Forest Grove School Preservation was founded in 2012 and began restoring the one-room school soon after. Cedar Rapids architect Doug Steinmetz served as a consultant for the project.
In 2012, a new concrete block foundation was constructed. In 2014, a new furnace and a cedar shake roof were installed. Wood siding was either replaced or maintained and painted.
Eight replica replacement windows were put in place, and a new front door created by Carver Custom Millworks of Milan, Illinois, was installed. A new chimney, while not functional, was built on the north side with salvaged bricks to enhance the building’s 1920s appearance.
On September 6, 2016, a replica bell tower, made by LeClaire, Iowa, carpenter Ben Taylor, was put in place. The tower contains the school’s original bell.