The new school year is here, and many private, parochial, and alternative schools are stepping up their game as they welcome students back, writes Gina Lizzo for Main Line Today. 

Delaware Valley Friends School in Paoli is currently in the midst of a campus expansion project to add classroom space, offices, and updated art studios, among other improvements. 

Downingtown’s Bishop Shanahan High School has added new fine arts electives and an e-sports program that aims to serve as a gateway to STEM. 

Meanwhile, Church Farm School in Exton has a new STEM Flex Center, which offers students additional classes and equipment. 

Devon Preparatory School enhanced its athletics program with a new turf and indoor field house. 

At Malvern Preparatory School, the new Riley Hall is a center for middle school life. 

The Phelps School in Malvern is welcoming high-level athletes from around the world to its successful athletic program, while Villa Maria Academy, also in Malvern, has enhanced its STEM programming with wireless 3D printers. 

Finally, West Chester’s Westtown School recently renovated its Center for the Living Arts, which now boasts a digital music and studio production lab, among many other amenities. 

Read more about what is new at independent schools in Chester County in Main Line Today. 

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