One of the first rural school in Sacramento County, the Sylvan School wasn’t the first school in the area known as Citrus Heights. That distinction belongs to a private school on the Cross Farm. At that time in history, it was necessary for settlers to support a private school before becoming eligible for public funding.

Spurred by the conviction of W. A. Thomas, that the area known as Citrus Heights was home to enough children to justify a school District, Thomas donated 5 acres of land to be used for the school. Once completed, the Sylvan School became the educational, religious, civic, and social center of the community; holding parties, box socials and church services in addition to daily classes for students. In the first class, taught by Mr. Alfred Spooner, there were 40 pupils in attendance. An imaginary line ran from north to south through the school property and the girls stayed on one side of the imaginary line and the boys on the other.

The school originally had white clapboard siding with green trim and shutters. In 1926, the school was replaced with a new, larger facility and the original building was relocated to its current location and donated to the community in 1927.