Our daughter has now attended Grace Christian Schools in Lake Forest for 2 years now for Preschool. She loved the teachers so much that she asked to go full time the 2nd year. Now our second daughter is also attending the preschool. She only goes 2 days a week and is so sad on the days she doesn't get to go to school. The staff and parent community are God first and come from different churches in the area. All of the staff we have ever spoken with are friendly, helpful, and always remember our children by name. It is the smaller class sizes and tight nit community that allows GCS to be around for the last 46 years. The school is a hidden gem. Highly recommend. read more

My daughter went to Grace for a year... and boy it was amazing til they drop the ball early this year. School was closing d/t financial problems. Everyone was heartbroken bec of the news. 4 stars for the staff, because they deserve the recognition. They are AMAZING. For the upper management, i have nothing to say. The fact that you kicked our kids in the curbed just like that says a lot. Thank you GCS staff for providing a memorable school year for our daughter, thank you for our teachers and aides, Ms Kim W for the assistance and everyone who kept the school going til the end! its heart breaking but we should all move on, I hope the decision of the management to close the school is worth it. read more

They are closing due to financial reasons. The school was wonderful and the teachers are truly the best. It's unfortunately that the church decided to close the school instead of saving it. read more

My son went to this school a few years back and we had a terrible experience. The school is now in "financial trouble" after swindling our family for a full month of tuition. It is no wonder they have a problem keeping families. They are now asking for handouts to keep their program afloat. I am asking everyone to not fall for their shenanigans. There is no reason a school like this should be kept afloat by hardworking families when the people who run the school are heartless people with no compassion for the families that choose to pay for their children to go to the school. Shame on this school and I hope it closes and the children find better schools that are actually worth their parents' money. read more

Honest review update here and I'm sure poor Vanessa or Kim will be forced to respond. Our son went to Grace for Preschool, TK, (we then moved away and back) the 1st half of 2nd grade (found out our son was dyslexic so pulled him out so he could get extra support), and recently (4th) for an extracurricular activity until someone decided arbitrarily to kick him out and change "school policy." Yes we're upset because they let him participate until someone randomly decided to kick him out even though the program was offered to the community. This was 4 weeks into the program already. Then they don't have the guts to tell us, they make the company running the activity do it. All teachers, aides, and staff- 4 stars Most staff are legit doing their best with what they have to work with. Policies change as the wind blows though. School Board of Directors - negative stars This is actually the church board. The majority of board members dislike the school even though it is financially keeping the church afloat. One told me that he has always voted against adding things to the school. They flat out refuse to pay for proper upkeep. They lock up items as "church only" so the staff can't use things they need. They put up signs on the church doors telling everyone that only "church staff" may use the bathroom in there. They allocate space to "church staff" even though the school needs the space, not the church. The pastor is a part of the board and removed his kids from the school because they were following state laws during Covid. The pastor also refuses to engage students or parents at the school. He has never once greeted kids or parents and hides in his office all day. Facility - 1 star This is not due to staff it's due to the church board. The place needs a new roof and it needed it YEARS ago. It leaks so bad that most every classroom has trash cans to catch water. The poor art room always had wet panels falling down from the ceiling. The main recess bathroom is a trailer that has clogged toilets every day. Having been at the school recently, I can say that the problems continue. Curriculum - 3 stars The curriculum does not provide flexibility for different types of students such as those who are gifted or those with learning differences. It does meet state standards. Parent input- 2 stars The church board eliminated the parent teacher group for a long time. They claimed that no one attended the meetings but really they just don't want the input. They recently added it back and the parents involved are doing their best but anything that needs the church board approval is like talking to a brick wall. Good luck gang. Overall (4+0+1+3+2) / 5 = 2 stars read more

