While students returning to Palisades Charter High School marked an emotional milestone this week, the reopening also represented a complex recovery effort involving temporary infrastructure, cross city coordination, and months of collaboration between school leadership, LAUSD, and community partners across the Westside.
For Santa Monica, which hosted Palisades students during the transition at the former Sears site, the return signals both the success of that temporary solution and the beginning of the next phase of rebuilding education infrastructure following wildfire disruption.
“Schools are the very heart of communities and seeing Palisades Charter High School reopen is a testament to the strength, care, and fortitude of the Pali High families and administration,” said Kelly Farrell, Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Los Angeles office. “This homecoming also reflects the unwavering support of community members who stood by the school every step of the way. Congratulations to the students, families, administrators, faculty, community partners, and the public officials whose leadership and hard work made this homecoming possible.”
Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, described the reopening as a visible marker of recovery progress.
“In the wake of so much loss and devastation, every step back to something that looks and feels like normal is progress happening in real time,” Park said. “Having students back on campus is game changing. It brings families back, it reactivates neighborhoods, and it supports emotional recovery for young people.”
Park emphasized that continued rebuilding will depend on coordinated public and private action.
“This recovery will not happen without public private partnerships. Whether it is restoring park and recreation spaces or rebuilding the commercial corridor, it will take all hands on deck to rebuild the community the right way,” she said.
Behind the scenes, the reopening required significant infrastructure work. Thirty six modular classroom units were constructed on the former baseball field and are expected to remain in place for approximately two and a half years while permanent facilities are rebuilt. School officials said the temporary structures were installed under the same fire resistance, safety, water proofing, and city permitting standards required of new construction.
Much of the campus furniture was relocated from the former temporary Santa Monica school site, with logistics support provided by Corovan. Additional furnishings and equipment were sourced through private sector donations, including contributions from businesses that closed or downsized during the pandemic, as well as partners such as WeWork.
Principal Pamela Magee said the reopening marks a major milestone but not the end of the recovery process.
“This is a significant step in a journey that began months ago. Returning to campus while construction continues is meaningful for our students and staff, but we still have important work ahead,” Magee said.
She noted that the school continues to address financial and material gaps left by the fire.
“We lost more than three million dollars in textbooks due to environmental exposure concerns, and much of that is not covered by insurance. Those costs fall on the school,” Magee said. “These are the realities schools face after disasters, and this is where community partnerships become essential.”
At the same time, Magee said the return allows the school to restore and expand academic programming.
“We are bringing back our visual and performing arts programs and athletics at full strength,” she said. “Our career technical education programs are growing, and our International Baccalaureate program is preparing to launch next year. These are opportunities that prepare students for the future.”
Families across the Westside say the reopening carries both emotional and practical significance.
“The return to Pali will be a huge boost to the entire community,” said Merritt Farren, former general counsel of Disneyland and Palisades parent, who's son will attend Pali next year. “Pali High has long been a cornerstone of the Palisades and a major reason families choose to live here. My own son will move from Revere Middle School to Pali next year, and no one has been tracking the campus return more closely than him and his friends.”
Community leaders are also working to expand youth programming now that students are back on campus.
“I could not be happier to see Palisades High School back on campus,” said Maryam Zar, CEO of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce. “Families and teachers are eager to return, and I look forward to supporting the PCHS community in every way I can. The Palisades Recovery Coalition is planning after school programming in partnership with the Pacific Palisades Lowe Family YMCA, and with three children who attended Pali, this moment is deeply personal.”
Zar added that Palisades Charter High School draws students from more than 100 ZIP codes across Los Angeles, making its recovery a regional milestone.
Developer and investor Elaine Culotti emphasized the role students themselves played in driving momentum.
“The kids wanted to be back in school almost immediately after the fires. Their fortitude is what pushed this forward,” Culotti said. “Sometimes we have to let communities work together to rebuild themselves.”
Allison Holdorff Polhill, Senior Advisor and District Director for LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin, said the reopening reflects what is possible when public leadership and community action align.
“What this community has built together represents an inspirational commitment to our students, our families, our staff, and this community. This moment is deeply personal for me. Like so many here, I lost my home in this fire. And for six years, I had the honor of serving on the board of Palisades High School. This community is not abstract to me, it is family,” Polhill said.
“In the face of devastation, the District showed up. Board Member Nick Melvoin and Superintendent Carvahlo, with Dr. Magee of Pali High, took swift action and delivered. This represents what is possible when government and community come together with urgency, focus, and love for our children,” she added. “Our work is not done. We remain committed to rebuilding and supporting our Palisades school communities, not just to restore what was lost, but to help them come back even stronger than before.”
With permanent reconstruction now underway and temporary classrooms bridging the gap, the reopening of Palisades Charter High School represents more than a return to campus.
For Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and the broader Westside community, the partnerships that brought students back now form the foundation for rebuilding stronger schools, safer infrastructure, and more resilient neighborhoods.