Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 30, 2010

7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Mountain Views News Saturday, October 30, 2010

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

PUSD BOARD REVISES SCHOOL 
CONSOLIDATION PROCESS 

Jackson to Remain Open 
for 2011-12

Pasadena, CA – The Pasadena 
Unified School District (PUSD) 
Board of Education acted to give 
Superintendent Diaz flexibility 
to recommend closure of fewer 
than three schools in 2011-12, 
to postpone relocation of the 
District central office pending 
the results of a feasibility study, 
and to remove Norma Coombs 
Alternative School and Jackson 
Elementary School from 
consideration for closure or 
relocation in 2011-12.

The Board of Education 
considered whether to 
continue, revise or stop the 
school consolidation process 
based on a potential $5 million 
restoration in district funding 
as a result of the state budget 
approved last month. The 
Board gave the Superintendent 
an additional week to submit his 
recommendation to allow time 
for direct input from affected 
schools.

“Given the potential for 
additional revenue, the 
urgency to balance the coming 
year’s budget is not as great 
as we previously anticipated,” 
said Superintendent Diaz. 
“However, we still need to 
operate more efficiently, align 
our resources with strategic 
priorities, and preserve the 
District’s long-term fiscal 
health.”

Due to the unprecedented 
impact of the loss of state 
and federal funding and the 
District’s declining enrollment, 
the Board approved reductions 
in December 2009 to close 
schools in the 2011-12 school 
year, and directed staff to 
investigate opportunities to 
generate revenue to address 
funding cuts. 

The Board directed the formation 
of a School Consolidation 
Study Committee to assist the 
Superintendent in developing a 
recommendation to the Board. 
The committee was charged 
with the task of identifying 
a minimum of three schools 
for closure and options to 
relocate the District Office. The 
committee submitted its final 
report to the Superintendent last 
week recommending that three 
elementary schools -- Loma 
Alta, Burbank, and Jackson – 
be consolidated, and that the 
Norma Coombs Alternative 
School program be relocated to 
the Burbank site.

“I commend the School 
Consolidation Study Commit-

tee for its diligence and 
commitment to what has been 
a difficult and emotionally-
charged process, and for their 
willingness to look at data and 
make recommendations that 
they feel are in the best interests 
of the district,” Superintendent 
Diaz stated. “I appreciate the 
additional time to analyze the 
committee’s recommendation 
and have direct conversations 
with parents and staff at the 
school sites affected by this 
decision.” 

The Board will make a 
final decision on school 
consolidation by November 16 
to ensure parents are adequately 
informed and supported by an 
implementation plan before the 
beginning of Open Enrollment 
for the 2011 - 2012 school year. 
For more information, visit 
www.school-consolidation.
pasadenausd.org.

Alverno High School

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Ann M. Gillick 

E-mail address: agillick@alverno-hs.org

Arcadia High School

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007

Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: David L. Vannasdall

Arroyo Pacific Academy

41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke

E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org

Barnhart School

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 446-5588 Head of School: Joanne Testa Cross

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.com 

Bethany Christian School

93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3527 Principal: James Lugenbuehl

E-mail address: jml@bcslions.org

Carden of the Foothills School

429 Wildrose Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016 626/358-9414 
626/358-5164 fax office@cardenofthefoothills.com

The Gooden School

192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-2410 Head of School: Patty Patano

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road

Pasadena, Ca. 91107

626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

LaSalle High School

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 Principal: Patrick Bonacci

website: www.lasallehs.org

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2000, email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us

Norma Coombs Alternative School

2600 Paloma St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 798-0759 Principal: Dr. Vanessa Watkins 

E-mail address: watkins12@pusd.us

Odyssey Charter School

725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neill

website: www.odysseycharterschool.org

Pasadena High School

2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 798-8901 Principal: Dr. Derick Evans

website: www.pasadenahigh.org

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave. Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 795-6981 website: www.pusd@pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-9028 Principal: Joanne Harabedian

website: www.st-rita.org

Sierra Madre Elementary School

141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Gayle Bluemel

E-mail address:gbluemel220@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Gayle Bluemel

Contact person: Garrett Newsom, Asst. Principal

E-mail address: gbluemel220@pusd.us

Weizmann Day School

1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 797-0204

Lisa Feldman: Head of School

Wilson Middle School

300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth Esseln

E-mail address: resseln@pusd.us

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 795-6981

Website: www.pusd@pusd.us

105 Second Graders Become 
Munchkins for A Day

 The Sierra Madre Playhouse played host to 105 
second graders from Hamilton Elementary School 
last Tuesday, October 26th.. The students, filling 
every theatre seat, were the best Munchkins we've 
ever had on our many journeys to the Land of Oz. 
They sat bravely with eyes wide as the lights dimmed 
and Dorothy's house was suddenly swept away in 
the tornado.

