Our History
In 1990, under the leadership of Pastor Bob Huffaker, GCCS was started as a ministry of Grove City Church of the Nazarene as part of their master plan. The plan, at the time, was to have assisted-living housing, childcare, athletic fields and a school. The school was to have their own separate building. The need to start the school was communicated by several families within the church community. It was always intended to be an outreach of GCCN and remain a part of the church. The goal was to see every student grounded in the Word and able to defend his or her beliefs.
In 1990, the first kindergarten class had 15 students, most of whom were children of church members. The school board and employees of the school were church members or an integral part of the church. It was the mission of the school board to add a grade level every year as the original class progressed. The goal was never large enrollment, but rather good Christian education for students. The school occupied the space now known as the early elementary wing.
Timeline | |
|---|---|
1990 | Grove City Christian School begins with a kindergarten class of 15 students. |
1992 | A separate school building was built behind the existing church buildings. |
1996 | The main school hallway was built connecting the school and church building. |
1999 | The high school wing was added and we celebrated our first homecoming activities during the basketball season. Also at that time, Kathy Frizzell wrote the Alma Mater. |
2002 | GCCS received its charter as a non-public, K-12 school from the Ohio Department of Education. |
2003 | Twenty-seven students became the first high school graduates of GCCS. |
2004 | First international students enrolled in GCCS. |
2006 | Varsity football, football cheerleading and marching band debuted with home games at Franklin Heights HS. |
2007 | Huffaker Sports Complex was dedicated on campus. |
2011 | A satellite school was added to permit partial enrollment of middle school students and support our local homeschool families. |
2013 | First time a child of a GCCS alum was enrolled. |
2014 | Discovery kindergarten program added. |
2015 | Celebrated 25 years of providing Christian education. |
2018 | Became accredited with the Association of Christian Schools, International and Cognia (formerly known as Advanc-Ed/NCA). |
2022 | Building expansion includes band room, four classrooms, and five intervention offices. |