Pio Pico Middle School staff were informed that the district has plans to "dissolve" Pio Pico Middle School and move GALA (Girls Academic Leadership Academy) on to their campus for the next school year. GALA is currently on the LA High campus so they do have a home.  They plan to have the students go to either Cochran or Berendo and the teachers will be sent to each school according to the availability at each school.  They’re also giving teachers the option to find a job at another school site on their own. This news came as devastation to teachers, staff, students and the community.

Many of the teachers at PPMS have been there for years and have made this school their second home. It also appears that neither community knew about this plan that has been dropped on them so suddenly. Pio Pico staff and family are righteously upset and angry as well as GALA families appear to be shocked and are upset about being accused of destroying another school.

Why was there zero conversation about this tremendous change? When were school meetings held to talk with Pio Pico about the end of this stand alone school? When were these two school communities given an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities of any changes?

This process needs to be stopped and engage these schools in dialogue. This top down decision making demonstrates that LAUSD is unable or unwilling to actually have hard conversations and respond to school community needs. This is a decision that will have real impact on people’s daily lives. Pio Pico is in the heart of Mid City Los Angeles, many of the students that attend are from low income households and will find it extremely difficult to be able to not only adjust to a new school, but to have accessibility to transportation to a school that may be out of their familiar route and farther to reach. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic that we have at hand. I personally attended Pio Pico when it was a span school from 1999-2010, and the teachers that I had the pleasure to work with have been supportive and resourceful in my adult life, and I’m sure my fellow PPMS alumni can agree with me. This is why a lot of us are shocked, angered and saddened by this news.

The board will vote on this in February.  This was done very quickly without involving the teachers, parents or students.  It is not a done deal yet.  Please contact Board members George McKenna, at george.mckenna@lausd.net or 213-241-6382, Monica Garcia, at Monica.garcia@lausd.net or 213-241-6180, Scott Schmerlson at Scott.schmerlson@lausd.net or 213-241-8333, Nick Melvoin at Nick.melvoin@lausd.net or 213-241-6387, Jackie Goldberg at jackie.goldberg@lausd.net or 213-241-6388, Kelly Gonez at Kelly.gonez@lausd.net or 213-241-6388, Tanya Ortiz Franklin at Tanya.franklin@lausd.net or 213-241-6385 and let them know that Pio Pico is an amazing, safe, small but mighty middle school with a dedicated teaching staff.  The dynamic at our school will not survive by splitting us up and moving our students to different school sites.

Please help if you can.