Marquez Elementary students return to home campus for 1st time since Palisades Fire gutted school

PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- They spent months on another campus following the Palisades Fire. But on Tuesday -- for the first time -- Marquez Charter Elementary School students returned to their old school.

Marking much progress in the Pacific Palisades, kids and staff arrived to pom poms and cheers Tuesday morning.

It was their first day back at their home campus in more than nine months. The day marked a new beginning and a step in the right direction after a difficult year.

"We're back. We've been waiting for this day since the fires. My son was devastated and crying. And this morning he woke up at 6 in the morning just rushing so we could be here," said Alisa Moadeb, a parent and alum.

Students temporarily took classes at Nora Sterry Elementary School in West Los Angeles this year

MORE: School spirit thrives for Palisades students learning in Brentwood

The buildings of Palisades Charter Elementary School may have been impacted by January's fires, but the spirit of the school lives on.

Mom Brandy Breth got teary eyed while reuniting with a teacher.

"Driving up PCH was definitely emotional because there a highlight of going to school. I didn't realize how much work we did," Breth said.

Back in January, Marquez Elementary suffered extensive damage in the Palisades Fire. The only things that survived were the garden and the playground

"There's a lot of talk about the phoenix rising from the ashes. Marquez's seagulls are back," said Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

Before the fire, Marquez Elementary had 310 students. But after the fire, that number dropped to 127.

"After the extensive soil testing and water testing and air testing that we would bring the community back to the Palisades," Carvalho said.

The kids will now be in temporary portable facilities for the next few years until permanent buildings can be constructed on the campus' hill.

Teacher Alison Bihari actually went to the school and has been teaching for 30 years.

"You just never dreamed what would happen to this area. I just never thought it would be so wiped out," said Bihari, who teaches third grade.

This week, teachers have been unpacking their classrooms and setting up. And overall feedback has been positive.

"The school is the first thing for the community to come back together and there's already a lot of homes being rebuilt as you can see. I'm looking forward to having everybody back," said parent Nicolas Collings.

LAUSD says construction should be completed by 2028.