Pasadena Unified School District

The Pasadena Police Department issued a safety reminder, asking drivers to prioritize caution in school zones during Back to School Safety Month. This appeal was made as students prepare for the start of the 2026-2027 school year at Pasadena Unified School District on Monday, Aug. 17.

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge barred the city of Pasadena from halting the removal of trees and fire-contaminated soil by the Pasadena Unified School District at nine campuses and portions of the Education Center. This ruling came after the city argued that the school board resolution used by the district to exempt itself was invalid on its face.

Veronica Elias has qualified to challenge incumbent Michelle Richardson Bailey for the Pasadena Unified School District District 3 seat, with the election set for November 3. Elias filed her nomination papers on July 30, while Bailey had not filed or qualified as of the latest update.

The Pasadena Unified School District refinanced a portion of its general obligation bonds under Measure TT, saving taxpayers over $10 million by reducing long-term borrowing costs. The refinancing will save $10.4 million in total debt service after transaction costs.

Pasadena Unified School District crews removed several non-protected trees and shrubs at John Muir High School Early College Magnet as part of ongoing Eaton Fire soil cleanup efforts ahead of the August 17 school reopening. The vegetation was removed from areas requiring excavated contaminated soil near the A Building, south of the D Building, east of the track, and in the interior courtyard.

The City of Pasadena intends to hold the Pasadena Unified School District accountable for removing protected trees before the district exempted itself from the city’s Tree Protection Ordinance. The city claims PUSD removed trees without permits during Eaton Fire recovery work, prompting legal action.

Pasadena Unified School District sent a 2026-27 Welcome Kit and a message from Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco to families in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre two and a half weeks before the Aug. 17 school reopening. The email did not mention delays due to contaminated soil remediation work.

Incumbent Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Board member Kimberly Kenne has qualified for the Nov. 3 general election, becoming the first incumbent in this year’s school board races to secure a ballot spot. She filed nomination papers on July 22 and is expected to face challengers, including Felita R. Kealing.

The deadline to submit nomination papers for the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education election is August 7. Candidates must file by 5:00 p.m. for the November election, which addresses ongoing issues like soil remediation, budget shortfalls, and campus rebuilding since the Eaton Fire.

Pasadena Unified School District seeks a court order to halt tree permit enforcement at fire-damaged campuses, while homelessness slightly decreases in Pasadena but increases in Los Angeles County. California struggles to replant forests due to wildfires, and a Jackie Robinson portrait joins the Pasadena Museum of History's collection. UCLA and the city are set to return to court in September.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied the Pasadena Unified School District's request for an injunction to block enforcement of the City of Pasadena's tree protection ordinance during an ongoing lawsuit. The district argued it has sovereign immunity from local zoning regulations but did not receive a temporary restraining order.

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) has filed a lawsuit against the city, seeking a court order to halt enforcement of the city's tree protection ordinance at campuses undergoing Eaton Fire soil remediation. PUSD argues it is immune from local zoning regulations and claims the city's actions threaten school reopenings.

Dennis J. McNamara, a Pasadena Unified School District volunteer and bond oversight committee chair, has filed to run for the District 7 seat on the PUSD Board of Education. Yarma Velázquez, who currently holds the seat, will not seek reelection. District 7 spans from Linda Vista in west Pasadena to Madison Heights.

The Pasadena Unified School District has opened the candidate filing period for its 2026 General Election for Board of Education Members in Geographic Sub-Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7. Nomination papers are available from July 13 to August 7, 2026, at the Office of the City Clerk in Pasadena.

Two prospective candidates have filed to run for seats on the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education. Incumbent Michelle Richardson Bailey is seeking re-election for District 3 against Veronica Elias, while Dennis McNamara is running for the District 7 seat vacated by Yarma Velázquez. The district uses a plurality voting system.

Activists climbed a 100-foot pine tree at Muir High School to protest a controversial plan by the Pasadena Unified School District to cut down nearly 200 trees. The situation involves protests and legal action.

Activists climbed a 100-foot pine tree at Muir High School to protest Pasadena Unified School District's plan to cut down nearly 200 trees. The protest involves lawsuits and direct action to challenge the tree removals.

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Board authorizes litigation and exempts itself from city tree protection rules. Candidates begin filing for the school board election, All Saints withdraws a safe parking permit application, and demonstrators at Villa Parke mourn two men killed in ICE-related shootings. The school board plans to vote on declaring city zoning laws inapplicable to an unspecified matter.

Pasadena Unified School District staff will brief trustees on soil remediation efforts at 11 campuses affected by the Eaton Fire. The presentation excludes the district's ongoing dispute with the City of Pasadena over jurisdiction for tree removals on school grounds. The city disputes the district's claim that state-supervised contamination removal bypasses municipal land-use rules.

Councilmember Rick Cole rebuked the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) for deflecting blame in a dispute over removing nearly 200 trees during a soil removal project. PUSD claimed the City informed them that the Tree Protection Ordinance did not apply to the project, prompting Cole's strong response accusing the district of escalating the conflict.

