PHCS

School History

Pleasant Hill Christian School began in 1982; however, its origins go back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when a little school house was built at the corner of Pleasant Hill and Watertrough Roads. It was known as the Pleasant Hill School. During those public school years, Luther Burbank planted a tree at the corner. The tree still stands today.

Sometime during the late 1950’s or early 1960’s, the public school moved the students to a new campus, leaving vacant the current PHCS facility. Darryl and Margie Hurst were apple ranchers who lived across the street from the school. Darryl and Margie had a vision for a Christian school, so they purchased the little school house. It was used for storage and migrant farm worker housing. A Spanish-speaking church met for a number of years in one of the classrooms. Another Christian school used the facility for a short time.

In the early 1980’s, Janlyn Heath and Mary Jo Kinser, both credentialed teachers, began to talk about how nice it would be to teach together and in a Christian school in the west county. Miss Heath had been teaching in the public school system and Miss Kinser was teaching in a Christian school in Santa Rosa.

Miss Heath spoke to her father who was also pastor at the Occidental Community Church. The vision began to grow stronger. There was dialogue between the church and the Hursts, and soon a lease agreement was arranged. PHCS was born.

There were 16 students that first year in one room of the school house. Another teacher, Mrs. Sherry Dillon, was hired two years later. With each subsequent year, the school grew. The Hursts began to clean out their storage, and, after several years, PHCS occupied the entire building. Darryl and Margie Hurst eventually donated the entire property to Occidental Community Church and the school.

The initial vision for PHCS was to create a school environment that stressed academics along with spiritual principals, providing a strong foundation for each student enrolled. That vision remains the same today. Miss Heath, Miss Kinser and Mrs. Dillon continue to teach here, along with Miss Margie Hansen in Kindergarten and Mrs. Terri Harper in Science. Mrs. Sandi King became the Administrator in May, 2000.

Alumni of Pleasant Hill Christian School remain in contact with the school and often recall how well the school prepared them for their academic careers and life. And the bell up in the old bell tower still calls the children in from the playground. May it continue to peal for many years to come.

“Academics With A Difference” – That’s PHCS!