So Isaac named it Rehoboth, saying, 'For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall flourish in the land.'
Vision:
To engage the whole child to think, respond, and live with excellence for the glory of God alone.
Mission:
Rehoboth exists as an extension of the Christian home, partnering with parents as a covenant community to support them in their task of nurturing and educating their children to equip them for all of life.
Purpose:
We believe that it is our purpose to orient students Biblically toward the knowledge of God, the Gospel, humanity, and all of God’s creation, so that they would seek His will, see things as He sees them, and engage with and influence the culture in which they live. We believe that the Christian school must partner with parents and churches to develop the whole child (i.e. their academic, spiritual, moral, personal, and social growth), to inspire them to excel, to exhibit perseverance and resilience, and to make wise choices. Such an education is distinctly Christian in its character, intentions, and outworking.
Strategic Branches #
The strategic plan for Rehoboth is rooted in four key branches that will guide us to realising our vision. These branches represent our commitment to fostering a supportive and collaborative community, empowering our educators, creating an environment conducive to growth, and ensuring that every student us successful in their learning journey. Each branch is integral to our mission of delivering a whole-student, Christ-centred education that prepares students to serve and lead with purpose.
Thriving Learners
Fruitful Staff
Cultivating Community
Space to Flourish
Rooted in Christ #
Behind every idea, perspective, behaviour, practice, or value is a set of assumptions that tell us how things ought to be and help us to interpret the world. This ‘big picture’ view of life is what is called our worldview.
While we may not consciously think about it, everyone holds a worldview. Ultimately, there are only two worldviews – either we are rooted in the absolute truth of God’s Word, or we are rooted in man’s ideas; either we place Christ at the centre, or ourselves. There is no neutral, middle ground (Luke 11:23, John 8:42-47).
At Rehoboth, we express our worldview in the Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration model, which we aim to embed in every unit and lesson. This model presents the big picture story of Scripture and puts all of life and learning into context. ‘Teaching students to think critically about the world around them and how they fit into God’s plan is an important part of education. Having the right perspective on this equips the students to serve God, regardless of future profession’ (Bird 2019).
What Makes Rehoboth Distinct #
We have long held to a set of eight characteristics that we believe make Rehoboth unique. These distinctives explain the basis for our schools and the nature of the education we provide. They are embedded throughout the strategic branches of Flourish28 and are the guardrails that help to keep us on track.
Be Distinct (Learner Profile) #
Our purpose at Rehoboth is to develop distinctly Christian educational programs that orient students Biblically toward the knowledge of God, the Gospel, humanity, and all of God’s creation. It follows that such an education should be shaping students of distinctly Christian character.
Our call to students, therefore, is to be distinct – to develop and deepen their Christian identity and character during their time at Rehoboth. It is a call for student to engage with and take responsibility for their learning, to use the opportunities presented to them to discover the gifts and calling God has placed on their lives, to see Christ as worth of their best, and to take their place as young men and women of outstanding character and citizenship.
Here are the characteristics we seek to develop in our students:
Interaction of Strategic and Operational Plans #
Strategy is one of a number of areas that all need to work in unison in order for Rehoboth to flourish. For our strategy to be effective, the vision, mission, and purpose driving it needs to be embraced by all members of our community.
Aligning Vision with Practice #
Holding true to our vision and mission is crucial because it ensures that every decision and action we take remains deeply rooted in our core purpose of providing a distinctly Christian education. Our vision, mission, and purpose statements lay out the direction for Rehoboth over the next four years, while the four strategic branches frame how we will go on that journey. Faithful participation in living out these principles helps us to maintain our commitment to Christian education and guides us in growing students who are academically proficient, spiritually grounded, and prepared to serve their communities with integrity.
However, if a strategic plan is to be more than simply words on paper, a commitment must be made to honour the vision it describes by being open to change, embracing a spirit of innovation, and working together to find creative ways of delivering on the strategic branches that have been outlined.
Achieving the goals of Flourish28 is therefore not the work of any one leader, teacher, Board member, or interested parent. It is an effort of the whole Rehoboth community, willing to work in unison and under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Some of the initiatives described will require a shift in our culture to implement them. This is not always a comfortable process as it challenges us to examine our assumptions, to ask whether our practices are the best they can be and, where improvements can be made, have the courage to make the necessary changes.
Many of the Flourish28 initiatives, however, build on our existing strengths and distinctives – our worldview and values, Christ-centred curriculum, and Christian community united by its shared love of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
These are the things that we wish to preserve as we seek to align our current culture and practices with our vision for the Rehoboth of 2028. Flourish28 outlines the direction we have set to achieve this, as we seek to continually improve outcomes for students, equip them to engage with and excel in a 21st century world, and to be thoroughly grounded in their faith and prepared for the work God has in store for each of them.
Our creator and our Father, we stand humbly before You with a great and grand task before us: the training of our children to be ones that love You and serve You. As we investigate the essential components of that task, and consider our roles and responsibilities in them, we ask that You would reveal yourself to us in fresh and clear ways through Your Spirit and Your Word. Amen