PUSD school staff explained the district's future plans for Burbank Elementary School in a sometimes-testy meeting at the school auditorium Tuesday night.
Although the school will close at the end of the month, the district wants to move other programs into the facility, in part because if left vacant, a charter school can make a bid to use it, according to school district chief facilities officer David R. Azcarraga.
At its peak, about 100 people attended the meeting where Azcarraga and other district staff members explained how the neighborhood school will be reconfigured to accommodate other programs. Azcarraga said that the school board had yet to approve the plans -- and would not do so at the next night's board meeting -- but they were targeting to have all changes made (including installing new parking) by the start of the school year in August.
Among the details:
Pictured: PUSD's Azcarra and Blanco.
LA Universal Preschool: the program, which is now in Loma Alta School, will be moved to Burbank. LA UP is a preschool program focusing on four year olds and eligible special education children in the autism spectrum. According to Dr. Elizabeth Blanco, PUSD's director of special education, the district has been unable to fill the program to capacity at the Loma Alta location, as it is difficult for some parents to reach. The Burbank location would be more centrally located.
In addition, Loma Alta is another school that the district will close, and the location has already been picked up by a charter school that will open in the fall.
Burbank pre-school: the grant-funded program serves 36 children. Azcarraga said that the program is vital to the community, and the district has decided to keep it open even though it will not feed a school. The program will stay at Burbank although it will shift location in the facility.
PUSD mental health programs: Sonia Rodarte, the district's director of child welfare, attendance, and safety, said that there were 11 school-based mental health services, which required office space for meetings, supervision, and professional development. McKinley School housed much of the program's administrative space, but it is being renovated and there are no plans for moving the back after the renovations. Burbank will be used for clinical supervision, parenting groups, and other services.
Pictured: a good-sized crowd attended the community meeting Monday night.
A rumor that the Pasadena Mental Health Center is moving into Burbank is untrue, according to an audience member who said she was a PMHC staff member. PMHC is not affiliated with the school district.
Professional development block: the district is looking at shifting some professional development programs to Burbank. Presently these programs are located at Edison School, which needs to expand its special education programs. Professional development meetings occupy the auditorium and cafeteria in Edison, which the district wants to use for the special education programs.
Elementary Academy for Success: according to Blanco, PUSD is exploring a program of alternative education for elementary school students who are not in special education, but may need extra resources. Azcarraga said that the program does not exist right now, but the two classrooms in Burbank will act as "a placeholder of sorts" if such a program gets underway.
Hodges preschool: According to Blanco, a facilities study found that there was inadequate office space for employees at Hodges Children's Center, located behind the Pasadena post office. The district plans to make space by moving the preschool classroom program now at Hodges to Burbank.
In addition, 75-80 parking spaces will be created on the school grounds and new play equipment will be installed for the pre-K students.
Many in the audience expressed displeasure that Burbank was closed at all -- most school closures have occurred in Altadena and many residents bought homes in the area expecting to send their children to Burbank as a neighborhood school. Others objected to inadequate notice of the community meeting
There were also concerns raised because drop-off for the LA UP was planned for Minoru Drive, which residents said is very busy during the morning rush.
ADDENDUM: Town council chair Gino Sund has sent out the following email today:
I just talked to the Superintendent and learned that staff has requested that the item [i.e. Burbank plans] be pulled from tonight's agenda, Mr. Diaz is supporting this. Since the item is on the posted agenda, the Board will need to "table" it at the public meeting tonight. However, since the staff report in not complete and the Superintendent will request the item be postponed it is highly unlikely that it will be voted on tonight.
