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Palisades Charter High School, which boasts a lineup of A-List alumni and has been the locale of several TV and film projects, has been significantly damaged by the Palisades Fire that sprung up Jan. 7 and has ballooned to over 23,000 acres since.
In a statement posted by the school to Facebook, many places on the sprawling campus were not visibly damaged by the blaze, including most classroom buildings and gyms, as well as the baseball field, stadium, aquatic center and lush quad. However, a “significant portion,” estimated at 40% has been either “damaged or destroyed.”
The famed campus has been home to such sets as 1976’s Stephen King adaptation Carrie, with Sissy Spacek, as well as the Lindsay Lohan body-swap comedy Freaky Friday, which filmed all of its classroom scenes at the school. More recently, MTV’s Teen Wolf, the 2010s supernatural YA series starring Dylan O’Brien and Tyler Posey, shot its fictional Beacon Hills High exteriors at the PCHS campus. Another high-profile production was Grammy-winning pop star Olivia Rodrigo‘s “good 4 u” music video, which utilized some of PCHS’ sports and locker facilities.
Palisades High also counts several notable graduates who have gone on to pursue careers in Hollywood: Among those who can call themselves Dolphins are J.J. Abrams, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Will.i.am, Katey Sagal, Adam Shankman and others.
“We are committed to not only rebuilding our school but also the surrounding communities that we serve,” the school wrote in its announcement. “Our children are our future, and our school is their future. We cannot, and will not, give up on this mission.”
Though many facilities remain intact, only individuals authorized by school officials, the Los Angeles Police Department or the Los Angeles Unified School District are allowed on the premises until further notice due to the damage and potential hazards, like asbestos, black carbon and other toxic chemicals.
Accordingly, the start of the second semester, which was slated for this week, is delayed until Jan. 21. The school will temporarily follow an online learning plan as it addresses the aforementioned safety concerns and loss of classroom space.
“We recognize that this fire has left many families without a home. We understand the depth of this loss and are committed to supporting our school community as best we can during this difficult time. Our goal is to be a source of stability, offering support for our young people as their first, second, or even third place during recovery. We understand that activities, arts, and athletics are significant to the high school experience. Even during this period of damage mitigation and restoration, we will maintain these meaningful opportunities for socialization and personal development,” PCHS executive director and principal Pamela Magee wrote.
In the latest update to the Palisades Fire, the blaze has scorched over 23,000 acres and is currently 11% contained, with 4,700 personnel assigned to combat the disaster. The death toll stands at 5, and along with the Eaton Fire across town in Altadena/Pasadena, rises to 16 overall.