The best thing I can say about this place is that it's small and cheap for private school...but there's a reason. The school's administration is manipulated and bullied by the associated church and its board and pastor - all of which are arrogant, petty, and disinterested in keep the school alive. The buildings are falling apart. Most classes are in portables that have HVAC problems constantly. The good teachers left or leave and so do families looking for a good place to school their children. Kids can't keep consistent peer groups because of all the turnover. Sometimes they have a middle school. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes there's a PTO. Sometimes there's not. Rules and policies change on a whim. The church pastor who is a complete and utter narcissistic A-hole has more sway over the school than is appropriate. One of the board members thinks it's funny to kill the little gophers on campus. Non-handicapped parents use the handicapped spots as parking to just run in to get their kids. The ties to and reputation with the community is dismal. Christian values are preached here but rarely practiced. This place is toxic and petty. Edit: yeah, it's been a couple years since we had our kid attend Grace. And yep, they kicked him out of their after school chess program which was advertised as open to the community after we signed up, paid, and had him attend w his friends for several weeks when suddenly a new policy emerged and he wasn't allowed to continue. So Grace decided to punish my child because....we took our kid to a school to suit his needs? You guys are swell. Keep up the good "Christian" work guys. Way to be Christ to the community. Nothing, absolutely nothing I said is untrue. Petty jerks. read more

My two daughter were with Grace for 3 years and they had a wonderful time there. Teachers are very genuine and concern with the students. It's a family feeling environment and you feel safe dropping off the kids to this school. Teachers, parents and students mostly are respectful with one another. read more

Grace Christian School has been home for my three kids for what is now our 6th year. They have attended both pre school and elementary and I have been extremely happy with it all around. The staff has been amazing and very helpful, the teachers (old and new) have exceeded my expectations (3 kids and 6 years later, we have never had a "bad" teacher) They genuinely LOVE their job and LOVE our children. My kids have excelled at Grace and the academics are above average. The Christian faith at Grace is way more then I could hope for, the way they teach it and tie it into there lessons is so great. Tuesdays they have chapel and Wednesday mornings is "Worship Wednesdays". To hear the kids sing and praise Jesus is so powerful! Last year the school did have some changes but what I can say, is that the school is definitely going in the right direction. Sometimes change is good and I feel with the new principal, teachers, and staff the school is on the right track. I highly recommend Grace Christian Schools for anyone looking for a Christian based education. Your kids will be happy and you as a parent will be rest assured your child is getting what they need. read more

Miss Middletown is the most unprofessional and not even certified teacher. She was so rude and aggressive to my son, who had complained to her about another little boy picking on him. When she didn't do anything about it and we had to get involved, her response to my son was even more aggressive and when my 5 year old would try to play with the little boy or talk to him "she would tell him, stay away from him since your mom has complained about you and this kid playing together" the school didn't do anything to correct the boy who was bullying our son, instead the teacher made allies with the other mom and made me feel horrible as a mom. We ended up taking our son out of this school and would NOT recommend it to anyone for the money that is paid here. Miss Middletown actions were nothing Christian or what should be preached. Miss Middletown's education does not equal to how poorly she acted and handled the situation with a 5 year old! We will forever remember our first time experience when our kid was in preschool. She should also work on being professional and more patient. read more

Love love love this school!!! This is my oldests first year and school and we couldn't have picked a better school, it's truly like joining a family. The teachers and staff are amazing and recognize each and every student. They teach amazing foundations and love for God that our son brings home and shares and it fills my heart with joy. Can't wait for our littlest guy to start next year! read more

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Updating my review as we no longer chose to attend this school at the elementary level. We truly fell in love with the preschool side of Grace. The difference was the preschool has its own director and separate staff. Whatever the preschool does has worked and it thrives. I'm glad my kids were able to experience that. The elementary level was disappointing. The front staff was all over the place. Things seemed disorganized and quite honestly it was frustrating to deal with. The retention rate for elementary was also very low. People don't stay and I always wondered why. From my experience the teachers who were older seemed complacent. Also, teachers leaving and letting go of a Principal during the school year didn't help ease our concerns that things were running smoothly. I think Grace thrives as a preschool but needs much improvement on the elementary side. I wish them the best, but had to make sure I was honest in how I felt about the school in its entirety. Preschool: highly recommend Elementary: unlikely to recommend read more

