The Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed or damaged at least a dozen schools, adding to the heartbreak and displacement for families that were already dealing with so much. Most of the campuses that suffered the worst are still closed, but this episode is about one school that burned to the ground and rose back up, earlier, even, than expected. Thanks to the sheer grit of some determined parents, and really the luck of the landscape, Marquez Charter Elementary School in the Pacific Palisades has been able to welcome kids back to campus for the second year in a row. Now, even more families who had been previously displaced are coming back. This is, in the end a feel good story, but it was not easy to get here. There were some tears and some terse words. It was, at times, pretty tense. Kate Cagle gets the backstory from three moms on the post-fire frontlines, and hears from other parents and LA Unified administrators — folks who were not only rebuilding their lives, but also a school. GUESTS: Jodi Lederman, Palisades fire survivor and parent on the Marquez Governing Council Caroline Nick, Palisades fire survivor and former president of Friends of Marquez Cameron Pfizenmaier, Palisades fire survivor and parent on the Marquez Governing Council Dr. Debra Bryant, Executive Director, LA Unified School District
The Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed or damaged at least a dozen schools, adding to the heartbreak and displacement for families that were already dealing with so much. Most of the campuses that suffered the worst are still closed, but this episode is about one school that burned to the ground and rose back up, earlier, even, than expected.
Thanks to the sheer grit of some determined parents, and really the luck of the landscape, Marquez Charter Elementary School in the Pacific Palisades has been able to welcome kids back to campus for the second year in a row. Now, even more families who had been previously displaced are coming back.
This is, in the end a feel good story, but it was not easy to get here. There were some tears and some terse words. It was, at times, pretty tense. Kate Cagle gets the backstory from three moms on the post-fire frontlines, and hears from other parents and LA Unified administrators — folks who were not only rebuilding their lives, but also a school.
GUESTS:
Jodi Lederman, Palisades fire survivor and parent on the Marquez Governing Council
Caroline Nick, Palisades fire survivor and former president of Friends of Marquez
Cameron Pfizenmaier, Palisades fire survivor and parent on the Marquez Governing Council
Dr. Debra Bryant, Executive Director, LA Unified School District