State of the Art, Multi-Million Dollar School Building Unveiled in Rancho Mirage

The following was submitted for publication on behalf of Palm Valley School:

Palm Valley School formally dedicated its new Upper School building in Rancho Mirage on Wednesday. Dignitaries at the event included Rancho Mirage Mayor Iris Smotrich, City Council Member Ted Weill, Head of School Robert E. Graves, and Palm Valley’s Board of Trustees Chair Gail Kocen. The entire school of 400 students, faculty, parents, and supporters gathered outside the new building to commemorate the occasion.

The new building is a 12,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that includes 7 new classrooms with teaching walls that incorporate the latest in interactive technology, a college counseling suite, a student lounge, and a central courtyard. The school’s signature Harkness tables are in 4 of the 7 rooms, allowing students and teachers to engage in active, discussion-based learning and teaching around a large oval table in the style of Phillips Exeter Academy.

The building incorporates high speed broadband internet access to support the Upper School’s one-to-one iPad program. Built at a cost of $3.6 million, the building will transform ideas on teaching and learning in the Coachella Valley.

“We are proud of our Upper School students, who are among the top students in the country each year. Our 9th through 12th graders now have a space of their own on campus - and they are already making the most of it,” comments Palm Valley’s Head of School Mr. Robert E. Graves. “We would like to thank all of the donors who made this building possible, our teachers for their dedication and their creative energy, and Palm Valley’s families for making the school such a unique environment for growth and learning.”