Construction of The Palapa School’s second story is complete. Desks and furniture are all in place and new textbooks are neatly stacked awaiting the students' return. This is the year The Palapa School marks its first class of Seniors. While all is ready, not all will happen as we had hoped.

Due to Covid, the Federal Department of Education (Secretaría de Educación Pública - SEP) has not given approval for schools in Baja California Sur to reopen for in-person learning. While we await guidance from SEP expected mid-month, Director Anna and the Palapa Teachers have developed teaching plans for both online and hybrid (partial at-home and on-campus) learning for the start of the school year. This week, the students will be taking a series of diagnostic tests online to assess their skill levels in math, reading, and writing.

We look forward to introducing you to this year’s extraordinary team of teachers and sharing our students' progress.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” -Malcom X

To learn more about this important project, please click here to be redirected to our article on The Palapa Society's website.

In 2011, long-time Board Member of The Palapa Society, Donna Viglione, introduced The Palapa Society’s first intern, Jayna Schweitzer. Jayna had grown up visiting her grandparents in Todos Santos and had an interest working in education. Jayna became a teacher at the Puente (Bridge to English) program for children, then Assistant to Puente Director Serena Saltzman, and later was promoted to Puente Director when Serena took on a new role. Jayna's role for the past two years was the Executive Director of Programs and Facilities.

Baja Under the Stars  (Denver, CO) - September 17, 2022

Thank you to Barbara Manfrediz of Water Ways Baja and Andy Mical for helping The Palapa Learning Center meet new chlorine level requirements in the filtered water system donated by WaterWays Baja.

Thank you to Baja Connect for developing a cost-effective, short-term plan to upgrade the internet for The Palapa School during this period of virtual learning.

Thank you to Nancy of Tesoro Segunda for donating the use of her bodega to house Palapa Tianguis donations.

Thank you to Anabelle and Palmer Leterich for donating a huge bag of school supplies.

Thank you to Bill and Kathy Nation for donating their house for one month to three Palapa teachers relocating from mainland Mexico. 

Thank you to our community who responded to our requests for donated items for The Palapa School: Brian and Susan Willison, Brian McGuffey and Leif Holland, Diana Weir Chapman, and Terry and Mark Pearson.

Brian & Lynn Kuske

Kathy Warnert

Ken Ford

Kristin Rust

Lee Purser

Liane Collins