SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica is warning commuters to prepare for the increase of students with Palisades Charter High School and Santa Monica High School students returning to the downtown and civic center area in the coming two weeks as the fall semester begins at both campuses.
With the influx of students, city officials advise commuters, residents, workers and business owners to allow extra time traveling near school areas, be on the lookout for students.
Pali High students will return to the school’s temporary Santa Monica campus at the site of the former Sears building on Colorado Avenue on Wednesday, August 13. Samohi students are set to return to their campus on Thursday, August 21.
Santa Monica welcomed Pali High students to the Sears site in April, after the January wildfires damaged their home campus in neighboring Pacific Palisades. The city is ready to welcome students and staff back through December 19, as they continue to prepare to return to the Palisades region.
Pali High’s temporary campus was made possible thanks to an emergency order approved by the Santa Monica City Council in January that allowed schools affected by the wildfires to relocate to Santa Monica. The school is one of four that relocated to Santa Monica and are returning for the new school year.
“Back to school can be a hectic transition for many families, and especially for our Palisades families who are still in the process of rebuilding,” said Mayor Lana Negrete. “The city remains a committed partner in helping restore a sense of normalcy as families settle into their routines for the new school year.”
The city is working with local partners to help families get to and from schools safely:
-Crossing guards will be at every Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) campus to help manage critical intersections.
-SMMUSD and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) participate in the regional GoPass program, which provides free transit rides to all K-12 students. This includes rides on Big Blue Bus and LA Metro trains and buses.
-Construction was completed earlier this year on the pedestrian improvements at six schools, which implemented critical pedestrian safety improvements around Edison Language Academy, Santa Monica Alternative Schoolhouse (SMASH), John Muir Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Grant Elementary and Franklin Elementary.
-School safety tips from the Santa Monica Police Department include information for students and parents as well as important safety tips for motorists navigating the streets around schools.
By Danny Jones