Village School History

Founded by a group of parents in 1977, for almost half a century Village School has been home to families who seek community, innovation, and academic challenge in a learning environment that celebrates childhood. 

“A School Exists for Each Child in It” read an early publication from the school then known as Palisades Village and Middle Schools. This was a particularly forward-thinking approach in the late 1970s and demonstrates that, from the start, a commitment to recognizing each student as an individual has been a fundamental principle of Village School.  

The school’s belief that a strong academic program must be complemented by a robust social-emotional component was also innovative for the time. In the decades since, our Village Values have continually informed the student experience.  

Initially a small Palisades school, the student body has grown to represent over 30 zip codes, while maintaining the foundational ethos of a neighborhood school, where each child is known and every family feels connected.

The Palisades Fire on January 7, 2025 was a defining moment in the history of Village. In the aftermath of the loss of the campus, the community came together in extraordinary ways. Raising millions of dollars; housing, feeding, clothing, and supporting those who had lost everything; securing an interim campus and getting children back to school in less than three weeks. Village is committed to our Palisades home and to rebuilding with intention. The campus will be state-of-the-art, guided by our mission, and honoring our history and the remarkable dedication of the Village community. 

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