This is a truly lovely Christian school! My son LOVES it, he went to Mrs. Yancey's Kindergarten class and totally likes it. He comes home and play "school" EVERYDAY! I can tell how the school created a lovely and a safe environment for the students. The faculties here are friendly, each time I encounter with them they are so nice and always has friendly smiles. They have a very big field and playground other than just the black top, my son enjoyed the wonderful playing environment there. The parking lot is HUGE, so you can always find a parking spot - this is a big plus for me. Grace Christian is a ministry of Grace Community Church. The school has a solid foundation of gospel, God's love and conservative point of views that I am really appreciated of. This is exactly the kind of mind sets I want my child to receive. I will do every effort not sending my child to a public school especially in California. Grace Christian School is not a noble Christian school, instead, it is the right place to learn God's love and the truth for any student. They have events like "Heart For Jesus" to promote good Christian characters and the Fruit of the Spirit, they also have interesting musical / drama performance events that has encouraging Christian songs for students to sing, play, learning faith and relying on God. I am very thankful that I chose GCS for my son. Thank God for this wonderful school and thank you all the faculties and teachers for making this school an amazing experience for us! read more

Try another school, this place is no longer true to Christian values. Pulled our kids and sent them to Mission Hills Christian school. There are better choices. read more

Grace Christian Schools - Elementary Schools Near Me - Lake Forest, California

We LOVE Grace Christian Schools! So grateful to have found Grace for my kindergartener. I can tell you I did extensive research of the christian schools in the area before my child started kindergarten and Grace is really by far the best school in the area. When I went in to tour the school with Kim, I felt immediate peace and confirmation that this was the school for us. After having attended here for a year now, I truly feel like this school has become part of our family. All of the teachers and staff are incredible, loving, Christ centered educators who will pour into your child in their most important years. I adore my child's teacher and feel grateful to have her in our lives now. The administration works along side the parents to make the school a safe and fun environment. I think what I love most is that Grace operates with integrity, and it starts at the top and trickles all the way down. This school is a gem. All of the kids love their enrichment classes and we are excited that our daughter is already learning Spanish, stem and computer in kindergarten. My daughter has thrived this year and I know it is because she is in a loving environment every day that cares about her as a person just as much as they care about her education. read more

For the first time in the history of GCS, Grace Community Church, the school board, and the school administrator are all working together, supporting one another and striving toward common goals. This has been accomplished through new leadership, both at the school level and in the church. The principal of GCS, Johanna H., is a gifted leader. She is a woman of integrity who deeply cares about the needs and lives of all the families and children who attend the school. Her passion for the school is reflected in the countless hours she spends pursuing excellence for GCS. She seeks God's guidance in her decision-making. Under her leadership, I am confident that GCS will grow and thrive. The teachers are at GCS are also highly qualified, passionate Christians, who put their hearts and souls into walking alongside parents in an effort to "raise up children in the way of the Lord." The teachers truly care for each child spiritually and academically; they seek to help grow each child to become the young man/woman that God has purposed him/her to be. GCS, being a human institution, is not perfect. However, Christian values are at the bedrock of Grace Christian School and always will be. I encourage those reading this review to visit the school, meet with the principal, visit the classrooms. Lastly, the true testament to GCS is its graduates. If you have, or have had, the privilege of meeting these amazing young men and women, the value of an education at GCS will be very apparent. read more

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Grace is an amazing school, small class sizes, close attention to every child for growth and development. Faith Based. Nice small size school Parents and children are so friendly and families become close.You will make friends here. Great family feel . We have been at Grace for 4 years and have no plans to move. They offer classes that other schools don't, as well as fun theme days which my son loves. I highly recommend this school . read more

Amazing school love my granddaughter teacher mrs Carathers She is caring and passionate about the children The entire staff is great read more

