Praise the Lord! We are excited to share some big news about the future of Oskaloosa Christian School. On September 29, the OC Society voted with 96% approval to move […]
Praise the Lord! We are excited to share some big news about the future of Oskaloosa Christian School.
On September 29, the OC Society voted with 96% approval to move forward with Phase I of Advancing the Mission, a proposed addition and long-range Master Plan designed to support the mission and ministry of Oskaloosa Christian School for years to come.
If you haven’t been following along, you may be wondering: What exactly is Advancing the Mission, and why is OC pursuing this project?
At the heart of Advancing the Mission is the mission God has given Oskaloosa Christian School:
Assisting families in equipping children to be effective disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our current facility has served our school well, and we are incredibly grateful for the many families and donors who have invested in it over the years. As we look at where OC is today and where God is leading us, the time is right to create additional space that strengthens the student experience. An addition will expand opportunities for individualized support, small-group learning, and teacher collaboration helping every student learn, grow, and thrive.
Families have also identified facility needs in areas such as science, art, music, small-group spaces, and Middle School restrooms. In fact, “adequate facilities” was the lowest-rated area on our parent survey, receiving a 3.3 out of 5, below the 4.0 benchmark. Expanding our facilities is also a formal recommendation of our five-year School Improvement Plan developed through our CSI accreditation process.
But this project isn’t simply about adding square footage.
Additional classrooms and specialized spaces will allow us to better serve students academically and spiritually, provide individualized support, and create room for programs that are currently operating in less-than-ideal spaces.
Safety is consistently one of the top reasons families choose OC. Phase I will provide a more secure entrance, improved traffic flow, fire suppression, and a dedicated storm shelter where more than 300 students and staff can safely gather during severe weather.
Additional space will give teachers room to provide individual support to students and collaborate with one another. A dedicated teacher workroom will provide educators with a professional space to plan, prepare, and work together.
These improvements ultimately serve the people who make OC what it is: our students, families, and staff.
Advancing the Mission isn’t about ignoring the investments that have already been made in our current facility. Over the past five years, generous donors have helped us make significant improvements, including:
We are deeply grateful for the generosity that has made these improvements possible! The proposed addition addresses needs that cannot be solved through maintenance and renovation alone.
Phase I is a proposed 10,000-square-foot addition to our existing campus.
The expansion will provide:
The additional classrooms will also allow Art and SALT to move back inside the main building, freeing existing space for an expanded teacher lounge, student support rooms, counseling, and athletic offices. Transitional Kindergarten will also gain a dedicated classroom rather than sharing its current space.
Those needs haven’t been forgotten! Advancing the Mission is a long-range Master Plan with three phases. Phase I focuses on our most immediate needs.
Future phases may address:
The timing of future phases will depend on enrollment growth, financial readiness, and God’s timing and provision.
The goal is not to do everything at once. The goal is to create a thoughtful plan for where OC is headed and take the next step responsibly.
Parking was an important consideration in developing the plan. Phase I adds parking along the east side of the building, and pending city approval, may add additional parking on the west side as well. Once Phase I is complete, overall parking capacity will remain roughly the same as it is today, with opportunities for additional parking as future phases are completed.
Parking and carline traffic will be the areas most affected during construction, and any necessary adjustments will be communicated clearly to families.
The project is currently in the schematic design phase after more than a year of planning and collaboration with our architect, including an assessment of the existing facility and development of the comprehensive Master Plan. Now that we have Society approval, the plans will continue to be refined and developed into detailed construction documents.
The current target is to begin construction in spring 2028, with construction expected to take approximately 9–12 months.
The goal is for OC to remain fully operational on our current campus throughout construction. Based on the current plan, construction would primarily take place during the 2028–29 school year, with minimal classroom disruption.
Phase I is currently estimated at approximately $6 million.
The proposed funding plan includes:
$3.5 million Capital Campaign
$1.75 million in cash gifts and $1.75 million in three-year pledges
Up to $1 million in Donor Loans
Loans of $50,000 or more with formal terms
Up to $1.5 million in Bank Financing
If needed, through longer-term financing
The goal is to fully fund as much of the project as possible through generous giving and pledged commitments, minimizing the amount the school needs to borrow. OC already has $579,000 committed toward this vision, including challenge opportunities designed to match and multiply future gifts. Additional support is anticipated through existing cash on hand, designated tuition funds, and the annual building budget.
The Board and administration have carefully evaluated the operating budget with the goal of keeping tuition manageable. Funds have intentionally been budgeted for building improvements over the past two years, allowing OC to continue increasing tuition at its normal rate rather than adding a separate increase specifically because of this campaign. Families will also continue to have access to funding opportunities such as Iowa ESA, Legacy of Grace STO and SGO tuition assistance.
On September 29, OC Society members voted on whether to approve Phase I of Advancing the Mission and its associated funding plan. We are excited to share that our Society voted 96% in favor of moving forward!
This approval allows the Board to officially launch the capital campaign and continue with the necessary design, planning, fundraising, and preparation for eventual construction. This vote does not mean construction begins tomorrow. There are still many steps ahead, including final design work, fundraising, financing, construction documents, permitting, and ultimately securing construction bids.
The Society’s approval marks the beginning of the next chapter. The coming months will include continued design and planning work as well as the launch of the Advancing the Mission capital campaign. There will be opportunities for families, alumni, grandparents, businesses, and friends of Oskaloosa Christian School to participate through one-time gifts, multi-year pledges, and other giving opportunities.
We are incredibly grateful for those who have already given, prayed, asked questions, attended Town Hall Meetings, participated in the Society vote, and supported OC throughout this process.
At the end of the day, this project isn’t really about a building.
It’s about creating space for students to learn.
It’s about providing teachers with the resources and environment they need to serve well.
It’s about creating safer spaces for our school community.
It’s about preparing OC for the students God will bring through our doors in the years ahead.
And it’s about continuing to fulfill the mission God has entrusted to us:
Assisting families in equipping children to be effective disciples of Jesus Christ.
We are incredibly thankful for God’s faithfulness to Oskaloosa Christian School and excited to see where He leads us next.
We’ve created an Advancing the Mission information booklet with additional details, images, floor plans, project information, frequently asked questions, and more.
