Grace Christian School

What Grace Christian School does

Grace Christian School of Ocala is an independent private Christian school serving students from preschool (K3) through 8th grade at a single campus at 4410 SE 3rd Ave, Ocala, Florida. Founded in 1957 and operating continuously for nearly seven decades, the school delivers a standards-based academic program integrated with Christ-centered spiritual formation, including weekly chapel services held at partner Christ the King Anglican Church. Its curriculum spans preschool, lower school (K-2), elementary (3-5), and middle school (6-8), with the middle school uniquely authorized as a Cambridge International AICE program, enabling advanced internationally credentialed coursework. Beyond academics, the school offers fine arts, athletics, Spanish instruction, STEM/health, physical education, and character/mission programs such as the Big and Little Buddies mentorship and CarePortal community outreach.

The school's operating technology stack is standard for small independent schools: FACTS Family Portal (RenWeb) serves as the student information system and parent digital touchpoint, Boonli handles online lunch ordering, and the website at gcsocala.com supports admissions inquiries alongside Facebook and Instagram channels. The school is led by Head of School Thomas Gerds (appointed 2021) with a small leadership team including an Assistant Head of School, Middle School and Lower School Directors, a Director of Operations, a Director of Advancement, and a Director of Admissions. The teaching faculty comprises roughly 20-30 staff serving across grade levels.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring tuition and fees (the dominant stream, billed annually for K3-8th grade enrollment), donations and fundraising (one-time, monthly recurring, matching, memorial, stock gifts, and bequests managed by the Director of Advancement), and after-school athletics/activities fees. The go-to-market model is a sales-led, six-step admissions process (inquiry, admissions packet, campus tour, online application via RenWeb, classroom visitation, acceptance) directed by the Director of Admissions, with marketing supported by the website, social media, church partnerships, alumni referrals, and community events. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is documented in a downloadable PDF on the Parent Resources page.

Name

Grace Christian School

Legal name

Grace Christian School of Ocala

Website

https://gcsocala.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grace Christian School is an independent private Christian school in Ocala, Florida, founded in 1957, serving students from preschool (K3) through 8th grade with a Cambridge International AICE-accredited middle school program and integrated Christ-centered spiritual formation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Christian School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Christian school programs
• Preschool early childhood education
• Cambridge AICE curriculum
• After-school athletics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocala

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition charged for students in grades K3 through 8th grade. Tuition and fees schedule for 2026-2027 is documented but the specific amounts are in a linked PDF document.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The school receives donations from alumni, parents, and community members through various giving programs including one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, matching gifts, memorial gifts, gifts of stock, and bequests. A Director of Advancement manages fundraising efforts.
3. After-School Athletics and Activities: Revenue from after-school athletic programs and student organizations. Jan Spagnol serves as both Art Teacher and Athletic Director.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grace Christian School provides a Christ-centered private K-8 education serving students from preschool (K3) through 8th grade at its Ocala, Florida campus. Its core offering comprises integrated academic programs (Preschool, Lower School, Elementary School, Middle School) enhanced by the Cambridge International AICE program for advanced middle school coursework, plus fine arts, Spanish, STEM, athletics, and spiritual development programming. Revenue is generated through annual tuition and fees, with supplementary support from donations and fundraising.

