Albuquerque Public Schools
APS Offers Help to L.A. Unified District
Superintendent Blakey: 'We stand ready to be of assistance'
New Mexico’s largest school district is offering assistance to the Los Angeles Unified district in the wake of fires that have destroyed or damaged schools in Southern California.
Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said APS would put together supply drives to aid students, staff and families in the L.A. area, or offer personnel who could help in assessing the damage to schools. As of Friday, more than 10,000 buildings or homes have been destroyed by a series of massive wildfires, and officials in California say the threat remains pervasive.
According to news reports, at least two schools have burned. A high school in Pacific Palisades has been damaged.
Dr. Blakey spoke this week with officials at Los Angeles Unified School District, which is a partner to APS in the Council of Great City Schools. She said school officials in Los Angeles are still trying to deal with the crisis and are uncertain of exactly what they’ll need, but expect to have a better idea early next week.
Dr. Blakey said APS stands ready to help if needed.
“Returning students to school is an important step in reestablishing normalcy,” Dr. Blakey said. “We know this from New Mexico’s own experience with wildfires. I know districts from around the country want to help our friends in L.A., and if there’s anything we can do – even if it’s small in the scope of this terrible tragedy – we want to try.
“Either way, we stand ready to be of assistance,” she added. “It’s the right thing to do.”