Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 28, 2011

8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 28, 2011

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

SUPERINTENDENT RESPONDS TO CONSULTANT CONTROVERSY

Without question, the last thing Pasadena 
Unified School District Superintendent 
Edwin Diaz wants is a scandal at the end 
of his tenure as the head of the PUSD. That 
however, was not to be as an investigation 
into a district contract with consulting firm 
SCMC raised questions as to the Scope of 
Work and associated fees. The fees, which 
averaged approximately $275,000 a year for 
three years, appeared to be excessive to many. 
The consultants were hired to assist with the 
administration of the Measure TT funds. 

To mitigate the damage that may have been 
done by the publicity regarding the contract, 
Diaz decided to publicly address the issue. His 
letter to the community is below:

 

Dear PUSD Community,

 

Recent news articles about the Pasadena 
Unified School District’s (PUSD) contract 
with Gerald Schober and SCMC have 
resulted in questions about the oversight 
and management of District bond funds. 
On Tuesday, May 24, these concerns were 
discussed in closed session with the Board 
of Education and all Board members present 
concluded that no further investigation is 
warranted. In addition, the Board asked me 
to address publicly any concerns about the 
district’s oversight of bond funds that may 
have been created as a result of the news 
articles. I will address these issues publicly 
now.

 Because of this community’s experience 
with the shortcomings of the accountability 
systems in the previous Measure Y bond, 
we knew four years ago that we had to hold 
ourselves to a higher standard of oversight 
and business practices, even more so when 
voters placed their faith in us by approving 
Measure TT. And so we instituted a system 
of oversight and project accounting systems 
that surpass the requirements mandated 
by law. In accordance with sound public 
accounting process, before consultant and 
spending contracts and renewals are paid, 
they are verified and signed by department 
managers; the Board of Education’s Facilities 
Subcommittee, question and forward 
projects and contracts to the full Board for 
vote; and finally, to the Board of Education 
for approval. Documents are placed on 
the district’s Measure TT website for public 
viewing, and the Measure TT Citizens 
Oversight Committee reviews spending of 
district bond funds.

 The Board approved SCMC’s contract 
and extensions five times. Additionally, 
the Facilities Subcommittee approved 
extensions in December 2009, January 
2010 and November 2010. At that time, 
there were also open discussions about 
the need to expand internal staff and hire 
more Owner Area Representatives (OARs) 
to meet the growing demands of the 
construction program, and that our current 
staff, including Gerald Schober, was working 
excessive hours.

 Under the leadership of former Chief 
of Facilities Stephen Brinkman, 90 percent 
of completed Measure TT projects were 
delivered on time and under budget, and 
completed with rigorous quality controls. 
Mr. Brinkman worked long hours managing 
construction projects and developing the 
overall program. The number of hours 
and days worked by Mr. Brinkman, 
which routinely included weekends, were 
unmatched by any other employee of the 
District. Mr. Schober was an important 
part of the team that in 18 months delivered 
more than 120 successful projects. I can 
personally attest to the high standard of 
performance that contractors have been 
held to by the many positive comments from 
school staff and parents. In fact, because of 
oversight from our facilities staff, I was aware 
of contractors having to redo work, at their 
expense, when projects did not meet the 
District’s expectations. Neither the quality 
of Mr. Schober’s work nor the number of 
hours he claimed is in dispute. 

In PUSD, the community’s voice 
is essential, and we are proud of the 
connections we forged as we sought input 
from parents, school staff, and neighbors 
on developing and finalizing the facilities 
program. OARs cannot successfully execute 
a project without fully understanding 
the needs of the community. As the most 
knowledgeable person actively involved in 
school construction projects, Mr. Schober 
did indeed attend numerous parent, 
community and Board meetings to ensure 
that the construction of each school site 
project met the multiple needs of students, 
teachers and staff, parents, neighbors, and 
the community. Input and dialogue about 
the safety and design impacts of construction 
on sites occupied by school children was a 
priority issue with parents, therefore the 
Board and the district directed Facilities staff 
to be actively engaged in these meetings.

