La Salle Return to Campus and Support Overview - January 17, 2025

Dear La Salle Community,

Foremost, we’d like to extend our prayers to all members of our school community who have been impacted by the Eaton Canyon fire, as well as the other fires that have devastated the region over the last week. We continue to stand with you and our fellow Lancers in this time of immense need and uncertainty.

After an unbelievable week of kindness, care, and generosity from our community to help those in need through our Lancer Support Drive, Lancer Support Fund, and countless hours of volunteerism, we are happy to report that La Salle will reopen and begin our second semester on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

While we recognize that many members of our community have been impacted by fires, we are beginning the semester with our collective community’s well-being and care being top-of-mind. Our faculty, staff, and administration have been working collaboratively to ensure our reopening is thoughtful and mindful.

Below, we have outlined the proactive steps we have taken as we planned for our students’ return.

First Day Mental Health and Wellness Focus

Our administration team and department chairs have worked collaboratively to ensure our first day of the semester is uplifting, reflective, and welcoming for all students. Students will report to their mentor classes at the start of the day, followed by an all-school assembly and a full-day check-in rotation with each of their teachers. Following lunch, students will gather for a prayer service and then have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of engaging different activities, therapeutic stations (ex. therapy puppies, letters to God, meditative coloring). The complete schedule for the day and other reminders can be found below:

• Students are asked to bring a water bottle and pen and/or pencil. Students who need to wear a mask are encouraged to wear one. We will have them available at the front desk as well. School supplies and other items will not be needed this day.

• Goat yoga will also be available and we ask that students wishing to participate in this mindful activity to please bring their own yoga mats to school on Tuesday.

Academic Instruction

We will resume our regular academic instruction on Wednesday, January 22, with the previously calendared A4 schedule, the B5 schedule on Thursday, January 23, the A1 schedule on Friday, January 24, and so on, following the A/B rotation. Note that Thursday, January 23rd is also no longer an early dismissal day.

Textbooks and Continued Flexibility

Teachers are aware that students have lost books, notes, and other supplies and will be reimagining their lesson plans to meet the needs of the students. Please continue to fill out the Jotform Textbook Form for any textbooks that need to be replaced.

Calendar Changes For Instructional Days

To make up a number of in-person instructional days, the previously calendared online learning days scheduled for Monday, February 10th, and Friday, March 28th will revert back to being in-person instructional days. Our Catholic Schools Week activities and service happening the week of January 27th through January 31st will also be adjusted for additional instructional days.

Dress Code Adjustments

We are aware that students have lost their school uniforms because of the recent fires. In a show of solidarity and support, all students may wear their regular school uniform OR clothing that closely resembles the regular school uniform for the remainder of January and all of February. We will make an additional announcement in March on how we will address the dress code for the remainder of the school year.

Ongoing Mental Health and Counseling Resources

As we progress through the upcoming week and beyond, we recognize the different challenges our students will be facing in light of the trauma brought on by the wildfires across the region. Our Counseling Department will be proactively engaging with faculty and working closely with students who need extra support over the remainder of the school year.

In addition to our proactive counseling approach, we have partnered with Dr. Maria Austin, a Clinical Psychologist who has been working with children, youth and families since 2000 in youth development programs, schools, residential treatment and outpatient services, both in the public and private sectors. She has had roles from direct service, Clinical Director, consultant to trainer. Dr. Maria focused her research on contributors to adolescent thriving, organizational leadership and leadership development. Her focus on thriving is one that can be applied regardless of situation in life from trauma to self exploration and development. Additionally, her clinical expertise focuses on the impacts of trauma and supportive intervention through the healing process. This includes helping individuals, families and communities incorporate key skills and concepts that enhance protective factors that mitigate the impact of trauma at all stages of life.

Dr. Maria is a TBRI Practitioner and certified trainer in the MANDT system. MANDT is a relationally-based crisis intervention system that is designed to support people and assist organizations in developing a culture that supports the emotional, psychological and physical safety of everyone involved. TBRI is an evidence-based trauma intervention grounded in neuroscience, attachment theory and sensory processing, though the heartbeat of TBRI is connection.

Parent Workshop with Dr. Maria (Thursday, 1/23 at 7:00 PM): During the evening Thursday, January 23rd, Dr. Maria will be hosting an hour-long zoom workshop from 7:00 to 8:00 PM designed to support parents with navigating the impact of the recent wildfires. We will review ways for parents to help their children express their feelings of fear or anxiety, ways to support emotional regulation, develop understanding of expected atypical reactions teens may have in the short-run, and how to provide the balance of structure and support during this time. We will also discuss support for parents as they navigate this unprecedented event and the signs for knowing when to seek additional support. More information and a Zoom link will be shared next week ahead of the workshop.

Student Support Therapy Group (Thursday, 1/23): Students are welcome to participate in this support group as we discuss the impact of the wildfires, whether direct or due to someone close. We will incorporate a mindfulness practice and helpful tools for processing the experience in a safe space. This will be taking place in the school day during academic support in the Counseling Center.

Facilities Update

We have been in touch with Pasadena Water and Power. They have confirmed our water supply is not in the affected areas of the Eaton Fire. Please visit this Pasadena Water and Power link for additional information. Additionally, the entire campus has been power washed, debris has been removed, and all HVAC filters have been replaced. While masks are not mandated, there will be masks available at the front desk for any student who wishes to wear one.

Optional Return to Campus Parent Webinar

In addition to this email, we will be hosting an optional Zoom Webinar this Monday, January 20 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, to answer any reopening questions you may have. The meeting will be recorded for those unable to attend.

Click here to join our Return to Campus Plan Parent Webinar

Lastly, we’d like to take this opportunity to express our extreme thanks and appreciation to our entire Lancer community for your support, compassion and care over the last 10 days. Our community came out in an outstanding way to help those most in need.

Our Lancer Support Drive served as a major community resource for those in east Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Hastings Ranch, and Altadena. We collected thousands of pounds of essential goods, toiletries, food, and water and distributed these goods to hundreds of community members and other relief organizations throughout the week. We also provided hot meals from community restaurants and La Salle families to those in need and served as a designated World Central Kitchen meal distribution site, with a food truck present throughout the week serving meals to anyone who needed one.

The Lancer Support Fund continues to grow everyday and has already had an impact on current students and families in need. At least 50 students have lost their homes or have been displaced due to severe damage to their homes and will directly benefit from the generosity of our entire community during this time of devastation and loss.

Thank you for your continued support of La Salle, our community and those most in need. We are so grateful for you and all that make La Salle College Preparatory a special place to learn and grow. We look forward to seeing your children back on campus next week.

Sincerely,

Perry Martin, M.Ed.
School President

Ernest Siy, M.Ed.
Principal

Perry Martin, M.Ed. School President

Ernest Siy, M.Ed. Principal