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Now viewing articles in the category Head of School.
2023-2024 Year-End Briefing
June 21st, 2024
As our ninth academic year comes to a close, we've compiled our annual progress into a 2023-2024 Year-End Briefing. As in years past, this briefing outlines the diligent work of our incredible faculty, staff, and student body toward the fulfillment of our strategic plan—Pacifica 2025.Fighting Unbelief, Far As the Curse Is Found, for the Sake of Our Kids
March 26th, 2024
If you are like me, sometimes the burdens of loving my kids through adolescence to adulthood seem too great—and on our own they are. Hear once more Christ’s words to us, His beloved, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Posted in: Head of SchoolThankfulness: A foundation for thinking and living well
November 17th, 2023
Every Thanksgiving, before we gave thanks and broke bread, my father would read to us George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation. As a child, I may have dismissed it with a roll of the eyes, but now, as a father myself, I realize the enduring relevance of Washington's words. As I prepare to read the proclamation to my family this year, I am aware that its invitation into gratitude resonates powerfully with me.
Posted in: Head of SchoolMr. O'Neil Speaks on the Love, Fortitude, and Forgiveness Experienced in his Family
August 28th, 2023
On Friday, August 28, 2023, over 800 people gathered for Pacifica's 9th Annual Dedication Service, the first official event of the 2023-2024 school year. During the service, our speakers shared advice and wisdom for finding joy during this incredible high school season. Then yesterday, we welcomed our largest class of students back to campus for the first day of school.
Watch Mr. O'Neil, Head of School, share a personal story of love, fortitude, and forgiveness that transformed his family:
Join us for Pacifica's 9th Annual Dedication Service on Friday, August 25
August 23rd, 2023
Pacifica invites you to join us on Friday, August 25 as we gather for Pacifica's 9th Annual Dedication Service at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach.
Pacifica Receives Historic Approval
August 21st, 2023
Last week, after two years of work, we were given permission by the City of Newport Beach and the Planning Commission to increase our enrollment cap from 305 students to 385 students.
Introducing Pacifica's Brand-New Website
July 26th, 2023
We are thrilled to announce that our brand-new website is now LIVE! With exciting new features such as a Virtual Campus Tour, an outward-facing Calendar, statistically driven Fast Facts, and detailed information about our Curriculum, the goal of this site is two-fold...
Pacifica Releases 2022-2023 Year-End Briefing
June 24th, 2023
As our eighth academic year comes to a close, it is my honor, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to share with you our 2022-2023 Year-End Briefing. As in years past...
Posted in: Academics, Admissions, Advancement, Alumni, Arts, Athletics, College Counseling, Head of School, News, Student LifePacifica Hires New Marketing & Communications Strategist
June 21st, 2023
With the continued growth of Pacifica’s student body, we are thrilled to share that we have hired an additional staff member for the 2023-2024 school year! Ms. Kellie Chou...
Pacifica Hires New History & Theology Faculty
June 6th, 2023
With the continued growth of Pacifica's student body, we are thrilled to share that we have hired an additional faculty member for the 2023-2024 school year! Mr. Justin Solis...
Pacifica Hires New English Faculty
March 20th, 2023
By God’s grace, Pacifica is growing. In addition to adding more classes, Academic Teams, and other exciting aspects to our program, this fall we will have the biggest freshman class in Pacifica's history. We are deeply grateful for God’s goodness to us, and look forward with great anti...
Congratulations to our 2023 Declamations Semi-Finalists!
February 14th, 2023
Dear Students,I am proud of you. It’s been my great joy to walk around campus the last few weeks to see and hear students at all grade levels declaiming great speeches, poems, and snippets of drama in their English classes. I know that for most of you this experience has been difficult, but I am d...
Annual Declamations Contest to Take Place on Friday, March 3
February 8th, 2023
The entire Pacifica community is invited to attend the finals of our second annual TGC Declamations Contest. This inspiring evening of oration will showcase the talents of Pacifica’s students as they declaim masterfully crafted works—both new and familiar—from The Great Conversation.Having p...
Introducing "Pacifica 2025: The Hope Set Before Us"—A Strategic Vision for Pacifica
October 5th, 2022
Dear Pacifica Community, On behalf of Pacifica Christian High School, it is our pleasure to introduce Pacifica 2025:The Hope Set Before Us—a strategic vision for Pacifica. We believe thoughtful planning, prudent execution, and intentional resource development are critical to any non-p...
Pacifica releases 2021-2022 Year-End Briefing
July 23rd, 2022
Dear Pacifica Community, As our seventh academic year comes to a close, it is my honor, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, to share with you our 2021-2022 Year-End Briefing. As in years past, this briefing outlines the diligent work of our incredible faculty, staff, and student body towards the ...
Save the Date for Bloom - May 14, 2022!
March 15th, 2022
Join our celebration where hope abounds... Celebration is vital to thinking and living well. When we celebrate, we recognize the good work of others, the God-given talents of a community, the generosity of the human spirit, and the abundant life of the Christian faith. We believe it is ...
Pacifica Christian Opens New Center for Learning
February 8th, 2022
Learning and community are now underway in The Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Center for Learning. Opening festivities began with a Celebration Chapel on gratitude, Triton's Trumpet, bagpipes, and the joy of our students experiencing this new beautiful building for the first time. Our community is ...
