November 20, 2025

A Message From Mr. Bell



Dear Oakbrook Families,

As we approach Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for each one of you and for the incredible gift God has given us in Oakbrook Preparatory School. Every day I walk these halls, I am reminded of the laughter of our students, the faithful prayers lifted in our classrooms, the way our teachers pour Christ’s love into your children, and the sweet fellowship we share as a school family. Truly, we have so much to thank the Lord for, most of all the privilege of raising the next generation in the truth of His Word, together.

This Thanksgiving season feels like the perfect moment to pause, give thanks, and ask, “Lord, how can we be a blessing in return?”

Like many Christian schools, Oakbrook has navigated real financial challenges these past couple of years, especially since August 2024. By God’s grace, we are seeing meaningful improvement this year and are making strong progress toward long-term financial health through new grants, refined policies, and careful stewardship.

In addition to these financial efforts, Oakbrook faces two additional challenges that are close to my heart as your Head of School. First, recruiting and retaining excellent Christian teachers remains a priority. Teaching in a Christian school is often a profound act of sacrifice for our educators, as they choose to invest in kingdom work over higher compensation elsewhere. In South Carolina, many of our dedicated teachers make 65% of what they would earn teaching in public school. This pay differential reflects their commitment to discipling the next generation in a Christ-centered environment, and it underscores the need for your partnership to support them.

Second, we are committed to enhancing our safety and security plans to protect our precious community. We recently applied for a significant FEMA grant that we are prayerfully awaiting approval on, but there are additional improvements we would like to implement to ensure every child feels safe and valued on our campus.

These challenges are not unique to Oakbrook. Many Christian schools of our size and with our tuition structure experience similar pressures because tuition alone covers only about 70% of the school's revenue. The remaining gap must be bridged through generous gifts from families like yours. Unfortunately, Oakbrook has not yet seen widespread participation in regular giving from our families, particularly through monthly contributions. Monthly giving is the most sustainable and helpful way to support us, allowing us to plan effectively and steward your resources with wisdom and gratitude.

This brings me to the purpose of my letter: the launch of our 1992 Campaign, which we joyfully kickstarted at our recent 1992 Dinner and Auction. What a blessing it was to gather with more than 200 guests for an evening of fellowship, celebration, and generosity! That event alone resulted in over $70,000 given and pledged, including commitments from 17 new families to ongoing monthly giving. Their example inspires us all, and it's why I'm reaching out to you today.

I invite you to prayerfully consider joining those 17 families in pledging a monthly gift to Oakbrook. If your family is able, would you consider giving $19.92 per month? Or, if the Lord has blessed you more abundantly, perhaps moving the decimal over and giving $199.20 or even $1,992.00? These symbolic amounts reflect our heritage while making a tangible impact. If monthly giving isn't feasible for your family at this time, we would be deeply grateful for a one-time gift in the same amounts: $19.92, $199.20, or $1,992.00.

I truly believe that the same God that fed 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and 2 fish, just imagine what He could accomplish through Oakbrook with individual pledges of $19.92 or more?

Our goal is simple yet bold: 100% family participation through either a monthly pledge or a one-time gift. 

As we enter this Thanksgiving season, it's the perfect time to pause and reflect on our many blessings, including the gift of Christian education for our children. Let's continue to respond with acts of Biblical generosity by investing in the future of our school. Thank you for your faithful partnership and for considering this opportunity to give.

In His Service,  

R. Andrew Bell  

Head of School  

Oakbrook Preparatory School 

To make your gift today, please visit https://oakbrookpreparatoryschool.factsmgtadmin.com/give/

Every contribution counts toward our shared mission!