Ave.
Parking is also available at the Paseo parking structure, located at 360 E. Colorado Blvd. You are able to enter the structure from Colorado Blvd. or Green St.
The Humane Society is on-site to accept pets for boarding. Service animals will be allowed inside the Convention Center.
Family Support
Food
Grab & Go Centers are open weekdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. weekdays at Field Elementary, Madison Elementary School, and McKinley School. Click here to learn more.
Transportation
Airbnb.org is providing free, emergency housing for people who have been displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires. They’ve already offered stays to 6,500 evacuees and are now committed to housing an additional 25,000 impacted people. You can get help - or provide help. Click here for more information.
Donations
Monetary
The Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) is stepping in to assist support recovery efforts. Visit pased.org/responsefund to lend a hand.
The California Teachers Association Disaster Relief Fund exists thanks to the generosity of CTA members who have made donations to help colleagues in need. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation.
Volunteer
The Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) is taking the lead role in coordinating all volunteer efforts to support PUSD. Please check back often at their volunteering page to sign up for opportunities to support our staff and students.
Other Great Sources of Information
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Dena Resource Guide - provides a list of local organizations providing relief and assistance
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U.S. Representative Judy Chu’s Eaton Fire Resource Guide - provides information on shelter locations, disaster assistance, lost documents, fraud, and insurance
Your Board at Work
Stay connected to the activities of the PUSD Board of Education.
Here's what we did this month...
Special Board Meeting
Thursday, January 16, 2025 @ 5:30pm
PUSD Education Center, Room 236
The PUSD Board of Education met in special session to tackle actions related to the repair of school sites damaged in the Eaton Fire. Here's what we accomplished:
• Authorized Emergency Repairs work at damaged school sites
• Proclaimed a local emergency
• Tabled a resolution of rebuilding the Eliot Arts Magnet School site for later discussion
• Received an update on PUSD facilities
• Progress on Academic and Operational Recovery
Here's what's next...
January Regular Board Meeting
Thursday, January 30, 2025 @ 4pm
PUSD Education Center, Room 236
The agenda will be posted 72 hours before the meeting.
Friday Communiqués
Each Friday, PUSD posts information for the Board and public to review. Here are the latest posted communiques.
Topics
Here are some of the important issues the Board is discussing:
Fiscal Stablization
The Superintendent has led an effort to create a Financial Stabilization Plan to ensure that the District has the means to reverse the trend of a growing operating deficit.
Resources
These are some handy sources of information when engaging in productive conversations about issues the District faces.
Learning and Advocacy
Learn how California’s education system works, so you can make a difference.
PEN is an independent grass-roots nonprofit organization that promotes family participation in public education to benefit all students in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre. PEN provides parent education programs and services to help parents explore, evaluate, and engage with their public schools as well as representing a collective voice for parents with the Pasadena Unified School District.
Data Resources
These sources allow you to start your advocacy journey, monitor school and District progress, and compare student success across schools and Districts.
The Dashboard is an online tool designed to help communities access important information about TK-12 schools and districts. The Dashboard features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success. Accountability plan metrics are linked to dashboard indicators at the district and school site level.
Additional reports are available on DataQuest, including more detailed information about school performance, test results, student enrollment, English learner, graduation and dropout, school staffing, course enrollment, and special education enrollment by program setting.
CAASSP reports test scores from the Smarter Balanced Assessment System (ELA and Math), CA Science Test, CA Alternate Assessments, and additional optional tools. These standardized tests provide necessary achievement data to
comply with federal laws.
The ELPAC is used to determine and monitor the progress of the English language proficiency for students whose primary language is not English. It assesses four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ELPAC scores are one of the criteria for English Learner reclassification.
Ed-Data is a partnership of the California Department of Education, EdSource, and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT). It allows users to create graphs over time of education data, provides access to financial information, and allows for comparisons between districts.
Special Education Indicator Report
Indicators aligned with state and national targets publicly available in a weird word doc.
School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
Lots of the same stuff as the Dashboard, plus school-level details on curriculum, facilities, class sizes, staff like counselors, and some salary information.
California Healthy Kids Survey
The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is an anonymous, confidential survey of school climate and safety, student wellness, and youth resiliency.