Pine Crest School Expands to West Palm

Pine Crest School said on June 2 that it plans to open a third campus in West Palm Beach, extending a South Florida private-school network that now operates in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale. The announcement came in a message from President Dana Markham and Board of Trustees Chair R. Eric Hall posted on the school’s website. Pine Crest said it had studied the Palm Beach County market since 2023 and decided to move ahead after what it described as a landmark philanthropic commitment from the Stephen M. Ross Foundation. The school did not disclose an opening date, grade configuration or site in its initial announcement. ### When did Pine Crest start planning a move into West Palm Beach? Pine Crest said its senior administrative team began analyzing the Palm Beach County education market in 2023 under oversight from the board of trustees. The school said it spent that period building relationships and identifying opportunities that fit its mission before deciding to pursue a West Palm Beach campus. (pinecrest.edu) June 2 was the date Pine Crest publicly confirmed the plan in a letter to families and alumni. In that message, Markham and Hall said the expansion would be the school’s third campus and described it as part of the school’s long-term strategic priorities. ### What exactly did the school say about the expansion? West Palm Beach was identified by Pine Crest as a target because of the city’s growth and the arrival of corporations, financial-services firms and Vanderbilt University, which the school said had brought more families seeking high-quality education. (pinecrest.edu) Pine Crest said the new campus would broaden the school’s reach while also supporting its existing campuses through investment in academic programs, facilities, faculty recruitment and retention, and financial sustainability. Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale remain Pine Crest’s current operating campuses. The school’s admissions pages say the Boca Raton campus serves pre-kindergarten through grade eight, while the Fort Lauderdale campus serves pre-kindergarten through grade 12. For the 2026-27 school year, tuition ranges from $39,010 for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten to $49,670 for grades nine through 12, according to Pine Crest’s website. (pinecrest.edu) ### Who is financing the push? The Stephen M. Ross Foundation was the only funder named in Pine Crest’s announcement. The school said a philanthropic commitment from the foundation helped “accelerate and strengthen” the West Palm Beach plan, but it did not disclose the amount. Stephen Ross has been investing heavily in West Palm Beach through Related Ross, the development firm he leads. (pinecrest.edu) The Related Ross Foundation says its philanthropy in the city includes support for projects tied to education, healthcare and community development, including scholarships at Palm Beach State College and backing for Vanderbilt University’s planned downtown West Palm campus. (pinecrest.edu) ### Is there a site tied to the school yet? A 55-acre city-owned parcel in West Palm Beach has been part of a separate public process involving Related Ross. On April 1, 2025, the West Palm Beach City Commission voted unanimously to declare the land surplus and authorize negotiations over a possible sale to Related Southeast, also known as Related Ross, for $6.6 million, according to The Real Deal. The site is south of Roebuck Road and east of Florida’s Turnpike, and the term sheet gave Related Ross six months for due diligence on a private school and possible workforce housing for faculty and staff. (relatedross.com) Pine Crest did not identify that parcel as its campus site in the June 2 announcement. The school said only that details on location, grade levels, admissions, staffing and opening timelines were still being finalized. ### What questions has the project already raised in West Palm Beach? West Palm Beach residents opposed to the land negotiations mounted a texting campaign in April 2025 criticizing the proposed sale process, according to WLRN and Stet News. (therealdeal.com) That report said the messages described the deal as rushed and lacking transparency, though the campaign did not stop the proposal from moving forward. (pinecrest.edu) Mayor Keith A. James said at the 2025 commission meeting that any proceeds from the land sale would go to Roosevelt Elementary School, a public school in West Palm Beach. James called the vote “the first step in a process,” underscoring that additional approvals would still be required before any final transaction or rezoning. (wlrn.org) Pine Crest said the next updates will come on its “Growing Together” webpage in the months ahead, when it plans to release details on the campus location, admissions, staffing and opening timeline. (pinecrest.edu) (therealdeal.com)