 Holding their breath when the house landed with a 
booming crash, they all broke loose in screams and 
laughter when Toto came out barking, tail wagging 
and talked to them all in dog language. The magic 
had truly begun. Throughout the performance they 
oiled the tinman, stuffed the scarecrow, and hid 
Dorothy from the witch. The biggest cheer came 
when Dorothy and her friends captured the witch's 
broomstick. And finally the kids cried and waved 
goodbye when Dorothy clicked her heels and went 
back to Kansas. The students left meeting each 
character with a handshake and a thank you, and 
each received a colorful program, a Halloween treat 
and a giant smile.

 For many of these children it was their first 
experience at a play. And undoubtedly one they will 
never forget. June Chandler began Fairy Tale Theatre 
to introduce children to the joy of live theater. Plays 
are an important story telling tool to Hamilton 
teacher, Susan Favela who helped organize this very 
special event.

 There are only two more performances of The 
Wizard Of Oz at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. 
November 6 and 13 at 2:00. Admission is $12 
for children and $18 for adults. Tickets can be 
purchased online at www.sierramadreplayhouse.
org or you can reserve tickets by 
calling (626) 355-4318.

 The Sierra Madre Playhouse is 
located at 87 West Sierra Madre 
Blvd, two blocks west of the 
intersection of Sierra Madre 
Blvd and Baldwin Avenue in 
Sierra Madre. Their phone 
number is (626) 355-4318.

A PROMISED FULFILLED

Tom Brady’s A Taste Of Sierra Madre event promised to bring 
needed funds to Sierra Madre’s Youth Activities Center, and it 

did. Photo by Chris Bertrand


Left to Right: Krist Mc Clure City of Sierra Madre, Mayor Joe Mosca, 
Tom Brady chair of Taste of Sierra Madre, Elisa Weaver City of Sierra 
Madre were all on hand for the presentation at City Council Meeting 
Tuesday.

 Less than a year ago, Sierra Madre resident Tom Brady had an idea. What if 
we put on a community event that would not only showcase the very best of Sierra 
Madre, but also raise money for a worthy cause? Using his many marketing 
talents and resources within the music world and community at large, Tom 
pulled together over two hundred volunteers and raised over $12, 000 to benefit 
both the Sierra Madre Youth Activity Center and the Rotoplast Foundation 
which performs cleft palate surgeries on children in need.

 On Tuesday evening, Brady presented the City of Sierra Madre with a check for 
$6,000 for the youth center.

 Brady is to be commended to his innovative approach to introducing and 
bringing to fruition a new event that is certain to become a part of the essence 
of this community. Plans are already in the works for A Taste of Sierra Madre 
in 2011. S. Henderson/MVNews


BOSTON COURT PERFORMING 
ARTS CENTER SEEKS 
PERFORMERS FOR ITS 2011 
ARTTALK 

- San Gabriel Valley’s Largest Spoken 
Word Festival- 

 Performance proposals are now 
being accepted for the fourth annual 
ARTTalk. ARTTalk is scheduled 
to take place on Saturday, March 
12th, 2011. Participants will be 
allotted one half hour to perform 
a piece that focuses on Words and 
Communication. All performances 
must be acoustical in nature. Boston 
Court will provide general lighting 
and no rehearsal time is allotted. 
Previous performance genres include 
film, storytelling, singing, and poetry. 
Participants will be provided a small 
stipend. The deadline for proposals is 
December 3, 2010. 

 Those interested in performing 
should email or mail their performance 
proposal to: 

Meg Hackney, Events Manager 

Boston Court Performing Arts Center, 

P.O. Box 60187 Pasadena, CA 
91116-6187 

Email: megh@bostoncourt.com. 

For more information on ARTTalk 
visit www.playhousedistrict.org/
arttalk . 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com