A Brief History
In 1994, a small group of teachers and parents in Gig Harbor began to pray. They were united by a vision to found a school that would provide a quality, Christ-centered education. Though they had no building, students, bank account, supplies, board, or name, they had faith. They worked overtime, relying on the Lord’s guidance, and Lighthouse Christian School opened with 90 students in grades K-8 in the fall of 1994.
Classes in the early years met in classroom space donated by three local churches. From the beginning, the school was marked by loving and creative teachers, strong families, a superb administrator, and a dedicated board. There were many challenges — having to clean out classrooms at the end of each week, communication between three campuses, a shoestring budget — but what the school lacked in resources it more than made up for with its close family feel. Good people were its greatest asset. Parents put their hope in the school and volunteered many hours to help give their children a great education. The school laid the groundwork of its reputation as a safe, quality institution in the community.
Lighthouse took a great step toward unity and permanence when it moved onto its campus. A special couple purchased and eventually donated the 27-acre property on Point Fosdick Drive to the school. A local contractor donated its old office building to serve as administrative and classroom space. Volunteers landscaped a lovely campus of modular classrooms that opened in the fall of 1998. As the school expanded, it never lost sight of its fundamental commitment to honor the Lord. Students carried His light into weekly chapel, academic competitions, sports teams, and field trips.
In 2002, Lighthouse’s leaders took another big step to provide students with the best. A large capital campaign enabled the school to begin construction on its dream building, the state-of-the-art 66,000-square-foot facility that students enjoy today. Though there were moments when it seemed like the school’s leaders may have dreamed too big, the Lord always rewarded their faith by providing help when it was most needed. When the building opened in 2004, long-time teachers had to pinch themselves to be sure they were at the same school! The building’s specialized spaces, from the science laboratory to the performing hall, gave new opportunities to Lighthouse’s students. Soon the school was able to also give back to the surrounding community — which had been so supportive in the early years — by offering space to churches, clubs, and sports teams.
Today, Lighthouse is proud to maintain the vision of its founders by providing a high-quality, Christ-centered education. As it has grown into a modern school with high-tech facilities, its faithful family heart has not changed. It exists to serve as a beacon to shine God’s light in the Gig Harbor and Kitsap Peninsula communities, helping learners to become Godly leaders.