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EDUCATION AND YOUTH & MORE

Mountain View News Saturday, May 18, 2024 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

 
MOUNTAIN VIEWS NEWS TO 

HONOR 2024 GRADUATES

The June 1st edition of this paper will be dedicated to the Class of 2024! In order to be 
included, please send your graduates picture, full name, age and school. he Class of 
2024 - tomorrow's leaders - deserve to be honored! 

Send to: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Subject: Class of 2024

Alverno Heights Academy

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 

Head of School: Joanne Harabedian

E-mail address: jharabedian@alvernoheights.org

Arcadia Christian School

1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006

Preschool - TK - 8th Grade

626-574-8229/626-574-0805

Email:inquiry@acslions.com

Principal: Cindy Harmon

website: www.acslions.com

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

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School

Ms. Rose Navarro, Principal

2660 East Orange Grove Blvd.

Pasadena, Ca 91107

626-793-2089

https://school.abvmpasadena.org/

Barnhart School

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 446-5588 

Head of School: Tonya Beilstein

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: Jonathon Hawes

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

Interim Principal Ernest Siy

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: Mathew Kodama

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: Dr. Jodi Marchesso

E-mail address: marchesso.jodi@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


DR. ERIC BARBA TO SERVE AS NEW 
PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

It was announced this week that Eric Barba, Ed.D., has been 
selected as principal of Pasadena High School, pending 
approval by the Board of Education. His appointment is 
effective July 1, 2024. 

 Dr. Barba is an experienced secondary school principal with 
26 years of experience as an educator. He has been the principal 
of Monache High School in the Porterville Unified School 
District (San Joaquin Valley) since 2015. Under his leadership, 
Monache was named a California Distinguished School in 
2024, in part because of improvements in the school’s climate, 
a schoolwide decrease in suspensions, improved attendance, 
and effective campus security and safety programs. Dr. Barba 
led the transformation of the school’s culture through transparent leadership, trust-building, 
and accountability; supervised four career academies; and was the lead site administrator 
during three major construction projects. 

“I am honored to have been selected to join the Pasadena High School team,” said Dr. Barba. “I 
look forward to working with the staff, students, and families to create amazing opportunities 
for all students. Go Bulldogs!"

Dr. Barba brings a wealth of experience in secondary education: professional learning 
communities, career academies, career-technical education, and dual enrollment. He has 
served as senior director of college and career partnerships for Roll Global (now known as 
The Wonderful Company, LLC), senior high school instructional director in L.A. Unified, 
principal of Duarte High School and Northview Intermediate School, and assistant principal 
in the Baldwin Park and South San Francisco unified school districts. Dr. Barba has an 
Ed.D. in K12 Education Leadership from the University of Southern California, two Master’s 
degrees from Azusa Pacific University, and a Bachelor’s degree from Carleton College. 

Ms.Vivian Huang, who has served as assistant principal of PHS since 2021, has accepted a 
promotion as interim Executive Director of Special Education, effective July 1, 2024, and 
pending approval by the Board of Education. We are launching recruitment for a new 
assistant principal for PHS. Ms. Noemi Orduña, who has served as principal of Octavia E. 
Butler Magnet School since 2022, will serve as one of the assistant principal of PHS effective 
July 1, 2024. 


FIVE PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL 
DISTRICT (PUSD) TEACHERS ARE 
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2024 TEACHERS 
OF EXCELLENCE AWARD PRESENTED 
ANNUALLY BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF 
PASADENA. 

 

The 2024 Teachers of Excellence are: (pictured l to r)

 • Kristina Andrews, Don Benito Fundamental 
Elementary School

• Stephanie Elliot, Alexander Hamilton Elementary 
School

• Melanie Gray, Willard Elementary School

• Amanda Leja, Sierra Madre Middle School

• Robyn Wehrly, Octavia E. Butler Magnet Dual 
Language STEAM Middle School

 

“Every day, these outstanding educators exemplify excellence,” 
said PUSD Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D. “Through 
their work and dedication, they are helping transform 
education so that our students have opportunities to succeed. 
Congratulations to the Teachers of Excellence.”

 

The Teachers of Excellence is a collaborative program of 
the Rotary Club of Pasadena and PUSD. The Rotary Club 
invites all schools to nominate teachers. The selection process 
includes entries from each principal and teacher, classroom 
observations, and evaluations of the top ten finalists by 
committee members. The five teachers are awarded $1500, 
and $500 is presented to each recipient’s school.

 

The Teachers of Excellence demonstrates the Pasadena 
Rotary’s commitment to public schools and to exceptional 
teachers who deserve special recognition.

 

The 2024 honorees are:

Stephanie Elliott (Alexander Hamilton Elementary) is a 
passionate special education teacher with over 13 years of experience working with children from pre-kindergarten through middle school. Honored with the 
Inspiring Teacher Award in 2015, she secured grants for classroom resources and mentored future educators. Before becoming a K-5 resource specialist teacher, Ms. 
Elliott earned a Bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a multiple subject teaching credential from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, a master’s 
degree in special education, and a mild/moderate education specialist credential from the University of San Francisco. 

Kristina Andrews (Don Benito Fundamental) - Ms. Andrews is a first-generation college graduate and began her career as a teacher’s assistant 
after being inspired by her own teachers. Kristina is driven by a deep desire to uplift her students and has been doing so for the past 21 years. 
After completing her student teaching at Don Benito Elementary, she joined their second-grade team and has cherished every moment with the 
hundreds of children she has taught over the years. She continuously learns from her students and is inspired by all students on campus. She 
is a graduate of the University of La Verne. 

 

Melanie Gray (Willard Elementary School) - A 5th-grade teacher with more than 20 years of experience, Melanie is deeply committed 
to the International Baccalaureate program, anti-racism, and enhancing literacy, math, history, and science instruction. She earned her 
teaching credential from Point Loma Nazarene University and holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Grand Canyon 
University. Ms. Gray has secured grants for resources that support culturally responsive education and she enjoys fostering a positive learning 
environment, emphasizing collaboration and high student achievement. 

 

Amanda Leja (Sierra Madre Middle School) - Ms. Leja’s teaching career began 15 years ago and she has worked across the United 
States in six different school districts. After working for several years in general education, special education became her passion. At 
Sierra Madre Middle School, she earned a leadership role on the special education team and helped to develop a full inclusion program. 
She is determined to help all students find their full potential. 

 

Robyn Wehrly (Octavia E. Butler Magnet Dual Language STEAM Middle School) - Ms. Wehrly loved learning at a very young age and was 
the first person in her family to attend college. She graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in psychology and English. 
After working in residential care, she went on to obtain her master’s degree in special education from George Washington University. For 
the past five years, she has inspired the joy of learning while teaching math and science at Octavia E. Butler Magnet.


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