Three High Level Pasadena Unified Employees Leave The School District

Three high level managers have left positions in the Pasadena Unified School District recently.

Chief Business Officer Dr. Leslie Barnes, Facilities Director Leonard Hernandez and Chief of Technology Tendaji Jamal have left or tendered their resignations this year.

Late last year, Stephen Miller retired.

“Right now the district does remain solid,” said Board President Michele Richardson Bailey. “PUSD is entering a season of change.”

The changes come less than six months after a new school board was sworn in.

The district is currently in the process of filling the positions, and is scheduled to hire a new director of human resources on Thursday.

But even that is mired in murky waters, according to the board agenda the district will go outside to choose the new director over Sarah Rudchenko, the current interim head of the department.

“It is a huge blow to us as teachers and educators on the front line as we are yet again being told there will be yet another chief from out of district, who has not served in our schools, has not learned to love our community,” wrote United Teachers of Pasadena President Jonathan Gardner in a guest opinion piece.

“It sends a strong and powerful message that we can’t trust the people [like Dr. Rudchenko] who have distinguished themselves as they have been provided increasing responsibility within our District and demonstrated loyalty to our PUSD students and community.”

Barnes and Hernandez came to the district together having worked together in another district previously, and Jamal left for a position at Pasadena City College.

“During my tenure with PUSD there are numerous accomplishments for which I am very proud,” Barnes said in her resignation letter to Superintendent Brian McDonald.
Barnes provided no reason for leaving.

Barnes exit is the hardest hit so far.

Barnes was responsible for many core district operations, including purchasing, food services, risk management, workplace safety, legal services, charter MOU, fiscal and legal, budget/resource allocation, financing, benefits enrollment, emergency preparedness, facilities, maintenance and operations.
The only remaining members of the district’s executive leadership team are Superintendent Brian McDonald and Deputy Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco.

McDonald recently received a three-year extension, but according to one district source some members of the board want him out.

Bailey would not speculate on McDonald and Blanco leaving the district.