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We have had a wonderful experience at this school. Our daughter attended here for one year in the pre-K program and will now attend public school in Irvine. She loved all of her teachers through-out the day and came home telling many stories, singing lots of songs and teaching our entire family Bible verses. We are confident that she is ready to enter Kindergarten with appropriate social skills, behavior and K level education. Thank you to Mrs Spielman, Mrs Alvarado, Mrs Geisheimer, Ms Clark and all of the staff that have positively impacted our daughter. read more

Sad to say Grace Christian Schools is not graceful. This school sadly has lost there way. My son started with Grace Christian schools as a TK,K,1st,2nd grade. My son loved going to school. Until he enter the 2nd grade. The classroom size grew to 22 children. The Teacher and aide stressed out and the children were/are being yelled out. I request a meeting with the principal, myself, teacher to disgust the issues/concerns I have in the 3rd day of school. However the principal/leader of the school refused to meet. The principal and the school board threw scripture Mathew 18 at me. But this scripture does not apply to the situation. This school thinks the scriptures fix issues/concerns. But when a scripture is being missed used it cannot fix the situation. This is a small school that looses families through out the school year. And or do not return for a new school year. This school fired a principal 3months into a new school year. This school doesn't want to fix or listen to the families. They throw out scriptures out that have to purpose when needing to talk to a principal/leader. This school has zero Christian valves. And for the large amount of tuition this school charges one would think that they would want to support the families. When choosing a school for your child/children please ask a lot of questions. The principal/staff are extremely unprofessional. Especially in the attire. A Christian school should have a dress code for the staff. Beach/bar attire should not be allowed at a Christian school. Flip flops/sandals are not appropriate school attire. There attire fit there attitudes poorly. I removed my son from Grace Christian Schools. And this is thee best decision made. Beware of a school gone bad. I have filed a law suit on Grace for the technology-$100 that my son will not be using Books/materials-$195 that my son will not be using. Enrollment-$370-my son only attended 5 days of school. This school loves there money more Then the Families that attended there school. This is not a Christian school this is a school for polygamist. I have noticed that the staff and principal Joanna H has post comments to flood out the truthful comments that have been posted. The staff and principal Joanna H had there children at Grace Christian School when they had a principal that was in the principal position for 20+ years. Now this school can't find a true leader. I sure the school board and pastor have no clue of the principal and staff are fighting with the parents on social media. These people are truly not teaching/leading the Christian valves. This school will be getting their law suit paper soon. Let see how they handle this in a Christian way. No scripture will save this unchristian school. The is a school good bad. Zero recommendations. Do not waste your time. There are better schools out there. Grace is not the school for your child. Word in the street is they fired the 2nd grade teacher. I hope the school leaded a valuable lesson. But This school is unstable, especially having another Pastor come to this school. This school is a sinking ship. Stay away read more

My daughter attended Grace Christian Schools from second grade through sixth grade and really benefited from the smaller class size. She came from public school where I kept telling her first grade teacher that she had trouble reading and my comments were dismissed. As soon as she started at Grace, at the first parent conference, the teacher noticed her learning differences. Not only are teachers able to individualize learning, but they're doing it with the love of Christ in their hearts. read more

My twins attended Grace Christian for kindergarten and the parents and teachers were so loving. In spite of some minor changes within the school they were able to communicate and direct the parents accordingly. It is a small community school that pours in the love of Christ to each and every child there. My twins excelled in their classrooms and developed at a wonderful pace. The principle always found solutions to any issues that were brought up and paid great attention to detail. She cares about her students and their parents wants and needs. I would recommend Grace Christian. read more

This school is very special. The teachers are incredibly dedicated, loving and nurturing. I love the small family feel, especially for the preschool to lower primary grades. read more

We have been at Grace since 2006! All three of my daughters attended here from preschool through 6th grade (my two older girls) and my youngest is now in 8th grade (since they now go through Jr. High). The teachers at Grace are phenomenal and well prepare the students both academically and emotionally to handle their future academic endeavors-whether they continue to another private school or public school. The smaller class size has benefitted them in learning as well as given them confidence to handle speaking in front of groups or working in a small group setting in high school. My older two girls love going back to Grace to see their former teachers and going to some of their favorite events like the campout at the end of the school year! This is a wonderful school and you would never regret sending your children here! read more