TGC Event - Declamations Contest
January 12th, 2022
Friday, February 4, 2022The entire Pacifica community is invited to attend the finals of our inaugural TGC Declamations Contest. This inspiring evening of oration will showcase the talents of Pacifica's students as they declaim masterfully crafted works—both new and familiar—from The Great...
Pacifica exceeds goal with Founders' Challenge Matching Gift
January 6th, 2022
With tremendous gratitude, we are thrilled to announce that we not only met, but exceeded the Founders’ Challenge Matching Gift! Together, we raised a matching total of $764,318.30. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our community to strengthen Pacifica’s mission and the part...
Pacifica launches the Founders' Challenge
December 1st, 2021
We are thrilled to announce an opportunity to raise $700,000 for our beloved Pacifica!Not too long ago, Pacifica Christian High School did not exist; it’s hard to remember when this critical resource was not available to our community. In 2015, our founders, with faith and thoughtful strategy, bro...Save the Date for Bloom - May 22, 2021!
March 18th, 2021
Bloom... where celebration and creativity meet! Celebration is vital to thinking and living well. When we celebrate, we recognize the good work of others, the God-given talents of a community, the generosity of the human spirit, and the abundant life of the Christian faith. We believe i...Pacifica Publicly Launches Building A Home Campaign
March 8th, 2021
Purpose, direction, goodness, and belonging. In the midst of our culture’s confusion, teenagers yearn for things that help them flourish—things beyond themselves. By providing our students with a superior academic experience steeped in faith and community, Pacifica Christian High School exists t...
Pacifica Christian Plans for the Future
February 26th, 2021
Pacifica Christian High School's mission is to teach students to think and live well. At the heart of that mission is a deeply-held desire to help young people flourish in school and for all of life. Over the past five and a half years, we have built a strong foundation in support of this missi...
Good News from 2020
January 26th, 2021
Dear Friend, 2020 was a year like no other! It challenged our way of thinking, operating, and relating to each other. Despite these challenges, Pacifica has remained steadfast in our mission to help teenagers flourish academically, spiritually, and socially. To that end, in September...
Practicing Thanksgiving: An Act of War
November 25th, 2020
“There is nothing new under the sun,” writes the author of Ecclesiastes. I find great peace within this timeless truth, especially during this particular season of our lives. We are experiencing nothing today that the men and women who came before us have not already lived through. Pandemics, re...
Posted in: Head of SchoolTime is Precious!
October 9th, 2020
Shortly after my first daughter was born, a dear friend told me I had only until about age twelve to pour into her spiritual and moral formation and shape her fundamental understanding of how our world works. After two decades of working with teenagers, I can confirm he was right. Twelve birthdays. ...
Posted in: Advancement, Head of SchoolHigh School: The Formative Years
August 28th, 2019
Originally posted August 28, 2019 Be Present. Stay Committed. Give Everything You Have! by David O’Neil, Head of School Welcome back, Tritons! We missed you. Welcome Alumni! It is so good to see you again! And a special welcome home to the newest Class of the Triton Communit...Posted in: Events, Head of SchoolWASC Visiting Committee Gives Pacifica High Praise
March 27th, 2019
Dear Friends, For the past four days, Pacific hosted an accrediting committee from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). I am delighted to announce the visit was tremendously successful. The committee spent considerable time in our classrooms and speaking with our students, teache...
Posted in: Academics, Head of SchoolGoogle’s Surprise Endorsement of Pacifica!
January 31st, 2018
At Pacifica, we educate young people for all of life! A broad education (one that includes the robust study of BOTH the humanities and the sciences) providing a foundation for flourishing in college, life, work, and faith. Parents, as well as students, deeply resonate with our commitment to the d...Posted in: Academics, Head of SchoolWASC Accrediting Committee Visits Pacifica
April 15th, 2016
Dear Pacifica Community, Today, Pacifica hosted an accrediting committee from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). I am delighted to announce the visit was hugely successful. The committee spent the day in our classrooms speaking with our students, teachers, and parents. They als...
Inaugural Dedication Service – Monday, August 24th
July 28th, 2015
Dear Friends, Please mark your calendar now for the exciting opening ceremony of Orange County’s new Christian high school! The history-making launch of Pacifica Christian Orange County will take place at the Annual Dedication Service on Monday, August 24. The Dedication Service is an hour-long...
Posted in: Events, Head of SchoolPacifica-Orange County Unveils New Crest
July 9th, 2015
As we prepare to open our doors in August, we are pleased to introduce our new crest. Unique to our school in coastal Orange County, the crest communicates our priorities and foundation. The orange cross unifies each section of the crest and brings together all of the elements. The cross is a si...Posted in: Head of School, In The PressVIDEO: Why We Teach English—or anything for that matter
April 29th, 2015
At Pacifica Christian, we’re launching “The Great Conversation” (TGC), and we want you to join in. We’ve designed TGC to allow our students and our community to participate in a dialogue that will transform the way we live, study, work, and engage the world—or, stated another way: how ...
Posted in: Academics, Head of School
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