As we prepare to welcome students back to South Pasadena Unified (SPUSD) classrooms on August 13, 2025, I am honored to introduce myself as your new superintendent. 

I began my career in education in 1996 and have served students in both California and Texas in numerous roles, including as a teacher, professional development coordinator, instructional coach, principal, director of teaching and learning, assistant superintendent of educational services, and adjunct professor. 

In the first few months of working together and learning from each other, I will focus on engagement and communication, student achievement, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility. Reflection is a way to effectively learn about SPUSD, and one of my goals is to establish trusting relationships with families, students, and employees so we may reflect and grow together. With the help of our talented staff, faculty, and administrators, we will also identify the best ways to increase student achievement. Throughout this process, we will be mindful of our budget sensitivities and work toward long-term financial stability. I am planning to share more details about my 100-day plan within the next week or so.

I am so very excited to welcome all the new students and families joining us this year! Whether your children are starting their journey in 2025 or graduating in 2026, you are embarking on an amazing educational experience, and we're thrilled to be part of it. Student curiosity and wonder will undoubtedly bring much joy to our classrooms.

We're building on tremendous momentum from last year's achievements. Our students demonstrated outstanding performance on state assessments, and results from the California Healthy Kids survey show that SPUSD students feel safe and connected at school – a testament to the caring culture cultivated here in South Pasadena.

Our teachers are well prepared to guide our students. This past year, we offered targeted professional development in areas such as play-based learning, reading and language development strategies, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and classroom safety and management to ensure that our faculty are well-trained in educational best practices.

Thank you to our staff for their tireless work during the past couple of months, ensuring our schools are ready to welcome everyone back safely. We have been busy with preparation and improvements to start the year, including new paint, new HVAC systems, new windows, and refreshed electrical equipment, to create better learning and working environments for everyone. 

During the summer, our technology team works on many projects like prepping Chromebooks for students, renewing software services, and securing our technology systems. The elementary schools will see improvements to multipurpose rooms, and audio/visual upgrades will be added to the middle school library and SPHS Tiger Den, thanks to the SPEF major grants and bond funding. Even the dining cafe at the high school is being renovated with new serving lines and signage.

Safety continues to be a high priority for the new school year. Please pay extra attention to traffic patterns around our campuses and be mindful of students walking to and from school. Thank you to the City of South Pasadena for committing to repainting crosswalks and curbs in school zones. We are also grateful for our PTA volunteers who provide support during morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups. Let’s work together to ensure everyone arrives safely each day.

Parent and community involvement remains crucial to our success. I encourage all families to engage with your school's PTA and booster clubs and support the vital work of SPEF, which provides invaluable resources for our student programs and teachers. Your participation strengthens our entire educational community.

Our schools are more than buildings filled with textbooks and desks – they're communities where relationships flourish, dreams take shape, and futures are built. As we embark on this new academic year together, I invite you to join me in making it strong, memorable, and meaningful. Here's to a year filled with learning, growth, discovery, and success for every student we serve. I am so proud to join this vibrant educational community. 

Welcome back, and let's make this year extraordinary!

Angela Elizondo Baxter, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools