Loma Alta Elementary Campus to Host Local Charter School Next Year

Since the Pasadena Unified board , there have been a number of new uses suggested for the campus of , one of the two schools set to be closed.

PUSD officials have said at various times that it could be used for some of the district's after-school programs or nonprofits programs.

However, it now appears that the , a charter school that currently operates on a small church site on Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena, will be taking over the space next fall.  Shawn Brumfield, the director of the Pasadena Rosebud Academy, said she has been told that the preschool at the campus, which serves autistic children, will likely also retain space on campus.

To get some idea of what this will mean for the academy's students and for Altadena parents who may want to keep their kids at a school closer to home, we conducted the following email Q & A with Brumfield.

AP: What will the move mean for enrollment?  How many are at the school now, and how many do you anticipate at the new campus?

SB: We currently have 80 students enrolled at Rosebud Academy.  We anticipate increasing our enrollment to 100-120 students when we get to our new campus.

AP: What are the requirements for entry to the school?  What process should interested parents take if they are considering enrollment?

SB: There are no enrollment requirements.  We accept all students until we reach our classroom capacity.  Parents interested in enrolling their child at Rosebud simply need to come in and fill out our preliminary application.  They will be placed on our waiting list and when space becomes available we take students from the waiting list in order. Siblings have priority enrollment.

AP:  What benefits will the new campus bring to the school? 

SB: We are currently located at a church site.  We have out grown the space because we started in September 2007 with a kindergarten and first grade class.  We have  added a grade each year.  We currently serve kindergarten-fourth grade.  Next year we will add a fifth grade.  The new site will give us an opportunity to grow.  It will also give students more outdoor play space, a cafeteria and an auditorium. 

AP:  Will you offer any kind of priority enrollment for kids who currently attend Loma Alta Elementary? 

SB: Students who currently attend Loma Alta are welcome to attend our school; however, they will need to go through the process that is outlined in our charter.  We can only take students given the space we have available.

AP: What is the philosophy of your school, and what's distinctive about it? 

SB: The mission of Pasadena Rosebud Academy is to provide a quality education through uncompromisingly high expectations and standards for all students, staff and parents in Pasadena and surrounding areas.  Teachers will use programs and strategies that stimulate all senses and engage students using a variety of learning modalities.  Learning is the function of the whole child and we challenge all children to grow intellectually, socially and emotionally.  Through the coordinated efforts of staff, parents and community, students will excel academically and develop a sense of responsibility, confidence, pride, and self-worth.

Our curriculum focuses on linguistics, academic language and speaking.  We are a small learning community.  Our class sizes are small.  No more than 20 students per class.

AP: Why are you guys called the Pasadena Rosebud Academy even though you are located in Altadena? 

SB: Our initial location was going to be in Pasadena.  We ended up in Altadena, but we service students from Pasadena and the surrounding area.