Phoenix Christian Unified Schools can trace its roots to the fall of 1912, after the Weed family had traveled west from Kansas, settling in what is now Peoria, AZ. At that time the Weeds established a school, called Old Paths Bible School. The school was located near 73rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road. It continued on for many years at that location and under the name of Old Paths. The school continued on, showing slow growth, and in 1947, it was decided that the name should be changed to Old Paths Christian High School. The plan at that time was to build on that location. It soon became apparent that the Peoria campus was not strategically located and that a new location should be explored. A temporary home was selected on the grounds of Capitol Christian Church at 110 N. 16th Ave. On May 2nd, 1949, Old Paths Bible School became Phoenix Christian High School (Building For Life, Harold Buckner).

The following are excerpts taken from Building For Life, a history of Phoenix Christian written by the late Harold Buckner.

 “… The second important presentation by Ezra Weed regarded a piece of property containing approximately ten acres of pastureland located on the south side of Indian School Road between 17th and 18th Avenues within the city of Phoenix. Seventeenth Avenue dead-ended at Fairmount Avenue, and 18th Avenue was a dirt lane running from Fairmount Avenue to Indian School Road. Indian School Road, at this time was a gravel road without curbs. This land could be purchased for $30,000. A motion was made, and it carried unanimously that the property be purchased from Newell Shumway and his wife, Carmen. The $10,000 from the sale of the property on the Old Paths School site was used by Phoenix Christian High School to help purchase the property. 

“Plans were made immediately to build on the land. Chairman Frank Raymond, of the building committee, presented some rough plans and some ideas for a new school campus. … Tentative approval was given to the plans presented by Mr. Raymond, and the Building Committee was authorized to engage Lester Laraway as the architect. In addition, Ralph Eaton was asked by the Board of Directors to construct the school buildings. 

“On May 7, 1951, a group of people witnessed the groundbreaking for the new Phoenix Christian High School buildings located on ten acres on the southeast corner of Indian School Road and 18th Avenue. Throughout the hot summer months, many workmen labored and sacrificed giving of their own time and money as the construction went forward. In the meantime, gifts were given by various individuals to build the school buildings. There were several times when it appeared nearly impossible for the building to be ready by the fall of 1951.  Some of the Board members tell of the days and nights of work trying to get the buildings ready, and at the same time, raise money to purchase equipment. Several prayer meetings were conducted on the lumber piled on the lot. They prayed they would have enough materials so the workers could work on the building the next day. Only eternity will reveal the sacrifices made by these men and women in order that Christian young people could receive a good Christian education.   

 “At the January 16. 1956 Board meeting, Ezra Weed presented the proposal of purchasing the contiguous property on Indian School Road east of the football field. The asking price was $35,000. He noted that the building on the grounds had a lease producing $500 a month, and the payment on the property would be $550 a month, with no down payment. This was referred to as the Daub property. After the property was purchased, it was leased out to several individuals and was known as the Forest Arden Nursery School. In 1988 the buildings were razed and the land cleared.  

“The need for a gymnasium, which could also be used as an auditorium by placing chairs on the floor, was absolutely necessary if the school was to move forward. After much discussion and prayer, J.R. Porter Construction Company was awarded the contract on June 13, 1956. Ground breaking was set for July 26, 1956. “…A bond program had to be instituted to build the gymnasium, and plans to borrow up to $150,000 had to be made….At the end of February [1957] the gymnasium building fund had received $3,000. 

“The Board meeting held on April 16, 1957, was a very critical one for the school. A bond campaign was absolutely necessary if the gymnasium was going to be built. Two-hundred thousand dollars worth of bonds needed to be sold….In 1958, the bond program for the building of the gymnasium was completely sold out. This indicated the confidence the general public had in the school and the directors.

 “The gymnasium was dedicated on December 5, 1957."

“Plans for a new library building were being developed by Harry Youngkin, Architect [summer, 1966]. There was a great need for the new library because the school was growing…. The Board of Directors decided the new library building would be called the McChesney Memorial Library. The Board had adopted the policy many years before that buildings would not be named in honor of an individual. However, they felt it only fitting there should be a memorial building named for William McChesney, an alumnus, who gave his life as a martyr in the cause of Jesus Christ … while serving the Lord in the Belgian Congo. 

“On November 20, 1966, the McChesney Memorial Library was dedicated to the Lord. “October 31, 1972 was a very important day for the school. The Board approved the drawings for the science-music classroom building designed by architect H.C. Youngkin…. plans were made to build in the summer of 1973… Three buildings were associated with this project – the music building, the classroom building, and the science building. Although two of these were under the same roof, and the third one was connected, they were designated as three different buildings totaling 11,000 square feet. …Mr. Andrew Tell, of the Tell Construction Company, came to the administration with an offer to build the whole project for $325,000. This bid reflected the cost of constructing two of the buildings; Mr. Tell would donate the third one. After discussion and prayer by the Board and, after receiving two competitive bids, the Board of Directors agreed that Mr. Tell would be the contractor. His company would commence construction as soon as school was out in the spring of 1973. “In January, 1973, the construction date for the new building was advanced. Consequently, the footings were dug and poured in the same month. The Board and Tell Construction Company were pointing toward an occupation date for the building in September of 1973.

 “Sunday afternoon, October 14, 1973, was a very memorable day for PCHS. On that day the science—music—classroom building was dedicated to the Lord.  

“At the December, 1974 Board meeting, Dean Glasco, an architect and parent of two students at PCHS, offered to donate his time to draw the plans for the extension of the cafeteria. These drawings included the faculty room, the nurse’s office, the student room, and the patio. 

“The work on this building began several months later and, when finished, the cost to the school amounted to approximately $500. Scores of people, including faculty and staff, donated their labor, while others donated equipment and supplies. “[By 1976] With the enrollment consistently running over 440, there was a need for more classrooms. A plan was presented to the Board to take rooms 6 and 7 [now rooms 501 and 503] and cut them down to the exterior walls. This meant removing the ceiling and roof. With this accomplished, two new rooms and offices could then be built behind the old rooms and all four would be linked with a 7-foot wide hall and a single roof…. This building would accommodate the English department including a workroom and supply room [these are now the location of the International Student Office].  

“Also included in this project was a twenty-foot extension of the south end of the McChesney Memorial Library. It ran the width of the building…. the [projects] were dedicated on October [1977]. 

“In April of 1982, the George Richardson family built the dugouts for the baseball field free of charge. The next building project was completed in 1999. In November of that year the two story building was dedicated. About 1997 the school realized that we needed to get our junior high students out of the modular buildings across campus, as well as make better use of our campus space for the high school. Therefore it was decided that we should raze the buildings housing the industrial arts area that also contained three usable classrooms. Several members of the school board were willing to back the financing of the building and it was decided to go ahead with a two-story classroom building that had dedicated space for a computer lab. This new building would have 18 classrooms. The balance of the loan was recently paid off nine years ahead of schedule.  

It has been the vision of our school to add an elementary school to feed our high school. After much negotiation over the last few years, Light and Life Elementary School and Central Christian were merged with Phoenix Christian. The result became a name change, to Phoenix Christian Unified Schools. We are now a PS-12 unified school. The elementary school is across the street from the high school on the grounds of Light and Life Free Methodist Church. This is also a lease arrangement. We have completed negotiations with Skyway Church in Goodyear to develop a K-6 branch campus. The date for beginning operation is set for fall of 2007.