No consideration for their neighbors with disabilities. I am autistic and have noise sensitivity I have called multiple time to speak with their principal about ways they can reduce their noise so im not sent into a meltdown every day. The proncipal will not get back to me it has been over a month of trying. They have no acoustic fencing and the kids start screaming at 7:45 every morning with no break. Ive looked and their playing games outside against the houses before 8am it's ridiculous. There are plenty of ways they could accommodate their neighbors but they wont even talk to me. read more

We have been at Grace since preschool and now my girls are in 8th and 10th grade. My 10th grader is currently in a Christian private High School, taking all Honors classes and is a straight A student. My 8th grader also has been an 'A' student at Grace and next year will also be attending high school with her sister. I was the librarian at Grace for 3 years, so I had a unique perspective as I got to hear the teachers talk and pray for their students regularly. I really got to know the present principal as she was both my daughters 4th grade teacher and she was my prayer partner for a year as well. She is a strong faithful follower of Christ and loves the school with a passion. It's not just a job, she feels it is her calling. I was overjoyed when Johanna Hendries became the principal 3 years ago. Grace school was the closest thing to homeschooling my children. It's small, and everyone knows your child's name. Keep in mind there are no perfect schools but we believe God led us to Grace over 10 years ago and Grace has served our family well! read more

This is great school. Their preschool and elementary is a wonderful program and the classes are nice and small so kids get individual attention. Also they will work with you if you kids are having a hard time with learning. I love this school read more

We had our kids at Grace in 2020, one in preschool and one in elementary. The preschool and elementary schools are run separately and this review is for the Grace preschool. Our shy preschooler really flourished in Mrs. Middleton's class after being in another class which was not a good fit for him. Mrs. Middleton was really wonderful, very personable, attentive and loving. Our kid really started loving to go to school, as he was having fun and also was learning a lot. I appreciate all that Mrs. Middleton has done for him to have a great preschool experience. read more

Both of my kids attended here for two years of preschool. They both had Ms. Ramelow for their first year and Mrs. Middleton for their second year. Our experience with both teachers and the entire staff was incredible! Their love for the kids and their love for Jesus is evident in all their words and actions. Ms. Ramelow is so loving and wonderful and gave my kids an amazing first year of school experience. Mrs. Middleton is an incredible teacher who knows how to meet each child's needs. I know my kids' success in kindergarten is largely in part because of how well she taught them and prepped them in pre-k. After my daughter was done with her class, we moved out of the area, but continued to drive from 40 minutes away so that my son could have a year with Mrs. Middleton before going to kindergarten, and I'm so glad we did! I personally can't speak about the elementary and middle school part of GCS, but I 100% recommend the preschool! read more

My kids love it here. (My oldest is in Kindergarten and my youngest is in Pre-kindergarten). This is what I love about it: 1. Focus on God. Everything from chapel (daily for Preschool, weekly for Elementary), bible studies and arts and crafts which are based on bible stories. 2. Communication. You know what they are doing every hour of every day they are there. The teachers and staff are quick to respond to any concern you may have via email or phone. 3. Small class size. Children are challenged at their level rather than having to wait for other kids to catch up. No bored kids here! 4. PTF (parent teacher fellowship). Since it's a private school, the parents directly affect what happens in the school rather than a bunch of bureaucrats. read more

My son Mark went to Grace for four years through second grade. If you enroll your child into Grace: you will find them very caring, with a pleasent blend of school work; play and biblical teachings. They are simply the best. read more

This school is amazing! My daughter has been to daycare and Montessori before this, but has been our best experience yet. The preschool teachers are so thoughtful and loving and encouraging. My daughter has learned so much about the Bible in a few months and she has a desire to keep learning. She loves singing songs, playing outside, and doing art projects. The office staff has been extremely responsive when I've had questions. The after school program is so fun too! I cannot wait to enroll my son here when he is old enough. read more

