History & Mission
The Xavier Story
Back in 1999 a committed grass-roots group of parents organized to bring a private Christian high school to the Coachella Valley. This was our version of school choice - the only avenue to offer great education to all high school students in our Coachella Valley.
Xavier formally incorporated, filed for its own 501(c)3 status and obtained 96 acres of undeveloped land granted by the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation in 2004. With entitlements on the land, architectural plans complete and a little money in the bank (with promises of more on the way), construction began. Many people who reside in this Valley and those who are snow-birds of this valley supported our efforts and jumped in early to keep the Board motivated and the project financially supported.
Xavier has been blessed, (beginning with only a freshman class of 48 in 2006), to educate and graduate over 1500 students, with another 585 enrolled to date. Over 54% of the students are on need-based aid; an annual amount of $2M. Outside of school vouchers, which is an uphill battle in the state of California, the funds awarded our at-risk students and families, are uncollected tuition funds. These funds are only procured through donations to the school. With this financial commitment from the Board, the student body mirrors the demographics of our Coachella Valley. Xavier educates an amazing 41% first generation students primarily of migrant farmworkers and those from very impoverished socio-economic backgrounds.
Xavier boasts a 98% college going rate. Xavier believes affording students the opportunity to receive great secondary education is the best way to best prepare and support efforts for students to go forth from Xavier and "set the world on fire."
Xavier 's mission is to grow students to their greatest potential in order for them to find their best next step after they graduate. Our Valley suffers with a failing rate of college going students from our local public schools. Only 79 % graduate from our local public high schools and only 38% of those students graduate with the minimum course requirements to apply to a Cal State or UC System school (A-G Requirements). This is the main reason why Xavier was built: every child deserves the opportunity to attend a school which prepares them for their best next step in life.
Xavier currently has two buildings, a classroom building and a large athletic center which doubles as our chapel, auditorium, performance hall, meeting space, banquet room, etc. We have been blessed to have multiple donors who show up to assist Xavier to continue to build. Of note and most recently, Xavier was able to build 6 state-of-the-art tennis courts, which will enable Xavier to host home meets on campus. This has changed the tennis program dramatically and now boasts over 70 athletes to compete in our men's and women’s tennis teams, and we just completed the installation of a NCAA sanctioned 8 lane Track, when funding is available, it will house our competition Football and Soccer Stadium. This is very exciting!
Xavier continues to develop and grow actors, engineers, dancers, athletes, singers, doctors, musicians, mothers and fathers and many others fulfilling their ambitions. Xavier provides endless opportunities for our great students.
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Xavier Mission Statement
Xavier College Preparatory is a Roman Catholic high school that actively seeks, educates, and nurtures young men and women from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds in the Coachella Valley. In the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, Jesuit education is committed to the development of the whole person through a challenging educational experience, spiritual and religious formation, and co-curricular involvement. Supporting the role of parents as primary educators, our entire school program is dedicated to developing conscientious leaders and agents of change who are intellectually competent, open to growth, committed to justice, religious and compassionate in service to others for the greater glory of God.