Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 20, 2010

7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 20, 2010 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

PUSD TO CLOSE BURBANK, LOMA ALTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 

Pasadena, CA – The Pasadena 
Unified School District (PUSD) 
Board of Education voted to 
close Burbank Elementary 
and Loma Alta Elementary 
Schools. The action concluded 
a consolidation process that 
lasted nearly three months 
and included the appointment 
of a community-based study 
committee, community 
forums, and multiple board 
discussions. School closures 
and consolidation would take 
effect in the 2011-2012 school 
year; no changes will occur 
during the current school year.

 “This has been a painful process 
for all involved. I understand 
the loss and uncertainty 
that parents, students, and 
employees are experiencing, 
and I regret that the state 
budget crisis has made closing 
PUSD schools necessary,” said 
Superintendent Edwin Diaz. “I 
am committed to ensure that 
students are assigned to high-
performing schools, stabilized 
throughout the transition, and 
provided the support they need 
to succeed at their new school.” 

 The Board of Education acted 
on a recommendation from 
Superintendent Diaz regarding 
school consolidation, which 
included closing Burbank and 
Loma Alta Elementary Schools, 
relocating the Mandarin Dual 
Immersion program to Field 
Elementary, and implementing 
mitigation measures to provide 
information, resources, and 
guidance to assist students, 
families, and employees in 
transferring to new campuses.

 “I feel badly about this decision. 
I know it’s going to create some 
turmoil and I’m moved by the 
stories of students, families 
and staff,” said Board President 
Bob Harrison. “However, I’m 
concerned that if we don’t act 
we’re going to create further 
problems because we’re 
stretching our resources too 
thin.”

 In September, 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’s central office. 
Last month, the committee 
submitted its final report to the 
Superintendent 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.

 Based on a potential $5 million 
restoration in district funding 
as a result of the state budget 
approved in late October, the 
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.

 “We are moving immediately 
to begin the dialogue with 
parents and staff to ensure a 
smooth transition and meet the 
academic needs of all affected 
students,” said Alice Petrossian, 
Chief Academic Officer.

 The Board decision precedes 
the Open Enrollment 
period, which commences 
in December, ensuring that 
parents will be adequately 
informed and supported by an 
implementation plan prior to 
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

Burbank Elementary School


Loma Alta School


APPLY TO 
COLLEGE NOW!

Applications for 
admission to California 
State Universities 
(CSU) and University 
of California (UC) 
campuses are due 
November 30, 2010. 
Applications can be

submitted online at

www.csumentor.
edu and www.
universityofcalifornia.
edu PUSD students and 
families attended PEF’s 
Admission Matters: 
What Students & Parents 
Need to Know About 
Getting Into College.

SIERRA MADRE SCHOOL FOOD DRIVE

Sierra Madre School PTA is sponsoring it's Annual 
Thanksgiving Food Drive now through Monday, 
November 22, 2010. "The Sierra Madre School 
community has a rich tradition of giving generously 
for our Thanksiving Food Drive. Donations come into 
classrooms and, before we know it, boxes are overflowing 
as students from our Middle School Service Club help 
sort and prepare the donations. 

 We are able to support 20 or more of the families in need 
within our own school community with nourishing food, 
as well as a turkey donated by the Sierra Madre PTA, just 
in time for Thanksgiving dinner," reports PTA President 
Melissa Moore Castillo. 

 Donations of non-perishable goods from Sierra Madre 
School stakeholders, including all interested local 
community members, are gratefully being accepted at 
both the lower Elementary School Campus at 141 W. 
Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, outside of the Main Office, 
and at the Middle School Campus in the Main Office 
interim bungalow at 160 N Canon Ave, Sierra Madre. 


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