05-29-26 Restoring Outdoor Spaces

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May 29, 2026

Dear PUSD Community,

Under the direction of the state’s regulatory agency and as part of our commitment to the safety of our students, employees, and families, PUSD is moving forward with restoring outdoor learning spaces at 11 campuses and sites impacted by the Eaton Fire. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, removal of Eaton Fire-related contaminants impacting soil and trees will take place while students and staff are off campus. Our goal is to replace the soil and landscaping with clean soil and landscaping before students return to school; however, some replacement may occur while students are on site, as this work does not involve exposure to fire-related soil.

Last year, environmental testing identified fire-related contaminants impacting soil at these sites with levels above state screening thresholds, and the District immediately closed off these areas to protect our school communities. Removal of fire-related contaminants impacting soil and trees will take place this summer at eleven of our sites: Blair High School, the former Cleveland Elementary School site, Field Elementary, the Franklin Elementary site, Jefferson Dual Language Children's Center, John Muir High School Early College Magnet, Longfellow Elementary Magnet, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, San Rafael Elementary, Washington Elementary STEM Magnet School, and the PUSD Education Center.

Under the direction of California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), we are continuing to address this work thoroughly and transparently because the safety of our students, staff, and community remains our top priority.

DTSC Direction

The DTSC is the state’s lead regulatory agency overseeing and requiring the removal of fire-related contaminants impacting soil at PUSD schools. DTSC holds schools to stricter safety standards than parks and homes.

DTSC has reviewed and conditionally approved PUSD’s eight Fire-Related Campus Assessment Reports and three Removal Action Workplans (RAWs), and agreed with our plan. The reports are located on the DTSC website at https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/ (search school name). DTSC will also review the completed work to confirm that all removal activities meet required safety standards. We will continue to follow their guidance and keep our community informed as this work progresses.

Soil Removal

For safety reasons, DTSC requires that fire-related contaminants impacting soil removal activities occur when students and staff are not on campus. That’s why the District plans to complete this work during summer break, beginning immediately after school is out in early June.

We know that this will affect the neighbors of the 11 campuses, and the District will take steps to minimize disruption wherever possible. All work will be conducted under strict safety protocols, including dust control and monitoring, secured work areas, and safe transport of materials at every step. Work will be phased across sites based on scope and complexity, with larger and more complex projects requiring longer closure windows and smaller, targeted areas addressed during shorter periods, in coordination with overall campus and district operations. Neighbors will be notified of construction work in advance.

Trees

The health and safety of our students and employees remains our highest priority throughout this cleanup effort. As a direct requirement of this work, trees located within fire-related contaminant impacted soil removal areas must be removed to allow for the safe and complete removal of fire-related contaminants impacting soil to protect the health and safety of our students, employees, and school communities.

We know this is hard to hear. Trees are where children play, where communities gather, where roots run deep. PUSD is home to more than 5,000 trees, and the removal of any one of them is not something we take lightly. We worked closely with the City of Pasadena and learned that under its Tree Protection Ordinance, this work is classified as “environmental remediation” rather than a formal project, meaning that replacement planting is not legally required. However, we will replace these trees, going far beyond what the law requires.

PUSD is committed to restoring the landscape at every affected campus, which includes replacing removed trees and reestablishing healthy, shaded learning environments. We will make every effort to replace removed trees with appropriately sized trees in accordance with local and District tree policies. We have worked closely with the City of Pasadena and West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA), a trusted firm with over 50 years of experience serving municipalities and public agencies across California, to ensure this process is handled with the greatest care and expertise. Our campuses will remain welcoming, healthy, and green environments for our students and families for years to come.

We know this news may raise questions. We will continue to share updates, including site-specific information, timelines, and frequently asked questions, and will notify communities in advance of work taking place in their neighborhoods. Resources and updates are available at: pusd.us/restoringourschools

Our goal is to ensure every PUSD campus and site stays safe and ready to welcome our students, employees, and families when school begins in August.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Michael Dunning
Director of Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation