Story by Sam Grotenstein Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photo Editor Teachers, parents, and students voiced their support for a wellness day to be incorporated into the distance learning schedule at a School Board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The purpose of the meeting was for School Board members to discuss, but not vote on, whether […]
School board opts against TASP proposed secondary model in special meeting
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Photo by SPUSDContributor The school board decided against adopting the Teacher’s Association of South Pasadena’s (TASP) instructional secondary model during its emergency meeting on Saturday, Aug. 8. After voicing concerns over the adopted instructional model, TASP representatives proposed their own model that would eliminate Friday instructional periods; the board concluded […]
School board to hold emergency meeting to review TASP’s instructional models
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The school board will have a special meeting on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 2:00 p.m. to publicly review the Teacher’s Association of South Pasadena’s (TASP) proposed instructional models for the upcoming school year. School board president Dr. Michele Kipke informed the community of the special […]
Teachers voice concern over adopted learning models
Story by Charlie Betts Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The Teachers Association of South Pasadena (TASP) voiced concern about the proposed SPUSD instructional models for the upcoming school year and have called for an emergency SPUSD school board meeting to address the problems. In June, teachers were given a variety of instructional models to […]
School board recommends total distance learning to begin, passes hybrid models for future implementation
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The South Pasadena School Board advised Superintendent Geoff Yantz to begin the 2020-2021 school year with 100 percent distance learning at its meeting on Thursday, Jul. 16. The board also approved hybrid instructional models for both the elementary and secondary levels that will be utilized when […]
School board discusses health measures for a potential return to in-person learning
Story by Charlie Betts Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The South Pasadena School Board discussed the health protocols necessary to safely reopen schools in August at its meeting on Thursday, Jul. 9. Dr. Michael Smit, an infectious disease expert, recommended safety guidelines to the Board in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The […]
School board adopts 2020-2021 district budget while discussing ways to implement diverse curriculum
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Photo by Oscar WalshStaff Photographer The South Pasadena School Board officially approved and adopted the 2020-2021 district budget at its meeting on Tuesday, June 23. The newly adopted budget eliminates several district staff jobs in addition to reducing funds in several different departments. Budget cuts in faculty, staff, and administration departments […]
School Board eliminates use of drug dogs in SPUSD
Story by Haelee Kim Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The South Pasadena School Board officially ended the use of narcotic dogs in the South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, June 9. The board members reacted to a local campaign organized by the South Pasadena Youth for Police […]
SPUSD faces ‘significant’ budget cuts as state reduces school funding
Story by Noah Kuhn Associate News Editor Photo by Oscar Walsh Photo Editor South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) Superintendent Geoff Yantz is leading the district’s response to anticipated budget cuts to California’s education funding due to the economic downturn spurred by the coronavirus outbreak. Yantz is collaborating with other districts in Los Angeles County to collectively […]
School board passes emergency grading policy
Story and photo by Noah Kuhn Associate News Editor The South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) School Board unanimously passed an emergency district grading policy in a special board meeting on Thursday, Apr. 9. The new structure impacts elementary, middle, and high school grades in addition to senior graduation requirements and the district’s late work […]
School board switches to district-based elections after legal allegations
Story by Noah Kuhn Associate News Editor Photo by Tony Chen Contributor The South Pasadena School Board voted to change to election by districts in 2022, transitioning away from the current at-large election. The district was forced to make the change following a letter from the Malibu-based firm Shenkman & Hughes, which alleged the current system disenfranchises […]
SPUSD introduces draft plans for elementary school renovation
Story by Amber Chen Staff Writer Photo courtesy of South Pasadena Unified School District Contributor The South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) introduced its draft plan to renovate the three elementary schools on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at a school board meeting. Although plans are still in their beginning stages, SPUSD presented the current focuses of renovation […]
SPHS parent advocates against youth vaping
Story by Ellie Campbell Staff Writer Photo by Sarah Lee Staff Photographer A South Pasadena parent expressed concern over student health at a SPUSD school board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10, stepping up to talk about the threat vaping faces to youth in schools. SPHS parent Gisella Benitez spoke on the issue of vaping the dangers it […]
South Pas parents voice concerns over LGBTQ+ curriculum in elementary schools
Story by Noah Kuhn Staff Writer Parents and students rallied in support of LGBTQ+ curriculum in South Pasadena elementary schools during a school board meeting Tuesday, June 25. Residents attended the meeting to protest a small group of parents who voiced their opinions against LGBTQ+ curriculum at a school board meeting two weeks prior. Marengo parents […]