Palisades Charter HS students return a year after wildfire destroyed campus

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. - After operating out of a temporary facility in Santa Monica, Palisades Charter High School is officially welcoming students back to campus on Tuesday, a little over a year after the devastating Palisades Fire destroyed nearly half of the campus. 

What we know:

The school reopened its doors to students starting with period zero at 7:30 a.m.

This return follows a major reconstruction effort after the January 7, 2025 wildfire destroyed approximately 40% of the school's buildings. 

SUGGESTED: 

• Palisades Charter High School classrooms burn down
• LAUSD doubles down on rebuilding schools damaged in wildfire
• Pali High students return to classes in old Sears building

During the rebuilding process, students and staff at the grade 9-12 school were relocated to the old Sears building in Santa Monica to continue their education.

Timeline:

January 7, 2025: The Palisades Fire breaks out, directly impacting the high school campus and causing profound damage.

Interim months: Students attend classes at the old Sears building in Santa Monica while the school undergoes rebuilding and environmental testing.

Recent days: At the request of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the LA Health Fire Study Consortium expedited review of environmental data.

January 26, 2026: The school officially reopens for a staff-only day to prepare for the return of the student body.

January 27, 2026: Students officially return to the campus to resume normal operations.

The backstory:

The school, known affectionately as Pali High and located at 15777 Bowdoin St., serves the Pacific Palisades area as well as parts of Brentwood, since 1961.

Famous graduates include J.J. Abrams (class of '84), Forest Whitaker ('79) and Jeanie Buss ('79).

The school was used as the location for the 2021 Olivia Rodrigo music video for her No. 1 hit "Good 4 U."

What they're saying:

The emotional impact of the fire and the subsequent recovery was highlighted by the school's principal. In a letter to the community, Dr. Pam McGee wrote in part, "The loss was profound, not just of buildings and belongings, but of the sense of security that we all cherished."

SUGGESTED: Palisades Charter HS baseball team searching for field to call home nearly a year after wildfires

What's next:

School activities will resume as scheduled, starting with the early morning period on Tuesday.