Early Growth: Beyond Buildings

Early Growth: Beyond Buildings

After starting in 1948 it took just one year for the fire marshal to ask Woodcrest Christian to relocate and find a safer, bigger building. In 1949, Matilda moved to Sunnyside Dr. near the Riverside Plaza with all 10 students. They moved into an old abandoned ceramics studio. Within just 4 years, 10 students grew to 161 ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade.

By Spring of 1954, the school quickly outgrew the ceramics shop and needed somewhere bigger to meet. A nearby church offered for the school to gather, and they did for the next two years cheerfully in classrooms. As the trend continued, the students outgrew the church and it was clear they needed a permanent location.

In response, the school board bought the barley field next door, and planned to build on it a permanent location for the students. One of the of the most consistent aspects of the men and woman who have served the school over the years has been their trustful and faithful obedience to the Lord. Board members even took out second mortgages on their homes to help finance the school.

Since during those years most Christian schools were boarding schools, they came up with the name, “Riverside Christian Day School” to intentionally communicate they taught school Monday through Fridays. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that Riverside Christian Day School was changed to Woodcrest Christian Day School to help unify the two campuses.

As stated it is clear that Woodcrest Christian School System exists today because of the sacrifice of the leaders who obeyed God’s call.