Latest news with #PalisadesCharterHigh
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Palisades High grads celebrate at the Hollywood Bowl, months after devastation
Five months after the Palisades Fire damaged the campus of Palisades Charter High School, forcing students to relocate, they will celebrate graduation at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday. At the beginning of April, Pali High students who were attending school online relocated to a vacant Santa Monica department store to resume school operations. Students and their families will gather at the Hollywood Bowl to honor the Class of 2025. The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. "Thank you for your patience and support during this process," the school posted on social media. "A special thank you to everyone who helped make this dream a reality. We look forward to celebrating our seniors and giving them the send-off they deserve at this iconic venue." HOLLYWOOD, CA - JUNE 2, 2014: The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performed during the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and Opening Night Concert on Saturday June 2, 2014 at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Barbara Davidson On the morning of Jan. 7, a wildfire sparked in the Pacific Palisades community, quickly spreading and decimating thousands of structures, including Pali High. Marquez Elementary School and Palisades Elementary School were destroyed during the firestorm. The devastating blaze claimed the lives of 12, according to Cal Fire. But while the seniors of Palisades High have endured an unimaginable school year, they'll have the chance to celebrate their accomplishments at the legendary venue. The Hollywood Bowl previously hosted a "We Love LA" benefit concert in April for first responders and those affected by the fires. A livestream of the graduation can be seen here.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Raise Pali' golf tournament supports wildfire recovery efforts for local high school
Community members hit the golf course Sunday morning for the 'Raise Pali' golf tournament, which supported wildfire recovery efforts for Palisades Charter High School. Around 40% of Pali High's campus was lost in the Palisades Fire, which also burned down the homes of 11 staff members and more than 500 students, school officials said in a press release. 'Everyone lost in-person access to their campus, friends, teachers, extracurricular activities and their daily sense of normalcy,' the press release reads. 'Dangerous heat' and elevated fire weather possible in Southern California this week To restore some of that normalcy, the school reopened at a temporary location on April 22: the old Sears department store located at the corner of Colorado Avenue and 4th Street in Santa Monica. The new campus, dubbed Pali South, was constructed in about eight weeks, according to a Santa Monica city spokeswoman. But that spot isn't permanent, and funds are needed to continue Palisades Charter High's recovery efforts that include maintaining the temporary space, rebuilding and ultimately, returning to campus. Thus, the 'Raise Pali' golf tournament was created, offering tee times and on-course fundraising activities. The event, founded by parents and students and supported by the broader Pacific Palisades and Los Angeles communities, took place at Penmar Golf Course in Venice. A park that was damaged in the Eaton Fire is now a 'super park' Speaking to KTLA 5's Jennifer McGraw, one student, Laila, said that getting back to in-person learning from two spells of Zoom classes (once during the COVID-19 pandemic and again because of the fire) has been 'an amazing experience.' 'Coming from Zoom school twice, I'm so grateful we were able to receive an opportunity like this,' she said. 'Especially at a campus that's so close to what we used to have before.' Palisades Charter High School Dr. Pamela Magee stressed that the school, since it is not part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, has to rely on fundraisers like Sunday's golf tournament in order for them to afford the rebuild. 'We have lots of support from our community, but there are so many things that our school will need going forward,' Dr. Magee told KTLA. 'We are in this temporary location that we feel really blessed that we were able to find and build, but there are many, many expenses that will be part of continuing that until we can return to our home campus.' KTLA is a proud sponsor of the 'Raise Pali' golf tournament, which hits home for several KTLA family members who were affected by the fire burning down Palisades Charter High: Lauren Lyster, Cher Calvin, Wendy Burch and Courtney Friel are all connected to the school through their children and stepchildren. For those who could not make Sunday's golf outing but still would like to help out, you can donate to the PCHS Fund by clicking here. Additionally, the Palisades High Booster Club, which focuses on the immediate needs of students not covered by the school's budget, is also accepting donations. A complete guide on donating to Pali High can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
04-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Wildfire ravaged Palisades schools reach milestone of complete debris removal
It's been three months since the Palisades Fire began, and Los Angeles city and school district leaders celebrated a milestone Friday -- the completion of debris removal from all three of the impacted schools in the community, with rebuilding efforts underway. Marquez Elementary was completely destroyed by the wildfire, Palisades Elementary was 70 percent destroyed, and Palisades Charter High was 30 percent destroyed. The district made room in other schools for the displaced elementary students so that their education would not be disrupted, and Palisades Charter High switched to online learning. Mayor Karen Bass said the goal is to get students back in their classrooms as soon as possible. "When I think of the destruction that happened here at this school, I think of the trauma that the children faced, many of whom not only lost their classroom and their friendships, but also their homes," Bass said. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district is in the process of contracting architects and engineers for the rebuild. "This board (LAUSD School Board) has already committed the $600 million-plus to fully rebuild these schools," he said. The superintendent stressed that ongoing soil and environmental testing will continue. "We've already taken steps to drop portable classrooms on one site here in the Palisades to accommodate, as soon as possible, but no sooner than the community wishes for it to happen, to bring back students to the Palisades, after all the environmental concerns have been addressed," Carvalho said. Carvalho said that of the $600 million in rebuild funding, each elementary school will receive $150 million, and the remainder will go towards the high school. "On January 7th, I picked up my kindergartener from school, not knowing it would be the last time he'd see his classroom standing. Watching your child lose their school, their home, their whole world -- it breaks you," said Jon Brown, parent at Palisades Elementary.