Both the Grace Christian Preschool and Elementary School programs will provide your child with a spiritual, nurturing and supportive environment that will allow your child to create a benchmark for their future. Grace offers an excellent academic program as well as many enrichment programs (art, choirs, culinary arts, music, Spanish, STEM, worship team, student leadership, computer, library and more). Between both my boys, I spent 13 consecutive years at Grace Christian Schools, I found the school to be nothing short of AMAZING! My boys went onto high school fully prepared for the academic rigger, social pressures and daily challenges that teenagers face. read more

Grace Christian school is fantastic with its students. The teachers are so good with the children in working on the areas they have difficulty. The kids really get that one on one attention if they need it. My sons classes have also been no more then 18 kids per teacher vs the 32 in public schools. There is also an assistant with each teacher. Grace is also a nut free school. Only nut free school in Orange County. My son is severely allergic to nuts and all staff are very aware and careful that no nuts are allowed on school campus. read more

The teachers at this school are amazing! The new staff bring in vibrant energy and joy each day. I'm so excited we have them to teach our children! read more

My son went to Preschool all year during COVID and was not forced to wear a mask all day. We signed him up for TK with the understanding that he would not have to wear a mask unless he was sick. The school policy even says that on the website. However, the school waited until 3 months after the withdraw deadline to let the parents know for the first time that all children would be forced to mask 8 hours a day. I asked to have a grace period to remove my son but instead was shown the withdraw policy with no compassion or understanding of the fact they enforced a huge policy after the deadline. Now I am stuck with paying a full month of tuition even though I withdrew my son before school even started. I took my son to Heritage across the street as they are much more attentive of childrens' psychological and emotional well-being. This mask mandate is after over 100 families signed a letter asking the school to allow parents to choose, a decision many private schools in the area have made. No wonder 22 families left this school in the Fall of 2021. read more

I have never wanted to post more amazing things then I do about Grace! Getting our son into Grace was the best decision I have made as a mom yet! The teachers and staff aree a step above and our son Logan is so happy. He is stimulated and comes home daily with something new he has learned and an amazing new craft! We recently had the pleasure of experiencing the love and attention they give each student on their birthday and it literally brought tears to my eyes. His teacher Ms. Ramelow and aid Ms. Rivera have been a huge blessing. They are so patient with the kids and make their lives special everyday. The preschool director Julie knows all the kids names and is very responsive! My son has had some struggles with potty training and they have helped him every step of the way. Thank you so much Grace for all you do for my family and many others! We are looking forward for our daughter Charlie to attend when it's her time! read more

This is our second year at Grace and we couldn't be more happy. The staff is great and have such wonderful relationships with the students. It really does feel like a family. read more

My son has been going to Grace for the last 2 years. Absolutely amazing school. Love the teachers and staff. Mrs. Chalmers, Mrs. Long and Mrs. Carruthers just to name a few of the caring and loving teachers who work here. I will be enrolling my daughter as soon as she's old enough. read more

This school was a gem to find. My son did preschool and pre-k here. If we hadn't moved away all my boys would have attendEd here. The teachers are so caring and kind. They truly care about the students and treat them like family. Mrs. Middleton was such a blessing to my son in pre-k. She was invested in helping him through some difficult transition periods and preparing him for Kindergarten. Her communication with us was great and she was straight forward about everything which is awesome. When Covid shut the schools down she came right along us parents and worked hard to see our children succeed. Even hand delivered school supplies, projects and gifts for the kids. I love that she helped my son learn to think for himself, by not doing everything for him, but instead encouraging him in the right way to go. we are so thankful for our time at Grace and would recommend this school to anyone. read more

Very sweet teachers & staff (Mr. Richard is the BEST!) and a wonderfully welcoming environment with Christ-centered curriculum. I cannot say more great things about this school! read more