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…
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