Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 21, 2020

9

EDUCATION AND YOUTH

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 21, 2020 

PUSD SUPERINTENDENT’S 
MESSAGE

Message from Superintendent Brian McDonald

Dear PUSD Community,

In light of the Governor’s announcement of actions to slow the spread 
of the COVID-19 virus, I’d like to provide you with an update about 
the way that PUSD is responding. I would also like to inform you of the 
progress we have been making to welcome students to our campus once 
public health authorities deem it safe to begin in-person instruction.

We have traveled a long road together since the pandemic began, and the PUSD team is as determined 
as ever to protect the safety of our students, employees, and community while delivering a quality education 
for our students.

COVID-19 Surge

In response to the surge of COVID-19 cases, yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom announced immediate 
actions to slow the spread of the virus. The “emergency brake” actions take effect on Tuesday, November 
17.

As you know, Los Angeles County has been in the state’s Tier 1 or purple tier, the most restrictive of the 
reopening risk tiers for several months.

In light of stricter measures and after consulting with the Pasadena Public Health Department, we 
have taken the following steps:

• Programs scheduled to begin this week are suspended until further notice.

o Special Education services for small groups of students scheduled to begin Tuesday, November
17, are suspended until further notice. This affects 26 families.

o Athletic conditioning, which was scheduled to begin Monday at high schools, is suspended until 
further notice.

• Consistent with state guidance about existing programs, LEARNs and the Blair International
Academy, which have been operating for several weeks, will remain open since students and staff are
now used to the safety protocols. Pasadena Public Health visited Blair last week to review safety protocols 
and approved our implementation.

Return to School Dates

Due to the current COVID-19 surge and actions taken by the Governor to mitigate the spread of the virus, 
we will need to remain flexible about our target date of mid-January to begin the gradual return of 
students to campuses. The return date depends on the status of COVID-19 rates in Los Angeles County 
by mid-December.

Return to School Survey - Deadline extended to December 6, 2020

We are continuing to plan for the possible reopening of schools when public health conditions allow. 
We want to reassure you that we will not be reopening until health conditions are deemed safe by the 
Pasadena Public Health Department.

In order to plan for staffing and supplies once public health authorities allow us to return to in-person 
instruction, we ask that all current families complete the Return to School survey by December 6. Although 
your answers are binding for the remainder of the 2020-2021 year, please keep in mind that we 
will be as responsive as possible to our families while maintaining the continuity of learning. We may 
on a case-by-case basis consider a student’s desire to shift from in-person to remote learning.

We need your information because we have to commit to the assignment of staff members to each site 
so that your child/children get the support they will need. To get a glimpse of what the school day will 
be like for students, please watch this video.

We encourage you to complete your survey answers before December 6. We will continue to reach out to 
you. If we don’t get a response, we will have to assume that your child/children will remain in distance 
learning for the remainder of the year.

Plans for the Return to School

Regardless of the return date, our preparations for return to school continue. We are working to ensure 
that once public health authorities deem it safe to return to in-person instruction, PUSD will be ready 
to welcome students.

Agreement with United Teachers of Pasadena I am pleased to inform you that after careful deliberation, 
we have reached an agreement with United Teachers of Pasadena (UTP) for the return to schools 
when public health authorities deem it safe to begin in-person instruction. The agreement reflects our 
mutual commitment to provide a quality educational experience while maintaining the safety and 
well-being of our students, teachers, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement sets a 
new path forward for us to work together in the new year, and I appreciate the time and efforts of UTP 
members, the Board of Education, and the negotiating teams in moving our district forward. See the 
agreement

A Gradual, Staggered Return Students will return to campus in gradual, staggered groups, beginning 
with TK-2nd grade, followed in the next several weeks by Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. It’s 
likely that high school students would return a month after TK-2.

Simultaneous Learning PUSD will use a simultaneous learning model when students return to campus. 
Because the number of students on campus at any one time is limited, students will be grouped according 
to their stated preference in the Return to School Survey. For information about the simultaneous 
learning model that will be used when students return to campus, watch our video or see our fact sheet 
and frequently asked questions.

How Students Will Be Grouped Students will be grouped into cohorts of X, Y, Z to allow for physical 
distancing.

• X = students on campus for live, in-person instruction Tuesdays - Fridays.

