Monday, August 17, 2026

Pasadena Unified Opens School Year After Difficult Summer

Students return Monday to campuses where Eaton Fire soil remediation is still under way at some sites

About 13,800 Pasadena Unified School District students return to classrooms Monday for the first day of the 2026-27 school year, as Eaton Fire-related soil remediation remains unfinished at several affected campuses.

The district spent the summer removing fire-related contaminated soil from 11 campuses and district properties across Pasadena and Altadena. In a community email issued the week before classes began, PUSD told families that work would still be underway at some schools when students walked in.

“We have made significant progress, but some campuses will still have outdoor areas under remediation or restoration when school begins,” the district said in the email.

In a message to families dated Aug. 14, Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said summer crews added new fencing and playgrounds, cleaned all schools and carried out “environmental work at several of our sites.” She wrote that the district’s theme for the year is “The Power of Us: Forward Together.”

“Through every challenge, our focus remained where it belongs: on welcoming our students back to campuses that are safe, healthy, and ready for learning,” Blanco wrote.

Blanco said in the same message that the district’s graduation rate has risen to 91 percent, exceeding the state average, and that preliminary results show increases in math and science achievement across the district. She listed three priorities for the year: academic success for every student, visioning for the future, and effective operational systems.

“We’re ready to welcome our students on August 17,” Blanco wrote. “Let’s move forward together.”

The summer also saw legal showdowns with the city about trees damaged or destroyed during the soil remediation process, concerns about school closures, and the launching of recall campaigns against two sitting School Board members.

Pasadena police, meanwhile, urged drivers to be extra cautious as the school children head back to school.

“Please drive carefully in school zones,” Pasadena Police Department Lieutenant Anthony Russo said. “Let’s help keep students safe to ensure as  smooth a transition as possible back to in-person learning.”

The Pasadena Police Department offers the following tips for drivers, parents, and students:

• Walk on sidewalks and use marked crosswalks, preferably at stop signs or signals.
• Watch for cars entering/backing out of driveways or leaving parking spaces.
• If you need to walk into the street to maintain social distancing, remember to look both ways for cars.
• Always look left-right-left before crossing the street. Make sure cars see you. Continue scanning for cars when entering the crosswalk
• Do not listen to loud music or use a phone when crossing the street.

And for drivers:

• Slow down in school zones. Anticipate more foot and car traffic around schools for drop-off and pick-ups.
• Drivers should do their best to avoid blocking the crosswalk when making  a right-hand turn