In a week, this classroom on the ground floor of the Sears building had been transformed.

Having last been in the Sears building, in the basement, when I was looking for a dishwasher, I remembered a dark interior with an escalator in the middle of the store. When it was announced that would be the temporary location for Palisades Charter High School, this editor grimaced and thought, “at least it’s temporary.”

Invited for a visit on April 29, the building was nothing like I remembered. It was light, airy, with wide hallways, and unexpected rooms, such as a sort of student/lounge gathering on the second floor, with a skylight that opened up the building.

Principal and Executive Director Pam Magee and Board of Trustees President Sara Margiotta gave me a tour and explained that the owner had completely gutted the 1947 Rowland Crawford Late Moderne building.

Assistant Principal Tyler Farrell stopped by when Principal Pam Magee (center) and Board Trustee President Sara Margiotta were giving this editor a tour.
Photo: RICK STEIL

Developers had converted the building from three stories to four by improving an upstairs mezzanine. In 2020, developers spent more $50 million and took two years for a building makeover They had planned to rent the 50,000 square feet to offices and restaurants — and then Covid hit.

When the Palisades Fire destroyed part of the PaliHi campus on January 7 and made the rest uninhabitable until remediation is completed, students were relegated to Zoom.

There was $10 million in the school’s insurance policy that could only be used for relocation. “It was critically important to get these kids back in person,” Margiotta said. “To put them back on Zoom was heartbreaking.”

The renowned architect firm Gensler, whose motto might be “navigating change with adaptable workplace design,” took the project and turned this empty shell into 93 classrooms on four floors.

“They worked 24 hours a day and the contractors worked double shifts to get a school opened in six weeks,” Magee said. “Santa Monica has been very supportive, and we’ve worked daily with building and safety and to ensure that all safety requirements were met.”

The skylight in the center of the building provides ample light.

Students came back onto the campus on April 22, and 2,500 students had to learn new classrooms and new ways of navigating a vertical campus. The “new” school is much like an inner-city school, rather than a suburban campus found in Pacific Palisades.

Wifi has mostly been worked out and students are adapting to Santa Monica, which has more areas for students to go after classes than in Pacific Palisades.

Teachers chose the “doors” for their classrooms. Robert King put up hanging beads.

Long-time U.S. History teacher Robert King said, that after holding Zoom classes the past six weeks, “It’s been weird to have everyone connected.” He said there have been snafus, but that everyone has developed back up plans for back up plans to ensure that school runs smoothly.  “The students have developed a level of patience as they deal with frustrations,” he said, but added about being back in a classroom “I’m jumping for joy!”

Junior Ocean Silkman, whose home was also destroyed in the fire said, “It’s amazing. I wasn’t expecting the classrooms to look so good. We feel like a school.”

Silkman pointed out “If you look around the classrooms they are decorated with personal touches. This is more than a building. All programs are up and running, even clubs. I’m very happy we’re not online.”

The teachers and students are allowed to decorate the walls and long-time AP World Teacher Steven Burr, has put up his obligatory Star Wars and Steelers posters, which he’s known for.  Marine Biology teacher Karyn Newbill urges her students to help with a tissue paper artwork, depicting the sea.

In Karyn Newbill’s Marine Biology classroom, an underwater scene is being assembled.

Sound mitigation is achieved with carpet in the classrooms and a silver product, InsulQuilt which is more commonly used in the sound stage production. It has been hung from the walls to the ceilings. It, like all building products in California since 1980, is 100% asbestos free.

Margiotta said about Gensler, “They did a phenomenal job.”

Since it is a vertical school, students are getting extra exercise going up and down the steps.  The numerous bathroom buildings are outside in the large parking lot, which is also where a little café has been set up.

Band members, many of whom left their instruments at Pali, are only now receiving donated instruments from Paul Revere Middle School, Ontario and Santa Monica High Schools.  Students and teachers have not been able to get in the band room to check on the instruments, but recently 15 new guitars were donated for music class.

Band teacher Peter Ye said that Pali’s color guard combined with Santa Monica High School’s color guard and the unit scored second in their division recently at a contest at UC Irving.

Junior Alice Amoriam, who is a member of the ASB (Asssociate Student Body), said that it takes longer to get to school now because of the traffic.

“I just started driving,” and she didn’t get a parking permit in time, so she drives the car over and her mom drives it back. “I think we’re making the best of it we can,” she said and pointed out that even though some students had left Pali after the fire, “the ones that stayed are especially committed to the school. The kids that are still here love this school – and everyone that is here loves and appreciates everyone.”

Amoriam pointed out “It’s nice to change schools, without really changing schools.”

Light pours in through the windows on classrooms in the upper floors.

“It’s a different experience,” Magee agreed.

If there were one difficulty with this urban campus, it would be the lack of playing fields. Athletic Director Rocky Montz has worked to find venues for the kids. “Our track team is at West L.A. and they get on a bus to go to practice,” he said, but added, “Our athletes are tough, and they will go wherever they have to go.”

There is a promise that the football field might be open in the fall for games. The swimming pool will have to be drained, cleaned and replastered during the summer – and hopefully reopening in the fall, too.

The school has a six-month lease, with two-month options up to 18 months, which relieves pressure for administrators if the campus in Palisades is not ready for the fall term.

Magee was asked about first operating a school through the Covid pandemic and now through a disastrous fire, she said “every situation brings special challenges, but this, the fire, is unique because the focus is on our community.

“Each time we learn something new, we learn new strengths, we become more resilient than we were before,” Magee said. “There’s a lot of heart and passion here.”

These students have been through some tough situations but have been able to watch adults work out problems. Students see if something fails, adults try something different and maybe even watch as adults come up with different solutions a third and even a fourth time to get something right. These students are luckier than they know.

Snacks are available at an outside cafe.

On the Horizon:

AP Exams will be given in Barker Hanger in Santa Monica.

Prom will be held on May 17 at the Wallis Annenberg Hall at USC. The long-time tradition of students voting on king and queen candidates will continue.

A space for senior awards, a venue that might hold about 300 people, is needed kbaker@palihigh.org.

A summer field for the football team to practice on is needed (rmontz@palihigh.org).

If anyone would like to donate or contribute to the fundraising, band, theater programs or sports teams, please contact  go.PaliHigh.org/RaisePali or contact Director of Development Rene Rodman rrodman@palihigh.org or call (310) 230-7272.