The Eaton Canyon fire and Santa Ana winds, which impacted Altadena, Pasadena, and nearby foothill communities, have not spared Arcadia High School (AHS).

Starting on Jan. 7, the windstorm and the fire had caused AHS campus to sustain damage, which prompted ongoing rebuild and construction efforts by AHS custodians. In addition to the current confirmed three-day closure, the damage has caused several changes and event cancellations affecting the student body and staff.  On top of that, some students and staff have been directly impacted by the fire and mandatory evacuation orders, and assistance is needed.

In response, interviews with school staff and students were conducted to gather information on the current situation and plans for moving forward.

Debris at AHS

The Santa Ana winds caused damage to several trees at AHS, with some being uprooted. Leaves were scattered throughout the grounds, including in the swimming pool.

According to Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) Chief Communications Officer Mr. Ryan Foran, the AHS custodial team is currently using the staff parking lot to collect debris from the school and surrounding trailers, storing it in a designated corner of the lot. He noted that the cleanup effort is currently underway and progressing well. 

“I was shocked and helpless seeing the damage,” said sophomore Ace Wang, who was passing through AHS on Jan. 8. “The campus I knew was completely different.”

With the help of custodian staff, though, Wang said he felt hope, and believed “school will be back to life soon.”

“The custodians and maintenance group have done a great job cleaning up the other parts of the campus. Most of the debris is cleaned up and secured,” said Mr. Foran. “There’s still a little work to do with trees, branches, and wind damage, but they’ve made good progress. The big project now is the roof.”

C-Row roof Damage and Alternate Classroom Change

The roof on the west side of C-Row had its tar paper blown off, rendering the entire area unavailable to students.

Mr. Matthew Woodin, who teaches junior English and AP English Literature and Composition teacher at AHS, was one of the first to inform students about the classroom changes resulting from the damage. His classroom, originally located in C-110, is among those on the west side of C-Row that will undergo construction. Mr. Woodin notified his students that his new classroom, once school resumes, will be in A-211.

In a follow-up email requesting additional information, he noted that similar changes would apply to other C-Row classrooms as well.

“Not since the windstorm of 2011 has AUSD been shut down because of severe weather. These winds, and ensuing fires, were by far the worst I’ve seen in 55 years of living in California. The level of destruction in and around So. Cal. is heartbreaking,” Mr. Woodin said. He thanked the AHS maintenance staff for their efforts in repairs since Wednesday, expressing that they “deserve much credit for all they do.”

AHS principal Dr. Angie Dillman has additionally said in the interview that the classroom relocation would pose unexpected challenges to both staff and students. She said that while classrooms were prepared for teacher relocation due to prior planning, such preparations are usually sufficient for only one to two days. Conversely, this construction after the Santa Ana winds is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete. 

“I think that the biggest inconvenience will be for the teachers,” Dr. Dillman said. “Students go from class to class every single period, and it will be a slight inconvenience for students to learn where they need to go for each period, but most of the teachers in that hallway, they’ve been in those rooms for a long time, so you kind of forget all the things that you have at your fingertips.”

Reconstruction in C-Row and changes to entrance

This classroom change was also included in an email from Dr. Dillman sent to all AHS students, where she included a map outlining the construction area and relocation details. For the next three weeks approximately, the area will change how students will enter. 

After Dr. Dillman’s meeting with Mr. Al Campero, the Director of Maintenance, and Dr. Jorge Munoz, one of the assistant principals, a decision was made to fence off the affected area and begin immediate repair efforts.

When entering campus from the staff lot between the Music Building and H-Row, access from the West D-Hall to the Performing Arts Center Courtyard will be blocked. The route around the D-Hall will need to be used instead. On the first day when school reopens, maintenance will allow teachers to enter their classrooms in the affected construction areas to gather the necessary materials.

“That area will be behind a construction fence, so it’ll block traffic, you know, block our regular ways to travel, which will be an inconvenience,” Dr. Dillman added. “But given the destruction we’re seeing on TV, I feel really lucky that that’s the only thing we’re dealing with.”

Changes in School Events

Due to the disruptions caused by the Eaton fire, several events at AHS are facing cancellations or rescheduling. 

One of the major activities, the marching band’s annual Spaghetti Dinner, a fundraiser event attended by about 2,000 people, is among those needing to be rescheduled. 

“Since the competitive marching season, the band has been hard at work preparing for our final event to close out our season. The annual Spaghetti Dinner is a show that our members look forward to every year,” said Drum Major senior Kayley Nam, expressing regret for the delay. “Our heart goes out to all families who have been impacted and to our fellow members whose homes may have been affected.” 

Other events, including club meetings and senior college workshops, have also been disrupted. Additionally, plans are being made to reschedule Pacific League games, with schools showing flexibility and cooperation in adapting to the changes.

​​Dr. Dillman emphasized that while these changes are a hardship, the priority is ensuring that important activities continue. “Everyone we’re working with is accommodating and understanding,” she said.

Planned Reopening

As of Friday, Jan. 10, AUSD announced its target to reopen schools on Monday, Jan. 13, with a final update expected on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 12. 

According to Mr. Foran, decisions regarding potential school closures are made daily, with efforts to provide timely updates to students and staff. The goal is to announce decisions as early as possible to allow adequate time for planning.

“Everyone has reached out to help and support each other, showing flexibility and empathy. It has made this situation much easier, and we don’t mind doing this work,” said Mr. Foran. “We really appreciate everyone’s patience, support, and decision-making.”

AUSD Maintenance and AHS custodial staff will continue efforts over the weekend to address safety and maintenance needs to support the planned school reopening.

“Let me tell you, we have amazing custodians at AHS. They’re nice, fun, great to talk to, great people, and really hard working,” said Dr. Dillman. “There are people, like teachers, in our school that I think it’s easy for you to think about, but also think about our custodians, who have been doing all the work to make sure the school’s safe for us.”

“It’s not just teachers who have lost their homes; staff members, like instructional assistants, have also been affected,” she continued. “You never know what they could be going through.”

Several AHS staff and students residing near Pasadena and Altadena have been directly affected by the Eaton Fire, experiencing impacts such as the loss of homes and forced evacuation and displacement. In the same email to the AHS community, Dr. Dillman shared resources, including donation and GoFundMe links.

Dr. Dillman said she’s grateful for the “immediate outpouring of compassion and support” in the Arcadia community during this time.

“More than anything, my message is, this is the time to be filled with compassion for others,” she expressed. “And I’ve seen this compassion and generosity in Arcadia students, again and again and again.”

Photo Courtesy of AHS Marching Band, ASB, Mr. Foran, and Ace Wang.