Schools

Starting in the Fall of 2011, ROCKHARBOR began to seek God in terms of where and how to invest in local schools in our community. As we look at their current state, we find that this is a vast mission field that exists in our own backyards. There are significant challenges our schools face in the way of finances, teachers, academic performance, and overall character development. And there are countless opportunities for the Church to step in, show them Jesus, and help meet practical needs.

The Approach

This is an area where we hope to be invested for the long haul. 10 years down the road, we want to see all of our campuses vibrantly involved with different schools here in Orange County. To that end, this first year has been and will continue to be marked by us finding our way. We have been seeking God and asking Him to lead us. And He has started to bring some great clarity about the ways to approach our local schools. Going forward, here’s the areas we’ll focus our efforts in:

Mentorships -

Mentoring Relationships with Students and/or Faculty

Tutoring -

Tutoring Opportunities for Students in need

Community Projects -

Meeting Tangible needs through Service Projects

Teacher & Parent Care

Teacher Appreciation Events

Why Schools?

- California’s high school dropout rate is 20%. Just a couple years ago, the average income for a person with a high school diploma or GED was $27,000.
- California ranks 40th among all states in the rate of high school students going directly to college.
- Almost 2/3 of our kids under 18 years of age have experimented with drugs and/or alcohol.
- Our state desires all students to receive “Proficient” or “Advanced” results on its STAR exam. Last year, only 50% earned that honor.
- Just over 1/2 of our high school students pass their exit exam [which is a requirement to graduate] on their first try.
- Just over 1/3 of our students were able to meet all 6 standards in the area of physical fitness.
- California’s current teacher shortage is about to get worse as projections call for 32% of the current teacher workforce to retire within the next 10 years. That’s nearly 100,000 teachers. On top of that, enrollment in university and college teacher preparation programs continues to decline.

Find out more

Check back on this page for a list of events that will be happening throughout the year. Or email Schools for more info on this Schools Initiative.