The Palisades fire damaged a high school. Now students need a place to learn.

A Los Angeles high school damaged in the Palisades fire last week has put out a call seeking a place for staff to hold classes and athletic practices while the community recovers.

That single fire had burned 23,713 acres along California's Pacific Coast and destroyed more than 1,000 buildings as of Monday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. Those structures included about 40% of the schools' facilities, Pamela Magee, principal of Palisades Charter High School, wrote in a letter to the community Saturday.

"As you know, the school is located at the heart of the fire zone, with catastrophic damage on all sides," Magee said in the letter that was posted on the school's Facebook page. "There is no question that, as of this week, we awoke to a completely different and unexpected reality."

The high school serves nearly 3,000 students from communities across more than 110 zip codes, according to the school's website. Since the campus' founding in 1961, it has been featured in Hollywood productions, including "Carrie," "Freaky Friday," and "Teen Wolf." It is the alma mater of celebrities such as will.i.am, Steve Kerr, Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

A school news release about the fires on Sunday said, "The fires have taken a heavy toll on our school community, displacing many of our families and students who have lost their homes and their belongings." It noted the students' "remarkable resilience"," and staff's commitment "to ensuring they continue receiving the education and emotional support they need."

The Sunday callout said the school needs access to "temporary classroom spaces or campuses available for lease or donation," "large indoor and outdoor spaces suitable for hosting students and teachers," and "volunteers to help with moving, setup and coordination."

Los Angeles Unified School District officials, board members at the charter school and an LA council member who represents the area did not immediately respond to inquiries from USA TODAY about the charter's preparations for the remainder of the school year.

California high school Featured in popular films damaged in Palisades Fire

In-person learning key for students

Principal Magee advised the community that it's prohibited to enter the campus due to hazardous conditions.

The start of the semester has been delayed until Jan. 21, Magee said in her letter. The school plans to offer online instruction when classes resume, but she said she hoped it would return to in-person instruction soon.

"It's difficult to predict how long this recovery process will take, and we are doing everything possible to expedite a safe in-person learning experience," Magee wrote in her letter.

Officials said their "primary goal is to keep our community united during this challenging time, enabling students to continue their education alongside their friends, teachers, and peers" in the school release.

In-person learning is critical for social and emotional development and it can help prevent feelings of isolation and anxiety students might feel in the wake of recent trauma, the release said.

Latest photos capture: Aftermath of 'destructive' Palisades Fire in Los Angeles

Contact Kayla Jimenez at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Palisades fire harmed a high school. Principal seeks temporary site.