Many Los Angeles District Schools Will Reopen Monday Despite Ongoing Fires
LOS ANGELES − A majority of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District are expected to go back to school on Monday, even as fires continue to affect the broader region, as announced by the district on Sunday.
According to LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, the decision to reopen was made after assessing factors such as fire containment, air quality, wind conditions, and staff availability.
“Thanks to the hard work of district employees, who cleaned the schools and the efforts of first responders and local authorities ensuring our communities’ safety, we are able to resume classes,” the announcement stated.
After the outbreak of deadly fires, the district kept schools operational on Wednesday but closed them for the rest of the week.
Eight schools in the area most affected by the fires will remain shut, and two schools—Roscomare Road Elementary School and Community Magnet Charter—are under observation.
Additionally, the Pasadena Unified School District declared it would remain closed until January 17.
In the letter from LAUSD, it is mentioned that an update will be provided at 10 p.m. PT, with conditions being monitored throughout the night. Any necessary updates will be communicated to families and staff by 5:30 a.m. PT.
Open schools will operate on a modified schedule, resulting in limited outdoor activities.
So far, the fires have claimed at least 16 lives and forced over 100,000 individuals to evacuate, with an additional 87,000 instructed to prepare for potential evacuation. Nearly 40,000 acres have been scorched as of Sunday, as reported by CalFire.
LAUSD Schools Remaining Closed
The following LAUSD schools will be closed on Monday:
- Canyon Charter Elementary School
- Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary School
- Palisades Charter Elementary School
- Marquez Charter Elementary School
- Topanga Charter Elementary School
- Lanai Road Elementary School
- Paul Revere Middle School
The letter reassures families that schools will be reopened when conditions permit.
The Los Angeles Times has reported that students from Palisades Charter Elementary, which sustained major damage during the Palisades Fire, will be relocated to Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet. Similarly, students from Marquez Elementary, also significantly impacted, will attend classes at Nora Sterry Elementary.
