Steve Cole of the PTA addresses the Board (Photo – Garrett Rowlan)
Janus, the two-headed Roman god who looked backward and forward, usually appeared around year’s end, but a mid-summer appearance seems to have occurred at the August 1 meeting of the Pasadena Unified School District Board. Matters relating to the past, present, and future were brought before the Board for consideration.
By Garrett Rowlan
Dr. Donald Grant of Pacific Oaks College proposed seeking grant money for a Student Success Collaborative, a program designed to help underperforming students who are neither foster children nor those with language difficulties. He stressed to the Board that his program would not turn poorly performing students into scholars, but it could help those who would benefit from an older adult helping to connect the dots with all available services or those who need help dealing with underlying problems in their lives. A vote on the proposal is pending.
Although PUSD staff already rejected a proposal by Richard Pina of S and H Advertising for an outdoor marketplace on the first and third Sunday at Blair High School, Mr. Pina was back before the Board to discuss variations to the idea. The presence of food trucks on the grounds, however, would require a conditional use permit from the City; Kimberly Kenne (District 1) pointed out that is not a sure thing, and there already are numerous opportunities for student volunteer work. Patrick Cahalan (District 4) promised to look into the matter further.
Looking back, Steve Cole of the Pasadena PTA gave a summary report of the work done by the organization. The five thousand-member organization raised $750,000 and gave 114,000 volunteer hours calculated to be worth $4 million. Mr. Cole also raised concerns about potential toxicity in the pesticides used on campuses.
In open session, Allison Steppes of the United Teachers of Pasadena spoke of the contributions of PUSD teachers and other workers to the welfare of children: “The educators in PUSD shape lives.”
> Click to watch the full PUSD Board meeting on August 1, 2019.
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