Head of Schools

The mission statement for Catalina Foothills Church Schools (CFCS) states who we are and what our purpose is as a Christian school. CFCS is a covenantal Christian school, existing to glorify God as well as to partner with Christian parents in order to disciple young people in their relationship with Christ and the God of the Word. We purpose to organize our curriculum so that it has a God focus, centered on the story of our Lord, His works, power and majesty along with His people, bringing about a Biblical worldview in the lives of our students. We also purpose to equip our students with the necessary tools that will bring about a love of learning as well as a desire to be a lifelong learner, challenging each student towards excellence in each of the disciplines.

A principle regarding educators that I learned many years ago from Dr. Daniel R. Vander Ark, former President of Christian Schools International (CSI), is that the best teachers in a Christian school know both the Word of God and their students’ world. As Dr. Vander Ark states in his book From Mission to Measurement, “weaving the Word into your students’ lives requires knowing both God’s Word and your students’ worlds intimately. It all starts with teachers and staff wanting to commit to connecting with their students.” That’s the heart of Christian education–teachers and staff making strong connections with students in order to mentor and disciple younger believers in their relationship with Christ.

Finally, I learned this truth from Dr. Vander Ark years ago at a teacher seminar: you want to have teachers in your school who love the Lord, love His children, love teaching and love teaching their subject area. Both Cornerstone Christian Academy and Pusch Ridge Christian Academy have this type of teacher in their schools. I have observed on more than one occasion a teacher go “the extra mile” looking to meet the needs of a student as a means of encouragement. I can’t help but think of God’s word from John 13:35, in which He states, “All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”

God Bless,

Dennis M. O’Reilly
Head of Schools
Catalina Foothills Church Schools

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