Product overview

Grace Christian School offers a unified educational product comprising a comprehensive private school program serving students from preschool (K3) through 8th grade. The core product is structured as grade-level programs (Preschool, Lower School K-2, Elementary School 3-5, and Middle School 6-8) supported by the Cambridge International AICE program for advanced academics. The school provides integrated educational services including fine arts, athletics, Spanish instruction, and spiritual development programs. Weekly chapel services and daily classroom devotions integrate Christ-centered values throughout all offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program (K3 & K4) Preschool program for children ages 3-4 providing a Christ-centered, play-based introduction to school through guided play, creative activities, early literacy and math instruction, and faith foundation-building.
• Lower School (Kindergarten - Grade 2) Lower school program where students take their first formal steps into reading, writing, math, science, and social studies while building character and faith through standards-based Christ-centered instruction.
• Elementary School (Grades 3-5) Elementary school program featuring hands-on projects, small-group work, and lessons connecting academic content to everyday life, with biblical truth integration to develop critical thinking and responsibility.
• Middle School (Grades 6-8) Middle school program preparing students academically, socially, and spiritually for high school through a curriculum building independence, higher-level thinking, and offering access to Cambridge International AICE accelerated coursework for qualified students.
• Cambridge International AICE Program Cambridge International Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program enabling qualified middle schoolers to begin advanced coursework that paves the way for future success in high school, college, and beyond with internationally recognized credentials.
• Spiritual Development Programs Christ-centered spiritual formation offerings including weekly church services at Christ the King Anglican Church, Fruit of the Spirit character education, Big Buddies/Little Buddies cross-age mentorship, and CarePortal community outreach partnership.
• After-School Athletics and Student Organizations After-school athletic programs and student organizations providing physical development, teamwork, leadership, and character-building opportunities outside regular class hours, overseen by the school's Athletic Director.
• Fine Arts Instruction Comprehensive fine arts education including dedicated art classes as part of the balanced curriculum for all students in grades K3 through 8.
• Spanish Language Instruction Spanish language instruction provided to all students as part of the balanced curriculum spanning grades K3 through 8.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christ the King Anglican ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly chapel and church services are held at Christ the King Anglican Church, bringing students closer to God's creation and providing opportunities to read from scriptures, lead in songs, and serve on the altar. While it is an Anglican service, people from other denominations are welcome. This is a foundational partnership for the school's spiritual programming.
• CarePortalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarePortal is a community outreach initiative that helps families in need in Ocala and Marion County. Grace Christian School serves as a designated drop-off and pick-up location for vital resources, demonstrating Christ's love by supporting families in need.
• Cambridge InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationGrace Christian School is a Cambridge International AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) school. This accreditation allows qualified middle school students to begin advanced coursework that prepares them for success in high school, college, and beyond. The AICE program provides internationally recognized credentials.
• FACTS Family Portal (RenWeb)coreTechnology or IntegrationFACTS Family Portal (powered by RenWeb) is the school's student information management system. Parents use this platform to access grades, announcements, calendars, lunch ordering, and other resources. The school uses this system for online applications through their admissions process.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trinity Catholic High School (Ocala): Faith-based Catholic K-12 school directly serving the same Ocala/Marion County market as Grace Christian School; competes head-to-head for tuition-paying families seeking religious private education.
• St. John Lutheran School (Ocala): Faith-based K-8 private school in the Ocala area offering Christian-centered education, directly comparable in scale, faith positioning, and grade-level offering to Grace Christian School.
• Cambridge Christian School (Coral Springs): Florida faith-based K-12 private school that also participates in the Cambridge International AICE program — directly comparable curriculum differentiation and faith-based positioning.
• First Assembly Christian School (Lakeland): Faith-based private K-12 school in Central Florida with Christ-centered curriculum and family-centric admissions model; comparable private-school structure and religious positioning.
• The Master's Academy (Oviedo): Non-denominational Christian K-12 school in Central Florida operating with similar admissions-driven model, tuition revenue, and faith-infused academic approach.
• Foundation Academy (Winter Garden): Faith-based K-12 private school in Central Florida with Christ-centered curriculum, athletics, and family-engaged admissions — closely comparable in mission and offering.
• Berean Christian School (Jacksonville): Florida faith-based K-12 private school with biblical worldview curriculum and college-prep emphasis; comparable academic positioning and tuition-driven model.
• Calvary Christian Academy (Ocala): Local Ocala-area faith-based private school offering grades K-12 with Christian-centered curriculum; directly competes for the same family demographic.

Emerging players

• North Broward Preparatory School: Florida private school with Cambridge AICE curriculum emphasis; comparable international-curriculum differentiation though larger scale than Grace Christian School.

Others

• FACTS (Renweb): Provider of the student information system (FACTS Family Portal / RenWeb) used by Grace Christian School; not a competitor but adjacent enabling platform across many comparable private K-12 schools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gcsocala
• Instagraminstagram.com/gcsocala

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grace Christian School