Starting Tuesday, Palisades Charter High School, commonly known as Pali High, will attend classes at a temporary location now named "Pali South" in downtown Santa Monica. The relocation to the former Sears at 302 Colorado Ave is necessary due to the damage sustained by the school's original campus during recent wildfires. According to a City of Santa Monica statement, this move was made possible by an emergency city council order and contributions from city staff across multiple departments.
Severely affected by the wildfires, the Pacific Palisades community has seen continuous outreach from Santa Monica, with help provided for schools, businesses, and individuals displaced by the disaster. The efforts have been particularly focused on ensuring minimal disruption to education, aiming to bring students back to a school setting quickly and safely.
Classes at Pali South will continue through June 6, with school officials planning a return to the Palisades campus for the fall semester. Pali South operates from 8:30 a.m. to 2:46 p.m., and the presence of Santa Monica High School nearby suggests that the downtown area could experience heavy traffic during peak school times. The city asks those not needing to be in the vicinity to avoid the area at peak hours, if possible, to ease congestion.
The student body of Pali High is diverse, including families from nearly 100 different ZIP codes. As such, students will have various options for reaching school, including Metro E Line, buses, and charter buses sponsored by parents. For personalized commuting assistance, the city's GoSaMo offers online appointments for trip planning. The city is also taking steps to adjust signal timings and deploy traffic safety personnel for better traffic flow around the new site. For security and safety, the pedestrian tunnel beneath 4th Street leading to Pali South will be open to students only during arrival and dismissal times, and the campus will maintain 24/7 onsite security.
For dining and after-school activities, the city has coordinated with local businesses to provide student specials, and venues like Historic Belmar Park and the Santa Monica Main Library will serve as locations for physical education and study spaces, respectively. The City of Santa Monica invites students and their families to take advantage of the various cultural and recreational offerings throughout the city.
In matters of public transit use, Santa Monica emphasizes ease and affordability, with options like the Metro E Line or Big Blue Bus providing stress-free travel to the temporary campus. The Big Blue Bus and Metro services will be free for all riders on Pali South's opening day in celebration of Earth Day. Students can also take advantage of a registered GoPass for fare-free access to buses and the E Line.
As the city and school leadership continue to adjust to the transition, feedback and reports on concerns can be directed to [email protected]. To stay informed on local news and events, residents can sign up for SM Alerts and SaMoNews and follow the city's social media channels. For members of the media seeking more information, reach out to the city's public information officer at [email protected].
