Pasadena Unified Will Dedicate New Gymnasium to Former Principal

The Pasadena Unified School District and the Sierra Madre community will celebrate the opening of Sierra Madre Middle School’s new campus on Wednesday, May 25.

The event will be highlighted by the inauguration of the school gymnasium which will be named in honor of former Sierra Madre School Principal Ty Gaffney who retired in 2006 after an eight-year term.

Construction of the school’s buildings and facilities started back in 2008, and the first group of students to use it came in August 2015 after five years doing classes in bungalow classrooms, when construction of the new $27 million was only half-completed. Now, the school is ready to accommodate a full complement of students, with a modern gym that’s designed to host high school sports events as well.

Last Thursday the PUSD Board passed a resolution to name the gymnasium after Gaffney, for his “exceptional educational leadership, serving as a lead teacher, a principal, and a coach for beginning teachers and administrators,” for his “generous contributions to education.”

PUSD says an In ‘n Out Burger truck will be on site throughout the evening and purchases are pre-order.

The event will start with an opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m., and the ribbon cutting and open house will follow at 6 and 6:15 p.m.

The Sierra Madre Middle School is located at 160 N. Canon Avenue in Sierra Madre.