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Eric Kinley, a student support coordinator at Aveson Charter School, has seen firsthand the devastation of the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena – but he’s also seeing how students, parents and teachers are adapting post-fire.

Aveson was one of the schools destroyed in the historic wildfires that swept through Los Angeles in January. More than 750,000 students were impacted by the blazes, school closures and evacuations. 

But Kinley, who has dedicated himself to the students of Aveson since the school was founded in 2007, and also served as a coach and athletic director there, sees reason for hope. 

“The community has come together,” he said. “I think it’s made us stronger.” 

Aveson lost their TK-5 campus, Aveson School of Leaders, completely to the Eaton fire. Their middle- and high-school campus, Aveson Global Leader Academy, is recoverable but currently unusable. 

In an interview with LA School Report, Kinley spoke about the emotional toll and logistical challenges the school community has faced after the fire.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

What do you do as a Student Support Coordinator?

I handle behavior and discipline. I don’t really like to use the word ‘discipline,’ but when kids are having a rough day or a parent needs to be contacted, that’s my official job. 

My job isn’t to be a therapist—we have those—but I try to know every kid. I know their families, their pets, their favorite sports. If a kid is having a rough morning, I’ll pull them aside and walk them to class. I try to get ahead of the problem before it becomes one.

This is my 18th year at Aveson. I’ve done a multitude of things—I was an athletic director, I also helped coach sports.

What was it like when the campus community learned Aveson was gone due to the fires? 

There was a lot of uncertainty. We have two campuses—our K-5 campus is completely gone. Our 6-12 campus is still standing, but with smoke damage and damage to the surrounding area, we’re not allowed back. 

It was pretty chaotic. Staff members live in the area, so they were trying to figure out if they still had jobs and where to live.

We just got placement on another campus last month. The Pasadena Unified School District gave us a building to house our kids. 

It’s been a lot of confusion, chaos, and uncertainty—especially coming out of COVID. COVID made students less likely to communicate, more used to being in their own space. 

What was your personal reaction when the fire came to Altadena?

It was heartbreaking. I grew up in that neighborhood—parks, schools, streets. It felt like a piece of me got taken away. It was devastating. And then I thought of the kids. Most of them are COVID kids—they’ve already been through so much. Now they’re displaced again and families have to scramble. I was more worried about them.

It’s been tough. It’s a learning process. Hopefully it builds resilience and teaches the kids that when you fall, you get back up. Life has ups and downs. 

Maybe it builds community and appreciation for the people they have around them, and not just material things.

How is it working, sharing space with another school?  

They’re in a whole other building, so we can have classrooms at the same time. But we’ve had to coordinate things like lunch and use of common spaces.

For example, we were going to use their auditorium for our drama class, and we bumped heads because they needed it at the same time. We’re still figuring that out.

The kids were excited to be around one another again. It gave them a sense of normalcy. 

Before returning, there were chances for them to connect—picnics, park days, therapy. So they were somewhat prepared. They were ready.

Have you heard from parents? How are they feeling?  

I talk to a lot of parents because I coach sports. They’re feeling a little rushed—not necessarily about school, but about making everything okay. There’s a lot of anxiety. 

They’ve been super supportive of the school—donating, setting up classrooms, helping with whatever’s needed. One parent who drives trucks has been helping transport supplies. 

Parents are organizing playdates, picnics, drum circles—ways for kids to be together and get out of their heads.

Are there any plans yet for rebuilding or relocating long-term? 

We’re still talking to Pasadena Unified School District about possible sites, but our leadership is also looking into private real estate so both campuses can be together. 

A lot of PUSD schools were affected by the fire too, so they’re taking care of their own first. 

I don’t think they’ll replace the burned-down campus anytime soon, and even though our other campus is standing, we don’t know how bad the damage is yet. We’ll be on this new campus at least until the end of the school year.

This article is part of a collaboration between The 74 and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.