Schools
PUSD May Speed Up Plan to Relocate Loma Alta Preschool
The proposal to relocate the special needs preschool to Burbank Elementary is moved up from December to August.
Pasadena Unified School District may speed up from to .
The district announced Wednesday that it is proposing to move the preschool in August instead of December, citing concerns that a mid-year relocation would be especially challenging for its students with autism and special needs.
"Accelerating the move of LAUP will minimize mid-year disruptions for special needs students served by the program," wrote David Azcárraga, facilities chief for the district, in a letter to the community. "Disruptions in routine are very difficult for both preschool special needs students and their families."
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This proposal means that the district is returning to its to move the school by the beginning of the school year.
The Los Angeles Universal Preschool opened the special needs school at Loma Alta in 2009, but it needs to be relocated .
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The district's early childhood coordinator Ree Harris will also relocate her office to Burbank Elementary, according to Azcárraga.
The preschool serves 26 student and has 2-3 staff members, and Azcárraga said that its teachers' relationships with students and parents will ease a hastened transition.
The school, which is funded by the Los Angeles Universal Preschool program, accepts up to 40 children, including autistic and other special needs kids. It was started in 2009 and represents a unique model of integrating special needs children with other children in a regular preschool curriculum.
Azcárraga's letter also included a few notes about parking and student drop-off:
All staff and visitor parking will be moved on campus, and off the surrounding streets, which had created congestion when the elementary school was open and served 321 students.
We are asking parents to drop off and pick up preschool students on the campus to minimize traffic on the street.
The district is doing a presentation on the proposed acceleration at its board meeting on Tuesday, July 26. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., and the presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. The board room is located on the second floor of 351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena.