School Board Will Discuss Leasing Vacant Linda Vista Elementary Site

Thursday’s Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education Meeting will highlight setting Common Core Math Curriculum for Pasadena high schools and leasing of the vacant Linda Vista Elementary school site.

Closed by school officials in 2006 due to declining enrollment, Linda Vista Elementary playground became a city-maintained park in 2008. In 2012 the site was declared as surplus and the school board said leasing would be the best option.

A June 2010 report by the real estate firm CB Richard Ellis estimated the lease value of Linda Vista to be about $500,000 per year, and a sales value of about $17 million. Currently All Saints Children’s Center leases part of the location.

The proposed Bid Hearing for Linda Vista is tentatively set for May 1, 2014 when PUSD will be able to accept bids for the school and determine the highest bidder with the best use according to the staff report.

The board will also discuss the need for a shift to Integrated Math based on research that supports student success through repetition of key math concepts over several years. Data from a PUSD exam proficiency rates supports that the proficiency rates in Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2 requires the shift in how math instruction is provided.

The board routinely looks at old and new board policies. A few of the policies that will be looked over on Thursday include a revision of the Married/Pregnant/Parenting Students policy, the new policy on the Local Control and Accountability Plan, and a resolution to Celebrate Cesar Chavez Day.

At Thursday’s meeting the teacher recipient of the Raymond J. Pitts Award selected by the Pasadena Human Relations Commission will be honored. Christine McLaughlin, chosen as the recipient, teaches 6th grade English language arts honors at Blair in Pasadena.

The Dr. Ramond Pitts Human Relations Awards was established in February 1967 and recognizes the most significant contribution in the field of Human Relations through the schools. It is named for Dr.
Raymond Pitts, former director of inter-group education for Pasadena City Schools, who retired in 1966. Recipients must be concerned with youth or the school community, be group oriented, and be conducted within the boundaries of the Pasadena Unified School District.

“The award is for individuals who inspire young people and establish a role model, and it has to be in Pasadena. Christine has exemplified all of that tremendously. She also received the best teacher of the year by PUSD,” Human Relations Commission chair Nat Nehdar said.

The Human Relations Commission of the City of Pasadena will officially present its annual Human Relations awards on Wednesday, May 26, at 6:00 p.m. in the Donald Wright Auditorium of Pasadena’s Main Library.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 on Thursday, March 27, 2014 Located in the Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room, 351 South Hudson Avenue, Pasadena, California 91109.