Thursday, July 30, 2026

Pasadena Unified Ramps Up for Back to School

Pasadena Unified School District has emailed families across Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre a 2026-27 Welcome Kit and a message from the superintendent, about two and a half weeks before students return to classrooms on Monday, Aug. 17.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back on the first day of school,” wrote Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco.

The email did not mention any delays in reopening campuses due to contaminated soil remediation work.

In her message to the PUSD community, Blanco said many schools begin registration next week, when students can receive class schedules, take yearbook and ID photos, meet new teachers and reconnect with friends.

“PUSD schools are also hosting welcome events to help families and students connect, meet staff, and kick off the year together,” Blanco wrote.

A list of school welcome events is posted at https://canva.link/dbspk03w6nocinq.

Blanco wrote that the district is embracing the theme “the Power of PUSD: Forward Together,” and said the power of PUSD is found in the people who make up the community: students, families, staff and partners.

The 2026-27 calendar included in the kit sets Labor Day on Sept. 7, Thanksgiving break Nov. 23-27, winter break Dec. 21-Jan. 1 and spring break March 29-April 2. The first semester ends Dec. 18 and the second begins Jan. 4. The last student day is June 3, 2027, and next summer school runs June 9 to July 16. The calendar also identifies conference days, staff development days and minimum days.

Back-to-School Nights are scheduled by campus between Aug. 20 and Oct. 8, each designated a minimum day. Spring open houses are set from April 7 through May 20 and are also minimum days.

Parent conferences take place in October. The kit describes them as a chance to celebrate student strengths, identify areas needing improvement and develop plans for student success, and it encourages parents to talk with their child and prepare questions beforehand, to discuss support strategies and share their student’s interests and goals during the meeting, and to review the meeting with the child and maintain communication with teachers afterward.

The kit consolidates bell schedules for every campus, with separate schedules listed for elementary schools, McKinley Middle, Sierra Madre Middle, Blair, Marshall, Pasadena High and John Muir High School. Among the examples given, elementary schools run 7:50 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Mondays and 7:50 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, while high schools run roughly 9:20 a.m. to 3:28 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m. to 3:28 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

A reference page explains the district’s three grading methods: traditional A-F letter grades; standards-based grades of exceeds standard, meets standard, progressing, below standard and not yet assessed; and effort grades of outstanding, satisfactory, needs improvement and unsatisfactory. The kit explains that standards-based grades measure mastery of grade-level standards rather than averaging assignment scores.

All students qualify for free breakfast and lunch under the Community Eligibility Provision, and no application is required, according to the kit, which outlines a breakfast program, the National School Lunch Program and an after-school supper program. Families whose students have medical dietary needs are directed to download the Special Dietary Needs Request Form, complete and sign it, and submit it to both the school nurse and Nutrition Services. The district said special menus are developed individually based on physician documentation.

Parents are asked to log in to the Aeries Parent Portal at pusd.us/ParentPortal to complete their student’s data confirmation, which updates family contact and medical information and student authorizations.

The portal also provides grades, attendance, test scores, schedules and report cards. Parents without an account can request one by submitting a Parent Portal Access Form, available in English and Spanish, to their school’s main office. Portal accounts are separate from enrollment accounts.

Registration questions can be directed to a school registrar, to pusd.us/Enrollment or to the PUSD Office of Enrollment at (626) 396-3639.