LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LAUSD Updates

The Palisades fire has tested our resilience as a community, but together, we are making a strong recovery. As your Los Angeles Unified School District board member, I want to provide an update on how we are moving forward to ensure that our schools remain safe, open and ready to serve our students and families.

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the educators, school staff, families and first responders who worked tirelessly to keep our students safe and supported during this crisis. Thanks to their dedication, we were able to respond quickly and effectively to minimize disruptions to learning.

When Marquez Charter Elementary and Palisades Charter Elementary schools were irreparably damaged by the fires, we immediately prioritized getting our students back into the classroom. Within a week, both schools were successfully relocated to nearby campuses, ensuring that students could continue their education in a stable environment. We are currently in the process of engaging with families to figure out plans for next year.

All other schools that had been evacuated and temporarily closed due to the fires have now reopened, and we are taking extensive measures to ensure their safety. Preliminary soil and wipe sampling data collected at both Canyon Charter Elementary and Paul Revere Charter Middle schools appear to show no impacts from the fire or are at levels that are above safety thresholds. We have also implemented several new health and safety measures, including extra cleaning, upgraded air filtration, and providing masks and bottled water as needed.

For Palisades Charter High School, the transition has been more complex due to its larger student population and the extent of the damage. While Pali High initially pivoted to remote learning, we worked closely with their leadership team to secure a temporary space at the Sears building in Santa Monica so students can return to in-person instruction in April. We are committed to supporting them throughout this entire process, and expect them to reopen on the Pali High campus once it is safe to do so in the next school year.

Beyond these immediate responses, we are leading with urgency and vision in our long-term recovery efforts. LAUSD has just announced a $725 million rebuilding plan that puts health, safety and sustainability at the forefront of these projects.

This investment is part of a larger, $2.2 billion plan to make all our schools more climate-resilient. As we think about the future, we are dedicated to ensuring that every student has access to a safe and modern learning environment.

We understand that this has been an unimaginable time for many in our community, but our commitment remains steadfast: ensuring the well-being of our students, families and staff. I want to personally thank everyone for their patience, resilience and collaboration as we navigate this recovery together.

We are not just rebuilding schools—we are strengthening our entire community. Together, we will make sure that our schools come back stronger than ever.

You can always find more information on my website at boardmembermelvoin.com and by following @nickmelvoinBD4 on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Nick Melvoin
Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member