From PUSD Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D.
In the wake of the devastation caused by the Eaton Fire, we have announced a phased reopening plan over a two-week period to ensure campuses are safe and ready to welcome students back.
We will reopen, we will restore our community, we will rebuild, and we will rise. Despite the challenges we face, our commitment to our students and families remains unwavering. We are dedicated to coming together, rebuilding, and ensuring the well-being and success of our community.
PUSD’s Maintenance and Operations team, working alongside more than a thousand contractors, has been clearing debris and conducting extensive sanitization efforts to meet environmental and safety tests. To date, 10 tons of debris have been removed from campuses, and rigorous cleaning is ongoing as sites become accessible. Cleaning includes air filtration devices, vents, and sanitation of surfaces. To restore a sense of normalcy and provide stability for students, campuses located further from the fire’s impact will reopen first, allowing the community to begin its path toward healing. Each site will be reopened only after testing for safe environmental levels.The specific site reopenings are based on these test results; six to eight schools and three programs, including a charter, are expected to reopen at the end of next week. We plan to have all children return to in person learning by the end of January.
“Our PUSD community has suffered unimaginable loss,” PUSD Board President Jennifer Hall Lee said. “I thank the senior leadership team for working overtime, and the people cleaning our schools right now to get them ready for in-person learning…I look forward to being back in school so students can once again be with their teachers.”
PUSD remains steadfast in our commitment to restoring campuses and supporting the community as it recovers from the Eaton Fire, reaffirming its dedication to the well-being and success of students and families.
We will reopen. We will restore our community. We will rebuild, and we will rise together.
Pasadena Unified Community Gathering, Friday Jan. 17, 2-4pm, PCC
PUSD students, families, staff, join us Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 from 2 - 4 p.m. at a gathering to reconnect as a community and heal together. There will be vendors offering free food, art activities and games for students, and PUSD departments will be on hand with information and resources for families.
WHEN: Friday, January 17, 2025, 2 - 4 p.m.
WHERE: Pasadena City College, Parking Lot 3
1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106