When Mr. Schober/SCMC first contracted 
to work with the District, he was hired to 
help identify and clean up the numerous 
problems of Measure Y. His base contract 
was $125 per hour, which included liability 
insurance and no employee benefits of 
any kind, a substantially lower rate than 
what is charged by most construction 
management firms. His rate of pay was 
also reviewed by the Citizen’s Oversight 
Committee. Whenever his contract reached 
the maximum, public accounting practices 
and our own stringent oversight required 
that any extensions or renewals be taken to 
the Facilities Subcommittee, and the Board 
of Education for approval. Extensions were 
approved in this way four times, without any 
Board member objections.

It is a rigorous system of checks and 
balances, and it works. The independent 
bond auditor required by state law found 
zero audit exceptions; that is, no evidence 
of fraud, misspending or the kind of poor 
accounting and management practices that 
characterized Measure Y.

Based on the experience of Measure Y, 
the district’s bond construction program 
moved away from contracting construction 
management firms to the Owner Area 
Representative (OAR) model, which reduces 
the overall cost of construction management 
from 10-12% to 6-7% and requires 
experienced construction managers to work 
exclusively for the district. Over the life of 
Measure TT, using OARS will result in an 
estimated savings of $22 million to PUSD. 

It is true that we did not renew Mr. 
Schober’s contract after the last extension 
in November 2010. Although there is no 
question that Mr. Schober worked the 
number of hours he claimed, what concerned 
both his supervisor and me was that he spent 
some of those hours on administrative and 
bureaucratic work that could have been 
done by other staff at a lower pay rate.

He had also sought work with other 
districts, thus ending the exclusivity 
the District expects of its Owner Area 
Representatives. And as the District 
embarked on a long-term $400 million 
bond construction program that required 
extensive teamwork, and as we hired more 
OARs to work as a highly functional and 
collaborative team, it became clear that Mr. 
Schober’s value to the District was at an end.

 During the transition since Mr. Brinkman 
retired last fall and David Azcarraga was 
hired as Chief Facilities Officer, the facilities 
team’s productivity was hindered by a lack 
of adequate staffing. We are currently in the 
process of hiring three additional OARs who 
work exclusively for PUSD at a lower hourly 
rate and have added administrative support 
to address the increased needs as we wrap 
up for additional projects. Mr. Azcarraga is 
also committed to delivering quality projects 
that are fiscally responsible and publicly 
accountable.

I will state once again that, after the 
experience of Measure Y, those who are 
entrusted with the management of public 
projects must adhere to far higher standards 
of conduct and judgment than is required by 
law. 

The communities of Altadena, Pasadena 
and Sierra Madre deserve no less.

Sincerely, 

Edwin Diaz,Superintendent

Pasadena Unified School District

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 

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 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

Walden School

74 S San Gabriel Blvd

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166 

www.waldenschool.net

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


ALVERNO HIGH SCHOOL AND 
ECCO SALON HOST LOCKS OF 
LOVE EVENT ON MAY 25, 2011

Goal for hair donations set at 
1,000 inches 

Alverno High School is 
holding a Locks of Love event, 
which has become a tradition for 
the students, taking place every 
two years. This hair donation 
event will take place on Alverno’s 
campus and is sponsored by 
South Pasadena’s ECCO Salon. 
It will take place from 2:00pm 
– 4:00pm on Wednesday, May 
25, 2011. Alverno is looking to 
collect 1,000 inches of hair from 
students, family, friends and 
community volunteers! 

This event will benefit Locks 
of Love, a public non-profit 
organization that provides 
vacuum fitted hairpieces to 
financially disadvantaged 
children suffering from long-
term medical hair loss from any 
diagnosis. They meet a unique 
need for children by using 
donated human hair to create the 
highest quality hair prosthetics. 
Most of the children helped by 
Locks of Love have lost their 
hair due to a medical condition 
called alopecia areata, which has 
no known cause or cure. Others 
have suffered severe burns or 
injuries or endured radiation 
treatment to the brain stem or 
other dermatological conditions 
that result in permanent 
hair loss. The vacuum fit is 
designed for children who have 
experienced a total loss of scalp 
hair and does not require the use 
of tape or glue. The prostheses 
they provide help to restore self-
esteem and confidence, enabling 
these children to face the world 
and their peers. 