The City of Pasadena admitted to providing conflicting information to the Pasadena Unified School District in June regarding required tree protection permits for hazardous-material and soil-removal work. The school district denied claims of acting without notice or coordination, stating it had months of communication with the city and other agencies.

Mayor Victor Gordo criticized the Pasadena Unified School District's tree removal program, claiming it damaged public trust and the environment. The city is seeking a court order to enforce oversight as the dispute over tree removals at campuses undergoing soil remediation following the Eaton Fire escalates.

The City of Pasadena used a court-ordered warrant to inspect trees at John Muir High School after the school district denied access. The inspection followed the district's refusal to allow city officials to assess which trees might be protected under Pasadena's tree-protection ordinance.

Pasadena Unified School District Board Vice President Dr. Yarma Velázquez announced she will not seek re-election for District 7. Her decision is described as unrelated to recent criticism and follows 'much reflection,' with Velázquez expressing pride in serving the district's community.

Pasadena officials began court-authorized inspections at John Muir High School after the Pasadena Unified School District continued removing trees at multiple campuses despite stop work orders. The city had attempted to resolve the issue cooperatively, but PUSD violated the orders by proceeding with the removals.

The Pasadena Unified School District faces opposition from the city and protesters over plans to remove nearly 200 trees, citing soil contamination from the Eaton Fire. City officials claim the district lacks required permits under the Pasadena Tree Ordinance, while critics argue the decision harms historic canopy and environmental preservation.

A physical altercation occurred at John Muir High School after individuals attempted to enter a restricted soil-removal zone during cleanup work linked to fire-related contamination from the Eaton Fire. The confrontation involved one person and a Pasadena City College staff member on-site.

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) defended its decision to remove trees during a fire-related soil cleanup, citing the need for safe campuses for students. Environmental activist Julia 'Butterfly' Hill joined local efforts opposing the removal of mature trees.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge is set to hold a status conference for consolidated lawsuits against Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire. The hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Spring Street Courthouse, involves nearly 1,000 plaintiffs, including the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and the Pasadena Unified School District.

Crews resumed tree removal at John Muir High School despite City-issued stop-work orders. The action is part of an escalating legal dispute between Pasadena officials and the Pasadena Unified School District over whether the work violates the City’s Tree Protection Ordinance. City officials were sent to the site and told to leave, with potential fines for continuing operations.

Pasadena Unified School District Board President Tina Fredericks filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court to block a recall petition against her, claiming the petition contains false and misleading statements about her role in school consolidation planning. The lawsuit names the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk and 124 unidentified respondents.

Pasadena Unified School District needs to remove 8,000 cubic yards of fire-contaminated soil from 11 campuses by mid-August 2026 to reopen them for the 2026-2027 school year, but the City of Pasadena has issued stop notices at seven campuses over soil and tree removal concerns. The district claims these stop notices are delaying cleanup efforts.

City officials issued stop work orders to the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) over the removal of trees, citing non-compliance with Pasadena’s Tree Protection Ordinance. The district removed a city arborist from a campus amid public opposition to plans to cut down about 200 trees, claiming the removals are necessary for remediation of contaminated areas.

The Pasadena Unified School District is set to approve its 2026-2027 budget and Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The budget document, over 200 pages long, is criticized for being difficult to understand, particularly the line item for certificated salaries, which includes teachers, librarians, counselors, principals, and central office directors.

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) board voted to attempt saving 57 of 193 trees slated for removal due to soil contamination from the Eaton Fire, following public outcry. The decision directs staff to explore alternative soil remediation methods near mature trees instead of excavation, though success is not guaranteed.

The Pasadena Unified School District warns residents against entering Eaton Fire cleanup sites due to soil contamination posing health risks. Unauthorized entry is trespassing, and the public is urged to allow environmental teams to work.

Pasadena Unified School District paused tree removal at its Education Center after a community member reported an active bird nest in a scheduled tree. The district has hired a wildlife biologist to inspect the tree and assess other trees in the fire-affected contaminated soil area.

Pasadena Unified School District plans to remove 193 trees across 11 campuses to address soil contamination from the Eaton Fire, sparking resident anger over lack of notification and concerns about losing mature trees. Residents and arborists argue for alternative soil remediation methods, while officials claim tree removal is necessary for safety and reopening schools.

The Pasadena Unified School District and California Department of Toxic Substances Control defended removing trees for soil cleanup after the Eaton Fire, while tree advocates and some city council members questioned if permits are required. The dispute centers on jurisdiction over tree removal on school campuses.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge will hold a motions hearing Tuesday in the consolidated Eaton Fire litigation against Southern California Edison. The case includes the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, the Pasadena Unified School District, and nearly 1,000 other plaintiffs. The hearing advances pre-trial proceedings in a mass tort case.