• Y = cohort created if the number of students who request in-person exceeds the number of students 
permitted on campus. In this case, Cohorts X and Y will rotate between in-person and remote
learning.

• Z = students remain online for live, synchronous instruction Tuesdays - Fridays.

Understanding that there will be more movement of students in middle and high schools,

grades 6-12 will be structured to limit the mixing of student cohorts to the extent

practicable.

Schedules The weekly schedule will remain the same as distance learning this fall, with Mondays in 
asynchronous learning and Tuesdays-Fridays in synchronous instruction. Start and dismissal times 
remain the same.

Please continue to check our website at www.pusd.us/covid19 for updates. Stay healthy and safe!

Sincerely,

Brian McDonald, Ed.D. Superintendent


SCHOOL DIRECTORY

Alverno Heights Academy

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626)355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara

E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org

Arcadia High School

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007

Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forsee

bforsee@ausd.net

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: Ethan Williamson

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.org

Bethany Christian School

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

(626)355-3527

Preschool-TK-8th Grade

Principal: Dr. William Walner

website: www. bcslions.org

Clairbourn School

8400 Huntington Drive

San Gabriel, CA 91775

Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172

FAX: 626-286-1528

E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org

Foothill Oaks Academy

822 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626)301-9809

Principal: Nancy Lopez

www.foothilloaksacademy.org

office@foothilloaksacademy.org

Frostig School

971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107

(626)791-1255

Head of School: Jenny Janetzke

Email: jenny@frostig.org

The Gooden School

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

(626)355-2410

Head of School, Jo-Anne Woolner

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road 

Pasadena, Ca. 91107 

Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

La Salle College Preparatory

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626)351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org

Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.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)396-5880 Principal: Roberto Hernandez

website: http://phs.pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

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

Principal: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114 

solis@st-ritaschool.org

Website: www.st-ritaschool.org

Sierra Madre Elementary School

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

(626)355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LUIS

E-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626)836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom

E-mail address: newsom.garrett@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)396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us

Arcadia Unified School District

234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626)821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net

Monrovia Unified School District

325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016

(626)471-2000

Website: www.monroviaschools.net

Duarte Unified School District

1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010

(626)599-5000

Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us

Arcadia Christian School

1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006

Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade

626-574-8229/626-574-0805

Email: inquiry@acslions.com

Principal: Cindy Harmon

website: www.acslions.com


TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

DILLS WINE PICKS FOR YOUR 
TURKEY

Thanksgiving is upon us and it is my sworn duty to 
come up with a handful of wines that will go with a 
traditional oven baked turkey /smoked turkey, even 
the duck substitution will go well with my list. First, 
sorry in advance for all my chardonnay loving readers 
(see blow for my apology) A high-acid, low-tannin Pinot, 
with bright cherry and cranberry flavors over rich 
spices, can do right by almost all the exuberant side 
dishes any turkey might require. San Simeon makes a 
marvelous Pinot Noir under $20 it is a winner.



My second choice, though, isn’t a 

surprise, at least if you love bubbles like I do. Two 
California Sparklers that I enjoy, Domaine Carneros 
Brut ($30) from the house of Taittinger, I have said 
that this wine from California comes as close to a 
‘real” champagne that I’ve had, I picked up a bottle 
recently at Pavilions and it will also go great with 
Prime Rib. Newsweek Magazine selected the Roederer 
Estate their value for the new millennium and I 
agree, when I am shopping for that $20 wine it is my 
go to choice.

How about a Rose, my friend Jason Valenzuela, wine 
steward par excellence recommends the AIX is hails 
from the south of France/Provence.

Last but not least do consider a Cabernet, a favorite 
side kick of Prime Rib for years, our own Maddalena 
has an outstanding one and the price of $15 is perfect 
for the holidays, who does Prime Rib on Thanksgiving? 
I must admit the Dills household has been doing 
it for years. 

My Chardonnay apology, all that sauce, butter, gravy 
will absolutely kill any hope of your favorite buttery 
Oaky Chardonnay, though I defend your right to 
drink what you like to drink at any holiday party!

San Simeon Pinot Noir

Maddalena Cabernet

Domaine Carneros Brut 

AIX Rose

Roederer Estate

All available at your local Vons

Join me every Sunday Morning on Go Country 105 
FM at 8 AM


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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