New School Prepares to Open After Palm Valley Closure

A new school is preparing to open its doors in the Coachella Valley following the closure of Palm Valley School.

Valley Independent Preparatory Academy is getting ready for its first school year, with classes scheduled to begin at the end of August for students from preschool through sixth grade.

The school will operate on the campus of St. Margaret's Church in Palm Desert, but organizers say it will be completely independent and non-religious.

Volunteer Molly Gail Beck said the school is built around values including community, character and integrity.

The academy was created after Palm Valley School closed, prompting families and community members to work together to create a new educational option. Organizers have been preparing the campus, hiring staff and enrolling students ahead of the new school year.

The campus includes a playground and classrooms that are being prepared for students.

Andrew Butler of St. Margaret's Church said sharing the property allows both organizations to better serve local families.

"We want the public to know that this increasingly becomes more and more a center for community," Butler said.

School leaders are continuing to enroll students and collect supplies as they prepare to welcome their first class.

The school year is set to begin at the end of August.