The organization, which began 
operation in 1998, provides the 
prostheses to children under 
age 21. These hairpieces require 
between 6-10 ponytails and 
take approximately 4-6 months 
to manufacture. Thousands of 
bundles of donated hair arrive as 
a result of the national publicity 
that Locks of Love receives 
in newspapers, magazines, 
and television programs. It is 
estimated that children comprise 
over 80 percent of the donors, 
making this a charity where 
children have an opportunity to 
help children. 

Alverno students who donate 
or who bring a family member 
or friend to donate will receive a 
free Angel Hair Pasta lunch the 
next day. All those who donate 
will receive a gift bad from 
ECCO salon as well as a coupon 
to return to the South Pasadena 
salon and have their hair 
styled. Raffle prizes from local 
Sierra Madre businesses will be 
included in the event as well. 

For more information contact: 
Candace Siegle or Susana Capra 
- Alverno High School - (626)355 
– 3463 

csiegle@alverno-hs.org or 
scapra@alverno-hs.org

Looking Into The Life Of A Teenager

 By Meaghan Allen

This Little Piggy…

Last week in my justice and peace course, we watched some videos 
pertaining to the issue of factory farming. What I saw I wished that I 
had never seen, yet I wish that I knew even more about the subject. 
After watching those clips, I decided then and there that I would 
give up meat cold-turkey – I would not eat meat, I would help save 
the planet, etc. So naturally, when I got home, my family went to 
an Italian restaurant for dinner, known for its meats, because my 
grandma was in town. Let me tell you, it is virtually impossible 
to resist tender and juicy baby back ribs, but I was able to resist 
temptation as the clips from earlier haunted my mind. 

For the first few days I was fairly successful in my mission, that 
is, until my friend’s birthday party. Without even being aware of it, 
I ate carne asada, and it was really good. But the saddest part is, it 
took me about five hours to realize that I had broken my covenant 
to myself. When I did notice, disappointment and a sense of shame 
swarmed through my body as I realized the wrong I had done to 
those poor animals and myself. I realized that this was also not the 
first time, and probably not the last, that I would set my mind on 
something and ultimately fail. It was one of the moments in life 
when you realize the flaws in yourself and mankind, and it inspires 
you to become a better person. Therefore, I have decided that I am 
going to re-attempt my mission this summer when I have fewer 
things on my mind, to help myself stay focused on my goal, and 
prove that not all things must pass. 

 
2011 Summer Fun Programs 
Will Soon Be Full... Enroll Today! 
July 5-25 
Sponsored by: My Homework Club located on 
Sierra Madre Elementary Campus 
Reserve Your Spot Today! 
(626) 388-1525 /MyHomeworkClub.com 
LOCAL STUDENTS INVITED TO SUBMIT 
WATER-RELATED POSTER ART

In celebration of Water Awareness Month in California, 
Pasadena Water and Power invites students in grades kindergarten 
through 12 to submit self-designed posters based on the theme 
“Water Is Life.”

All students who attend public or private schools in Pasadena, 
or who live within the boundaries of the PWP service area, are 
eligible. 

Judges will select winning poster art based on originality, visual 
and word clarity, and relevance to the water conservation theme.

The first-place winner in the kindergarten to grade 5 category 
will receive a voucher for one class at Armory Center for the Arts, 
a $120 value; the winner for grades 6 to 8 will be presented with a 
$120 gift certificate for art supplies; and the winner for grades 9 to 
12 will receive a $120 gift certificate for art supplies.

The top five entries from each age group will be recognized on a 
PWP website dedicated to the poster art contest and will advance 
to the Metropolitan Water District poster art contest with the same 
theme.

Art must be submitted no later than Monday, June 6; winners 
will be announced Friday, June 10.

More information, including contest rules and permission 
forms, is available at www.cityofpasadena.net/waterandpower/
artcontest or by calling (626) 744-3715.