History
UC Academy was established in 1978 as a ministry of Upland First Church of the Nazarene, operating under the name “Ninth Street Christian School” and later as “Upland Christian Schools.” The school was originally located in Upland, California, and only offered pre-school and elementary grades. A junior high school was added in 1992, and a high school was added in 1994.
In 2008, the Nazarene Church wanted to merge UC Academy with another school to form a large school district. Many in the school community believed that such a merger would cause UC to lose many of the strengths and distinct characteristics that make the school so special. One of those distinctives is keeping the school smaller so faculty and staff can have personal, nurturing relationships with individual students. A smaller school also affords more opportunities for students and parents to participate in the life and leadership of the school. Led by a group of dedicated parents, the school connected with Abundant Living Family Church (ALFC), later renamed Patria Church in 2024. ALFC graciously agreed to host the school on their new 30-acre campus in Rancho Cucamonga, California. With 350 students, the school re-constituted as an independent Christian school and began operating as “Upland Christian Academy” in 2009.
We are grateful for our history and heritage, but we also know that God is positioning us for greater work in the future. It is remarkable to witness how He preserved and planted the school in Rancho Cucamonga, a vibrant and growing community. We are proud of our new home, and we look forward to serving and growing with this wonderful community. In 2018, the school changed its name to “United Christian Academy” (aka “UC Academy” and “UCA”) to better identify with our new community.
