School Profile
Forest Lake Christian School
School Overview
Forest Lake Christian School is an independent, co-educational day school with grades Preschool through
Twelve. FLCS was founded in 1966 and incorporated in 1970 as a non-profit, religious, 501(c)(3) corporation. The school is not sponsored or affiliated with a specific church or denomination. FLCS functions under the leadership of a self-perpetuating Board of Directors. Two scenic campuses of rolling lawns and playing fields in the Sierra Nevada foothills provides a safe and tranquil park-like setting in which students thrive.
Forest Lake Christian School has a balance of academic excellence with Biblical worldview instruction draws students from three counties in the surrounding communities. Many different churches are represented in the student body and Biblical
principles are integrated into every subject area. Daily Bible classes, weekly chapels, and worldview training equip
students to understand and defend the Christian faith.
FLCS is a charter member of the California Association of Christian Schools which became the Western
Association of Christian Schools and is now the Association of Christian Schools International. FLCS was one of
the first schools in Northern California to pursue dual accreditation through ACSI and WASC. The high school
has been accredited by ACSI and WASC since 1985 and kindergarten through eighth grades were included in
the accreditation process in 2017.
Mission Statement: Forest Lake Christian School provides an education based upon the truth of God's word so that students are able to discern right thinking and action from a Biblical worldview and are thereby empowered for a life of enduring commitment to Christ, moral integrity, and intellectual growth.
Vision Statement: The vision of Forest Lake Christian School is to connect people to Christ by educating and empowering
students to reach their God-given potential. To realize this vision, FLCS will be Christ-centered, student-focused,
and able to prepare young scholars through instructional and curricular freedom. This ministry
will be led by a team of humble, relational, and dedicated educators.
School History
For over 55 years, Forest Lake Christian School ("FLCS”) has been known for providing a family atmosphere,
Biblical integration into every subject area, and an excellent education all of which were goals of its founders, Mr.
and Mrs. Schoellerman. FLCS began in 1966 when the Schoellermans decided to homeschool their three
children. They lived in a rural area of Nevada County in northern California that was filled with ranches and
farms, including their family cattle ranch. The Schoellermans were not satisfied with the local public school
education that their children were receiving so they decided to homeschool. Being a credentialed elementary
school teacher, Mrs. Schoellerman was well equipped to take on the role of educating her children at home.
From this humble beginning, the school grew to its current enrollment of approximately 500 students in Preschool
through 12th Grade. Mrs. Schoellerman served as the Director of Education and Mr. Schoellerman was the
Business Manager of the school until their retirement in 2014.
Forest Lake Christian School's rural location among trees, hills, and grassy fields provides a scenic and
wholesome environment in which students thrive. Nevada County is a safe and peaceful location for the two
campuses. Parents have commented that it is like sending their children to a Christian camp every day and
another parent compared coming up the driveway to entering Narnia through the wardrobe. Two scenic
campuses, one for preschool through 5th grade students, and another for middle and high school students are
approximately two miles apart. The school is located between the foothill towns of Auburn and Grass Valley,
approximately 10 miles in either direction on Highway 49. The gated community of Lake of the Pines with
approximately 4,350 residents is located nearby.
Bus service to the Grass Valley, Auburn, and Roseville areas allows families from a wide vicinity to choose FLCS
for the education of their children. The furthest bus stops are in Roseville which is approximately 30 miles from
FLCS. Students who live in the Roseville area travel between 45 minutes to an hour one way either by bus or car
to attend FLCS.
The original school site houses the middle and high school with approximately 300 students on this
campus. Two large buildings, fields, and tennis courts provide the framework for this site. One building is
dedicated mostly to use by the high school and includes ten classrooms, a gymnasium, locker rooms, an office
complex, a library, and a multi-purpose room. The high school also occupies several classrooms in the upper
building which also houses the middle school. This building has a total of twelve classrooms and several offices.
The physical education and athletic programs utilize two athletic fields, a 400-meter track, and tennis courts.
In 1996, FLCS purchased the Combie Bible Church facility which is a two-story building anchored by a large
sanctuary and includes a fellowship hall, offices, and classrooms. In 2006, a complex which includes six
classrooms and a practice gymnasium was built by FLCS at this location. The middle and high school athletic
teams utilize this gymnasium occasionally for practices, and the sanctuary is used for several programs
throughout the year. It is located two miles from the original campus and houses the FLCS preschool through fifth
grade students. Currently there are approximately 200 students located at the Elementary School Campus.
Combie Bible Church recently changed its name to Compass Church and rents a portion of this facility from
FLCS.
Biblical worldview training and character formation are integrated into all aspects of the school's curricular and cocurricular
programs. Students integrate their faith into many aspects of life and are challenged to understand and
express knowledge of their own faith experiences. In addition, teachers in all academic areas are required to
bring Biblical values, moral standards, and faith-based understanding into every part of their instruction. A strong
student leadership program encourages students to be servant-leaders with ethical and moral behaviors based
on Biblical character so that they are examples and mentors to the student body.
The school's extra-curricular program includes athletics, student leadership, community service, and clubs. The
school fields ten varsity teams, with JV teams in some sports. The fine arts program includes a variety of classes
for students including art, drama, multi-media, and photography which allows a variety of areas in which students
may express their creativity and faith.
A positive atmosphere exists among administration, faculty, parents, and students who are unified
in their pursuit of providing an excellent program for students. Forest Lake Christian School remains dedicated to
providing families with a quality academic program centered around the Word of God, intent on molding young
lives mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. The school's philosophy and objectives have remained
consistent, firmly grounded in Biblical principles while the school's vision will provide ongoing direction for the
future.
Notable Clients
Lincoln Brewster, Christian musician
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Forest Lake Christian School was one of only nine recipients from across the nation to be chosen as a 2019 Stan Musial Awards honoree. One of the most inspiring events in sports and is named for baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial. The Musial Award honors the year's greatest moments of sportsmanship as well as athletes who embody class and character. The FLCS Volleyball Team was honored at the awards ceremony in St. Louis on November 23, 2019. The FLCS Girls Volleyball Team was chosen to receive the Stan Musial award because of their generosity to the Paradise Adventist Academy
Volleyball Team in the wake of the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
Benefits
Full-time faculty and administrators receive free tuition for their children who are attending FLCS.