The Academy Of Palm Desert Comm. Presby. Church

We are thrilled with our experience at The Academy of Palm Desert! Our child has developed tremendously since joining, and she absolutely loves her friends and teachers. Over the summer months, the school underwent renovations, equipping all the classrooms with updated equipment, which has made a noticeable difference. The nurturing environment has fostered her growth, both academically and socially. We appreciate how the academy focuses on implementing faith into our kids' education. We couldn't be happier with our decision to choose this academy and look forward to seeing all the positive changes being made, especially those focused on enhancing the curriculum. Thank you for creating such a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow!

This summer there was a lot a change in the school administration and staff. The church stepped in and made sure to hire a well experienced director who is driven to hire the best teachers for the school. Our daughter is going into her 3rd year at the Academy, and she loves her new class. As a current parent with our child in the school, we are very excited for the year and very excited with the new improved rooms and staff. Looking forward to letting the past be the past and move forward with an amazing school.

Our 2 year old is our only child. We started him at the Academy 3 half days just for fun and to socialize him. My son loves the school so much. By the end of the year he was 5 full days. His choice, I actually ask him everyday and unless I have something spectacular planned he wants to go to school. Picking him up is so fun. He sings, dances, tells me about all the fun he has each day. Watching Monday morning chapel is a very special experience. The teachers and staff are so sweet and supportive it really feels like one big family.

I have been connected to this preschool for 6 years, and I can honestly say that it used to be one of the best places for children in the community. It had a warm, welcoming environment, a staff that truly cared, and a director who poured her heart and soul into making sure every child felt safe, loved, and supported. The director had been there for 12 years — she knew every child, every family, and every detail about how the school operated. She was the kind of leader who was professional, approachable, deeply experienced, and truly invested in the children’s well-being. That all changed recently when, without any warning or explanation to parents, the senior pastor, so-called “Head of Staff,” Christopher French, terminated her. This wasn’t just a casual change in management — it was the removal of the very person who built and maintained the heart of this program. And what happened next should tell you everything you need to know: ten staff members resigned immediately after her termination. Ten. These were not just any employees — they were hardworking, skilled teachers and assistants who had worked closely with her for years, many of whom had built strong, trusting bonds with the children and their families. Doesn’t that speak volumes? You don’t lose that many dedicated, experienced people at once unless something is seriously wrong. Since the director and those teachers have left, the school has gone downhill at a shocking pace. The classrooms no longer have the same warmth or consistency. Many of the teachers who replaced the ones who left are unfamiliar with the children’s needs, and the environment has changed from what it once was. There’s been a noticeable decline in the communication with families, the organization of the program, and the overall sense of trust. But what has been even harder to watch than the decline in quality is the way this entire situation has been handled. The leadership here presents themselves as devout “Christian” people — constantly speaking about values, morals, and faith — but their actions show the complete opposite. Instead of handling these changes with honesty, grace, and compassion, they have chosen to lie and twist facts. They talk about love, yet choose to gossip and slander. They talk about community, yet push out the very people who built it. It is beyond heartbreaking to see people who claim to live by Christian values behave in such an untruthful way. This is not how you treat people. This is not how you honor the hard work of those who gave so much of themselves to this school. And it is certainly not the kind of behavior that should be modeled for children. Children are always watching. Parents need to know the truth: this preschool is not the same place it once was. The safety, the heart, and the trust that once defined it are gone. When you remove a director who gave 12 years of her life to the school and you lose ten of your most dedicated staff in the process, it’s not “business as usual” — it’s a devastating loss that directly impacts the children. The Academy wasn’t just a school—it was a family. The Academy won’t ever be the way it used to be. I write this not out of bitterness, but out of deep concern for the children and families who still trust this place with their most precious gift. The leadership here needs to stop hiding behind an image of faith and start living the values they claim to believe. Until then, I cannot in good conscience recommend this preschool to anyone. Ms. Reichel, if you’re reading this, thank you for your 12 years of dedicated care for the children. You have touched my family and so many others by creating a safe, loving, and supportive place. Your hard work and kindness made a real difference, and we are truly grateful for all you’ve done. We will forever miss The Academy and what it once was

The preschool’s beloved director, who dedicated 12 years to building and nurturing the program, was recently terminated by a pastor who has only been with the church for six months. In response, nine teachers resigned in solidarity, a powerful testament to the integrity of her leadership and the dysfunction that followed her removal. Since the pastor’s arrival, he has repeatedly emphasized his title as “head of staff,” using it to assert control rather than build community. It’s worth noting that during the director’s 12-year tenure, the church has cycled through several pastors, none lasting more than two years, raising serious questions about the stability and leadership at the top. The pastor, with no background in early childhood education, seemed more focused on power than on the wellbeing of the school. The church offered the director a $22,000 severance package, but it came with conditions: she would have to state she resigned and remain silent about what had taken place. She declined, choosing integrity over silence. In the aftermath, the preschool was forced to cancel two weeks of its summer program, and the staff that remains is reportedly overwhelmed and disorganized. This is what happens when you try to run a preschool like a corporation, valuing control over connection. You cannot replace years of trust, loyalty, and team culture with quick hires and empty titles. The recent parent meeting was nothing short of embarrassing. The pastor rambled without direction, while concerned parents walked out and teachers publicly resigned. The fallout has made one thing clear: this is no longer the school it once was. What was once a close-knit, family-run preschool has been dismantled by greed and a hunger for power. They’ve now replaced long-standing, trusted educators with former substitute teachers and floaters individuals who, in many cases, were not deemed qualified for lead teaching roles at their previous jobs. Parents deserve transparency, consistency, and leadership they can trust. Unfortunately, none of that seems to remain here. What once felt like a second home for so many children and families has become a cautionary tale of what happens when a school is treated like a business instead of a community. Think twice before enrolling your child here.