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EDUCATION AND YOUTH 

Mountain View News Saturday, February 1, 2025


Dear PUSD Community,

 

With our schools fully reopened, our students are 
back to normalcy and the calm routine of learning, 
and they are on the path to healing. Their resilience 
and the way that our staff, families, and community 
have shown up for them are truly inspiring.

 

I am so glad that our children are back in school. We 
could not have gotten here without the vi-sion and tireless work of the incredible PUSD team. 
Their collective efforts have put our com-munity on the path to recovery, and they are a testament 
to the strength and power of the “us” in PUSD.

Enroll in PUSD

PUSD has reopened applications for the 2024-2025 school year and extended application 
dead-lines for the 2025-26 school year in response to the Eaton Fire. Independent study options 
are also available. We look forward to welcoming you to the PUSD family. Apply Now

 

Applications for 2024-25 will be processed as quickly as possible, and results for the 2025-26 
lottery will be published by March 19. 

For assistance, please call (626)396-3639. Photo courtesy PUSD

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

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: Dr. Eric Barba

website: http://phs.pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

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

Principal: Jon McMaster (626) 355-6114 

mcmaster@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


OPEN LETTER TO CHARTER SCHOOL COMMUNITIES 

Dear Charter School Communities of PUSD, 

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is steadfast in our commitment to all children in our 
community, including those attending charter schools. In the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, our 
priority has been to ensure that every student has a safe, welcoming, and prepared space ready for 
them to resume their education as quickly as possible. 

We care deeply for all students. That is why we have been in constant communication with charter 
school officials since just days after the fire began to keep them informed as soon as we gained access 
to sites in the mandatory evacuation zones. 

As we drive around our community, the marks of the fire are everywhere: homes and structures lost, 
and the mountains denuded of shrubs and trees. 

We acted swiftly to offer spaces to charter schools within PUSD boundaries that will allow students to 
return to a sense of normalcy as soon as possible. Each site has been subjected to rigorous cleaning, 
sanitizing, and environmental testing before being cleared for reopening. 

We have moved district programs and offices to other sites, installed furniture, and offered to provide 
N95 masks for children in charter schools so that students can be back in classrooms as early as this 
week, in alignment with the return timeline for PUSD students. 

PUSD will follow its air quality procedures whenever there is a concern because of nearby burned 
areas: students will be kept indoors, with special attention to be provided to students and staff with 
asthma or breathing issues. 

To charter school students impacted by the Eaton Fire disaster: we have your back. 
Since just days after the fire, we’ve been in constant communication with charter school leaders to 
find solutions. 

On Monday, January 17, we met with charter school officials to discuss the spaces offered to relocate 
charter schools destroyed or damaged by the fire. During the meeting, some shared that they were 
pursuing commercial spaces but requested that we not disclose this to their communities yet. Out 
of respect, we agre

Aveson School of Leaders TK-5 (formerly at the Noyes Elementary School campus): We offered Aveson 
School of Leaders relocation to Cleveland Elementary School, which keeps them within PUSD 
and co-locates them with another charter school. We have moved preschool programs and PUSD 
Early Childhood Education offices out of Cleveland and to other PUSD sites to accommodate Aveson. 
While charter school leaders have expressed interest in PUSD’s Wilson Middle School site, that 
campus is not available because it houses five critical PUSD programs, including Rose City High 
School, a children’s center, the Center for Independent Studies (which is expected to grow following 
the fire), Twilight Adult Education, and a special education hub and program for adult students. 
Aveson Charter also has a small sports academy at Wilson Middle School. Providing Aveson with the 
additional space it seeks at Wilson would require the displacement of existing PUSD programs, far 
more than the PUSD programs already displaced at Cleveland. 

 Odyssey Charter School - South TK-8 (formerly at the Edison Elementary School campus): 
Our relocation plan would bring Odyssey Charter School and Odyssey Charter School - South together 
on a single site at Audubon Elementary School - a consolidation their executive director had 
pursued before the fire. At the time of our offer of relocated space, Odyssey asked us to keep those 
plans private until they could communicate with their community, and we respected that request. 
PUSD is cleaning and sanitizing the Audubon campus in the same way as its own campuses. Like 
PUSD campuses, the Audubon campus must pass environmental tests before being cleared for reopening. 
Air quality will be monitored, and air quality procedures will be put into effect whenever 
there is a concern about nearby burned areas. Students will be kept indoors, and special attention will 
be given to students and staff with asthma or breathing issues.

 Pasadena Rosebud Academy TK-8 (formerly at the Loma Alta Elementary School campus): 
PUSD has offered to share the campus of Don Benito Elementary School, consolidating its own classrooms 
and programs on that site to create dedicated space for Pasadena Rosebud Academy. Concerns 
have been raised about co-locating with PUSD students at Don Benito, which is located near some 
burned homes. The Don Benito campus is being cleaned and sanitized and must pass environmental 
tests before reopening this week. To address any concerns about air quality because of burned homes 
in the area, air quality will be monitored, and the school will put into effect its air quality procedures 
whenever there is a concern: students will be kept indoors, and special attention will be given to students 
and staff with asthma or breathing issues.

We have gone above and beyond to support charter school students in this time of need, including 
offering food service even though most charter school operators have not signed facilities use agreements 
or paid the pro rata share rates adopted by PUSD’s Board of Education. Despite this, we have 
and will continue to treat charter school students with the same care and urgency as our own PUSD 
students, ensuring safe spaces and resources to return to school quickly and begin healing. 

Before the devastating fire and destruction of these buildings, PUSD spent a considerable amount 
of Measure O and routine maintenance funds and developer fees to upgrade Loma Alta, Edison, 
and Audubon to enhance the educational experience for children in charter schools. These projects 
included roofing, HVAC, playground, and portable restrooms. 

This is not the time for division or misrepresentation. It is a time for collaboration, integrity, and leadership. 
Together, we must work toward a shared goal: getting every student back in school as quickly 
as possible to restore a sense of stability and normalcy in their lives. 

Sincerely, 

Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D. 
Superintendent 


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