Each school day begins with meditation in the chapel: all of the students pray the Rosary under the direction of, and with, their teachers. This daily devotion helps to develop one's spiritual life as well as the practice of professing one's faith in public. In addition, visiting priests periodically offer the Sacrament of Confession and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on holy days of obligation and other special events.

Above: Saint Anne's Chapel at Our Lady of the Desert School

Below: Father Rice, a former chaplain at the Marine base in Twenty-nine Palms and frequent visitor of our chapel, pictured assisting Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.

     The majority of our daily schedule is occupied with rigorous academic work in a broad range of subjects:

• Theology is also known as the Queen of Sciences. It is the most important class since its object is God. Every other subject derives its purpose from this discipline; for the Author of life is also the Author of all knowledge which is why theology is superior to, and integrates, all of the other subjects. 

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• Reading is taught using phonics - a system that has been objectively demonstrated to be very effective. This is in stark contrast to the subjective methods such as "look-say" which have proven to be a dismal failure throughout the country.

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• Writing is emphasized in terms of penmanship and content. We teach our students cursive handwriting at an early age with constant practice from copy-book form. As the students progress, they write book reports and research papers.

• English classes focus on grammar and the reading of morally-uplifting literature. The former is exhaustively taught and includes diagramming. The latter includes appropriate classical and contemporary works, and always incorporates the Faith through the lives of the saints.

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• Mathematics is taught in the traditional manner (as opposed to the "New Math" method which emphasizes subjective processes over results). We begin with numbers and their basic operations, rote memorization of times tables, and advance through pre-algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, and geometry.

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• History classes are closely related to theology since all history is nothing more or less than salvation history: the study of Divine Providence, that is, the unfolding of God's interaction with His creation throughout time; thus, students become keenly aware of God's hand in and through His Church as they study American history, world history, and Ecclesiastical history.

• Science classes emphasize the intersection and complementarity of the natural and supernatural spheres. Students are clearly taught the distinctions between hypotheses, theories, and facts. Field trips are included for hands-on experiences. Most importantly we help the students appreciate that God is the Creator of all things and science is man's attempt to better understand the work of the Almighty based on reason.

• Academic Competition: Our Lady of the Desert School regularly encourages competition for academic excellence. Our students have received awards from independent agencies for their outstanding participation in some the following contests: Spelling Bee, National Geographic Geography Bee, Rotary Speech Competition, American Legion Essay and Poster Contests, and RIMS Inland Science and Engineering Fair.

     Students must thoroughly apply themselves in order to meet our challenging academic load. Homework is an integral part of the program and must be completed regularly. The junior high and high school students should expect to complete one to two hours of homework every night. Test preparation may require more. In accordance with our balanced schedule, we do our best to minimize weekend homework so that families may spend more time together.

     A mind is made sharper by a healthy body; therefore, every student is required to participate in a period of physical education every day.

     The elementary school enjoys a plethora of swings, slides, and climbing bars during their physically active "free play" time.

     Teachers supervise the junior high and high school during the following activities:

• Volleyball
• Tennis
• Soccer
• Football
• Basketball
• Softball

     At Our Lady of the Desert School we seek to use all of our time wisely since it is our responsibility to be good stewards of everything that God has given us in this world. Consequently, our leisure time is not considered a waste of time, but used to build friendships and to relax; all of which seems to ease the academic load. This is why we have regularly scheduled field trips and ample time for socializing.

     Our Lady of the Desert School realizes that if a man were to understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all faith, but lack charity, then he would gain absolutely nothing (1 Cor 13:2-3). We encourage and provide opportunities for our students to "work out their salvation" (Phil 2:12) by performing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. For examples, see the following:

• Our school sponsors two handicap orphans in India through the Help the Helpless organization.
• We participate in a mission project by donating miraculous medals and handmade rosaries to Father Henry Bukoba in Tanzania, Africa.
• Students regulary assist local needy families via donations of food, clothes, and prayers.

     For information about the history of Our Lady of the Desert School, tuition, financial aid, dress code, discipline, and school hours, please click here or the "About Us" tab above.