Hundreds of Pasadena Unified School District teachers and staff came together Wednesday, Jan. 22, for a “welcome back” event on the eve of reopening after the Eaton fire forced a districtwide closure earlier this month.
The event, which took place at the Pasadena City College Gym, marks the first in-person reunion for many colleagues since the deadly blaze, fueled by intense Santa Ana winds, ripped through neighborhoods in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre on Jan. 7, scorching more than 14,000 acres, destroying more than 9,000 structures and killing at least 17 people.
“Today is day 15 of what has been the most devastating experience in my 34 years in education,” Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said. “If anyone had told me that we would be rebuilding a school district in 15 days, I would have said, that is not possible. But here we are, and what I’ve learned is anything is possible.”
The event’s theme of “reopen, restore, rebuild and rise” highlighted the district’s focus on recovery and moving forward. It also feature speeches from PUSD Board President Jennifer Hall Lee, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, high school students and Marleen Wong, who is the CEO of the Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces, and an expert in school crisis and disaster recovery.
Before the program began, the gymnasium was alive with conversation as colleagues embraced, exchanging questions like, ‘How have you been?’ and ‘Is your family alright?’ They shared updates from the past weeks, offered words of support, and found comfort in seeing familiar faces again.
For teachers like Laura Chaparian-Robles, a 12th-grade English teacher at Pasadena High School, the event brought mixed emotions – excitement to reconnect with her students and anxiety about the challenges they might face.
“I’m nervous to see my kids,” she said. “I don’t know who’s been affected just yet, and (who’s) directly affected with losing their homes. So I’m nervous and I’m very, very excited to see my students.”
Chaparian-Robles said while schools appear ready to reopen, her biggest concern remains the emotional wellbeing of students and teachers.
“We’re just going to take it day by day, do our best to meet the needs of the kids–physically, emotionally and academically,” she said.
Scott Phelps, a teacher at the Center for Independent Study, said educators have been doing their best to stay connected with students during the closure. Many have reached out through email and phone, offering support and updates.
“Some students are actually writing to me and say, ‘hey, we’re not having meetings.’ I’m having to say, ‘We’re closed.’,” he said. “The students are wanting to connect, so that will be nice to connect with them.”
Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is among the hardest-hit districts in Los Angeles County, with five school sites damaged or destroyed, and nearly half of its staff and more than two-thirds of students living in evacuation zones.
Last week, district officials announced a phased reopening plan over two weeks. Schools not directly affected by the Eaton fire were divided into three tiers based on proximity to the fire and levels of damage from debris and smoke.
Tier 1 schools, which serve 3,400 transitional kindergarten through 12th-grade students, will reopen Thursday after extensive cleaning, sanitizing, and environmental testing, officials said.
These schools include: Hamilton Elementary School, Willard Elementary School & Children’s Center, Blair Middle and High School, San Rafael Elementary, McKinley School, Rose City High School, the Center for Independent Study, Pasadena Adult Living Skills, Twilight Adult School and Aveson Global Leadership Academy, which is located on the Wilson campus.
Officials also announced relocation plans for schools directly impacted by the fire.
Early Childhood Education at Cleveland will move to the Webster Elementary and Jefferson site. Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School will relocate to McKinley School, while Altadena Arts Magnet will temporarily operate at the Allendale site. Space has also been offered to affected charter schools, with their leadership expected to announce reopening plans soon, Blanco said.
While the reopening schedule remains flexible and depends on continued cleaning and environmental testing, the district strives to return all students to in-person learning by Jan. 30, Blanco said.