History

First Coast Christian School was founded in 1981 as a ministry of the formerly known Jacksonville Baptist Temple and was located on Beaver Street in Jacksonville, Fla. In 1985, the school moved, together with the church, to our present location on Blanding Boulevard. The church's name was changed to First Coast Baptist Church and the school was then named First Coast Christian School. In 1990, Dr. Verle Ackerman became the Administrator of the school and served in this capacity until 1997, when Mr. Morry Kemple was called to become the school's current Administrator. Under his leadership, the school has seen remarkable growth and has earned full accreditation through the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. In 2001, the church called Reverend Richard Edwards as Pastor and President of the school.

Mission Statement

The mission of FCCS is to provide a quality, Christ-centered education in a safe, Christian atmosphere, to reach the heart of each student for Jesus Christ, and to prepare our students for the future by promoting spiritual growth and developing a biblical worldview.

Enrollment

First Coast Christian School has a current enrollment of about 570 students:
• Male - 47%, Female - 53%
• Caucasian - 55%, African American - 25%, Hispanic - 11%, Asian - 8%, Other - 1%
• Membership at First Coast Baptist Church: 10%
• International Students: .2%

Faculty

There are 41 faculty members. Twenty-five percent have taught at First Coast Christian School for 10 years or more. The student to faculty ratio is 12:1.

Curriculum

Courses are available for the standard and college preparatory tracks. Advanced math courses begin in seventh grade. Additional advanced and/or honors courses in Bible, math, science and social studies begin in ninth grade. For those who meet the academic requirements, dual enrollment through Florida State College at Jacksonville are offered beginning in eleventh grade. On campus courses are taught from a distinctively Christian perspective, using Christian textbooks where possible. Biblical worldview principles are integrated into every course area.

For a complete list of the courses offered at our school, please click here.

Scholarships and College Readiness

80% of our graduating seniors attend college after graduation. In the last ten years, 54% of our graduating seniors have qualified for Bright Futures Scholarships.

After FCCS

Over the last ten years, our graduates have been accepted at the following colleges and universities:

Bacone College
Baptist Bible College (MO)
Bethune Cookman College
Cedarville University
Clearwater Christian College
Concordia University (Irvine, CA)
Crown College
Edward Waters College
Flagler College
Florida Christian College
Florida A&M University
Florida International University
Florida State College Jacksonville
Florida State University
Gardner-Webb University
Georgetown University
Hyles-Anderson College
Jacksonville University
Liberty University
Marion Military Institute
Mars Hill College
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Milligan College
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Peace College
Pensacola Christian College
St. John’s River Comm. College
Southeastern University
Southern Wesleyan University
Stetson University
Tallahassee Comm. College
Trinity Baptist College
University of Alabama
University of Alabama (Birmingham)
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of Missouri
University of Mobile
University of North Florida
University of South Florida
University of West Florida
Warner University
Word of Life Bible Institute