A Message from our Board President, Shannon Wray

A Message from our Board President, Shannon Wray

There comes a point in life when something you’ve been a part of for a long time begins to shift. You stop asking if it matters, and start asking if anything is actually going to be done.

In retrospect, the Fallsvale Schoolhouse has been a vital part of this canyon since 1932, long before Route 38 became the "back way" to Big Bear in 1961. The old stone schoolhouse is the place where a growing community started its own district, Fallsvale, back when communities could establish a school and send their children there to learn. The stone schoolhouse served faithfully until it was condemned and closed in 1979. I went to school there, too.

Unity shows us what a community is capable of, over and over again.

When Redlands Unified School District (RUSD) closed the school and wanted to bus students "down the hill," community leadership stepped up. The people came together to ensure that didn’t happen. They built the classrooms that are still going strong today under the Bear Valley Unified School District; where K-8th still thrives, another testament to dedication. At one point during the fight to keep the school alive, ten property owners put their own homes up as collateral to bond and secure the building project. That’s the kind of commitment this mountain life has always inspired.

Over the years, I have continued working on this project alongside others who cherish the potential of restoring the schoolhouse. We have gathered stories, records, and pieces of history that explain what this place was and why its presence still matters. This hasn't happened by accident; it happened because people care. They care enough to do the work while hoping to keep our history from being lost forever.

At one point on this journey, an architect drew up plans for restoration. A real estate attorney worked through the legal requirements to move forward. There have been many moments of groups coming together to figure this out, dating all the way back to 1981.

We LOVE the school, its dedicated teachers, and its staff.

When the time came to bring our dream before the Redlands Unified School District, the property's owners, I stood before RUSD and made the case to move forward more than once. At one point, environmental abatement was cited as the reason it couldn’t proceed, with RUSD focusing on high costs and a complex implementation process. They made a mountain out of a molehill. Ultimately, RUSD never reached a final decision. There was no clear "yes," and no clear path forward; just a pause that remains today.

Unfortunately, at that time, we weren’t positioned to say, “We have the funding. We're ready. Let’s do it!”

After that effort stalled, I proposed to Mountain C.A.R.E. that they attempt to move it forward. Let me be clear: our beloved local nonprofits truly care and work hard. However, I understand now that a project of this scale requires a focus outside their established missions. Nonprofits are driven by their specific purpose, as they should be.

This is exactly why we’re here today. Our commitment and determination have shifted into a new gear. On January 1st, 2026, we became an official nonprofit organization to dedicate a focused movement toward restoration.

We are already dedicated to this project, and new friends who feel the same way are joining us. This moment is a celebration of gratitude. We are moving forward in the strongest way possible, with an established mission that places restoration center stage. Now, we are focused on necessary stewardship, cultivating a like-minded response, and raising the required funds to move our care from "sentiment" to "capacity."

Holding onto memories without an action plan isn't enough. We choose movement!

Here is where we are, right now: along with four other volunteer Board Directors and two volunteer non-voting advisors, and five board meetings later, we have made the decision to take the next step toward the restoration of the old stone schoolhouse. We aim to revive its regional history, reinforce learning by example, and honor the children we once were while inspiring today’s learners. We want this building to reflect the pride and grit that mountain community life develops.

Everything gathered to this point has been brought to the table. Some of the people who have worked on this for years are still bringing their purpose to the project. And there is room for more; there is room for you! What happens next comes down to whether we can strengthen our position to turn this dream into reality.

Our role now is to multiply our shared strengths, turn our dreams into clear responses, address necessary abatement, and become a "Fallsvale Friend." This is the first phase, and it allows for full participation from everyone. The sooner we accomplish fundraising for Phase One, the sooner we can move to what comes next. If that feels like pressure, it’s not. It is simply where we are.

We can do this!

Even if everything lined up today, this project would take time. We don’t know exactly how long yet, not until we've reached our goal for Phase One. By all accounts, we are moving toward a time of celebration: a monument revived for its 100th Anniversary!

The question isn’t abstract anymore. Will you advance to the next step with us? Will you join us to do what comes next? This is something we can not only care about but take action on.

Let's awaken our dream. We’re asking for a $10-a-month commitment for one year. This isn't intended to carry the entire project, but to get the first step moving, because that is what makes everything else possible. How long will this take to achieve? It all depends on our participation.

Go here to see what you can do.

Restoration means fitting ourselves into the direction of this project. Thank you for reading this. If you haven't already, please make the decision to join us.

"Fallsvale Still Stands!"

Truly,

Shannon Wray President, Fallsvale Historic Schoolhouse Inc.