Local & Community
New Independent School Prepares to Open in Palm Desert
A brand-new school is preparing to open its doors in the Coachella Valley.
Valley Independent Preparatory Academy is getting ready for its first school year in Palm Desert.
The school will share a campus with St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, but school leaders say it will operate independently and is not religious.
The academy's values include community, character and integrity.
The school was created following the closure of Palm Valley School.
Since then, families, volunteers and community members have worked together to prepare the campus, hire staff and enroll students.
The campus includes classrooms, a playground and other spaces that will soon be filled with students.
St. Margaret's rector Andrew Butler says sharing the property will help both organizations serve more local families.
Classes are scheduled to begin at the end of August for students from preschool through sixth grade.
School leaders are still enrolling students and collecting supplies as they prepare for the academy's inaugural school year.
By: NBC Palm Springs
August 10, 2026
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