Nine months after it was destroyed by the Palisades Fire, students and staff at Marquez Elementary returned to temporary bungalows on their campus.
Students, parents, staff, and L.A. officials gathered at the school on Tuesday morning to celebrate the return. The students and staff were sharing campuses at Nora Sterry in West L.A. Elementary School while the temporary one was constructed.
“I am grateful to all the people at Nora Sterry, who made us feel welcome while we were there and for the good food,” Winston, a student, said during the ceremony. “I am excited to come back to Marquez and see the ocean views, work on our robot and our 5th-grade plays, run around the new track, and read in our new library thanks to Ms. Foster.”
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the new school, which is set to be finished in 2028, will have “20 classrooms, a library, a multi-purpose room, a cafeteria, and a playground.”
He added that the air, soil, and water in the area have been tested.
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“This is the very first school to have installed next-generation sensors,” he said.
Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the area, said the community is writing a new and “brighter” page.
“Welcome home, Marquez. Let's keep writing history together,” she said.
District officials say they'll continue to monitor them as the nearby homes and new campus are being rebuilt.
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