Pasadena Health Dept. Says Schools Meeting Requirements Can Reopen

Pasadena’s Health Dept. said Monday night that local schools can open for in-person instruction for all students in grades TK through 6 beginning Tuesday, February 16 if they meet reopening requirements.

PUSD schools, however, might not reopen for at least two weeks, pending labor negotiations.

The statement released by the city said that the California Department of Public Health notified the PPHD Monday that since five consecutive days had passed during which the adjusted daily COVID-19 case rate has been below 25 cases per 100,000 population, schools could reopen.

 “This encouraging news means that dozens of elementary schools will be permitted to reopen for in-class instruction for students grades TK-6 as early as this week,” LA County Health Department officials said in an official statement.

“All schools wishing to reopen must now submit plans to the County Department of Public Health and the California Department of Public Health certifying that they have implemented a full range of safety measures to permit a safe reopening,” the Health Department added.

Said Dr. Brian McDonald in a video statement Monday, “Because reaching the COVID-19 rate threshold is just one of the several factors we have to consider before beginning to reopen in-person instruction, at this time there is no set date for reopening. PUSD met the state’s deadline to submit a COVID-19 Safety Plan, and we are in conversations with our labor partners.”

PUSD is currently negotiating with United Teachers Pasadena (UTP) to provide a safe reopening plan. The District has also been vaccinating teachers and staff for at least three weeks now, and hopes to complete the process by sometime in mid-March. 

PUSD board member Scott Phelps said Monday evening that PUSD administrators and UTP teams are meeting on February 24. 

“We would like to discuss moving towards an agreement to re-open K-2,” Phelps told Pasadena Now. “UTP wants more definite COVID safety plans for each school site, which are still being hashed out.”  

Among the discussion points, said Phelps, are plans in case of a new outbreak, contact tracing plans, as well as plans for the number of people allowed in the available physical spaces.

“That’s being discussed now but no agreement yet,” said Phelps.

Any PUSD reopenings will be done in phases, said McDonald.  In-person learning will begin with students in Pre K-2nd grade, followed by grades 3-5. In-person instruction for students in grades three through five, will follow after Pre K-2nd grade students successfully return to in-person learning. 

Opening plans for grades 6-12 will be addressed after elementary school grades successfully return, he added.

“This is fantastic news for kids and their parents who have been zooming for 340 days now,” said parent and Madison Heights resident Erika Foy, who has organized a “Reopen Schools” rally at City Hall Tuesday at 4 p.m.

“For most children,” said Foy, “school has been totally remote since March 13, 2020. We do know now in-person schooling can be done safely with the proper masking, social distancing protocols and frequent hand washing. 

“Time is of the essence for all kids,” Foy continued, “no matter their age, especially teens who are in need of socialization and in-person schooling.”

Foy added that she hopes the state legislature will advocate for a process to provide a path towards allowing in-person instruction for grade 7-12 sooner than later.  

“It is very concerning to think our older kids and teens might go an entire school year without stepping on a school campus,” she said.