School to Get State-of-the-Art Make Over

The operators of the Marywood-Palm Valley School announced Wednesday plans to build a state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly high school on its Rancho Mirage campus.

Construction is underway, officials said. They expected the school to be completed by the spring of 2014.

Officials said the new learning center will be more than 14,000 square feet and will house seven classrooms with cutting edge technology as well as a college counseling office, an Upper School office, and a student lounge/study area.

According to school officials:

The new Upper School has been designed to be in architectural harmony with the existing facilities, but it will add modern, contemporary colors and desert tones which will make it distinctive on the 37 acre MWPV campus.  Reducing the carbon footprint and including ‘green’ features impacted the overall construction plan. The new Upper School will feature high-efficiency air conditioning and smart thermostats. It will have low-emissivity windows and enhanced building insulation. The new MWPV Upper School will be completely solar-ready.

State-of-the-art technology will be highlighted throughout the facility.  The building will support the latest wireless network technology. SMART boards with projection capabilities will be installed in each classroom. The SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input just like tablets, smart phones, and normal PC input devices. SMART software is included with the SMART Board and it allows users to compile notes, images, and other media into virtual notebooks, which can be projected and edited using the SMART Board itself.

“A tremendous amount of planning and vision have gone into bringing the new Upper School to fruition,” said Robert E. Graves, the head of the school.  “The Marywood-Palm Valley family is thrilled to make this announcement. We strive to be the leader in education in the Coachella Valley, and a big part of that means having top notch facilities and a learning environment that  give our students every opportunity.” 

Established in 1952, 100% of Marywood-Palm Valley School graduates qualify for four-year colleges.

“The generosity of Kevin and Joan Knee, Daryl and Renée Katz, and the Jabara family has provided an outstanding start for the Campaign for Tomorrow,” said Cherise Sonderman, Campaign Co-Chair. “We are well on our way to reaching our goal of $3.5 million with the $2 million already committed to school construction. We are extremely proud to have the Knee, Katz, and Jabara families serve as Honorary Chairpersons on the Capital Campaign committee."

School staffers said they planned to conduct focus group research on the current high school students to generate ideas for interior elements to be included in the student lounge/study area.

"We want to give them input as to how their space will look and feel," said Graves.

“This new school will be extremely energy efficient and esthetically appealing,” offers Alfred Cook, architect of the new building. “Extensive planning has gone into making it environmentally friendly. The contemporary modern look of the building will enhance the campus as well as blend in with an emphasis on desert style.”

The existing Middle School facility will also be renovated to include new carpeting and fresh paint, a build out of a dedicated conference room and an enlarged admissions area for visiting families.

Future planned construction phases approved for the school's master site plan include a track, tennis courts, and a performing arts center, according to school officials.

To fund the renovation, administrators have kicked off a Campaign for Tomorrow, the financial vehicle seeking to raise $3.5 million to fund the new Upper School, has raised over $2 million to date.

Marywood-Palm Valley School is described as the only independent private school in the Coachella Valley, serving preschool through high school. The school is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California Association of Independent Schools, and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the California Scholarship Federation, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors and the College Board, officials said.

It currently serves children from preschool to high school.