Students of an Altadena school that was burned to the ground during the Eaton Fire are getting a sense of normalcy back as its founder leads efforts toward recovery.

Pasadena Rosebud Academy Charter School has resumed school activities for students to get them back on track with hobbies and educational pursuits they once enjoyed. Choir practices have resumed, and students were able to participate in a volunteer effort to help others who were impacted by the blaze that ripped through their community.

“It really gave them an opportunity to move forward,” said Shawn Brown, the school’s founder. “School is such a huge part of their lives and for them to be able to come to school, whether it be field trips or other locations, really gives them that normalcy.”

It’s a community effort that includes the Don Benito Fundamental School in Pasadena sharing its campus as a temporary location for the 135 Rosebud students. Local organizations and businesses also donated classroom supplies to the school, including new desks and learning materials.

“When people started to help out, it just really gave us hope and gave us the drive to continue to be resilient and to push forward,” Brown said.

Brown opened the K-8th grade academy in 2007. As she continues to navigate the loss of both her school and her home due to the fire, she said she’s been overwhelmed by the kindness of her community. Others’ support and generosity gave her the strength to push through this challenging time.

“I’ve focused on all the great things that I have, and so a big takeaway for me is to just live every day in gratitude,” she said. “And being thankful for the things that you do have and not the things that you don’t.”