Education DEPARTMENT

Carolina Teachers 2016

Mission

“With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Savior might be carried to the whole world! How soon might the end come – the end of suffering and sorrow and sin!” Ellen G. White, Education, p. 271.

The Carolina Conference Office of Education shows our children and youth what “Loving God, Serving Others” looks like by connecting students with the source of all knowledge, Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through Christ-centered academic programs that encourage them to use their talents and knowledge in His service.

Professional Growth

To ensure a strong, balanced educational program, the Office of Education conducts annual teachers’ conventions and teacher study groups that meet eight times a year to enhance professional growth.

Each of our schools is accredited through the NAD Accreditation process, which has been updated to be an online program. We also visit each classroom annually for formal and informal teacher evaluations.

New Curriculums and Testing

We have introduced the new math curriculum, Big Ideas Math, as well as the new NAD Bible curriculum, Encounter Bible. STEM and Robotics have been incorporated in many of our schools. We have also replaced the IOWA Test Program (ITBS) with the much more comprehensive and teacher friendly MAPS (NWEA) testing program administered three times a year. Outdoor School was reestablished at Nosoca Pines Ranch, and each year more and more students were attending until COVID-19 temporarily paused the program.

Teaching in a Pandemic

One of the more exciting things that has been initiated is a combined educators and ministers retreat. It was beneficial to have pastors and teachers meeting together and finding ways to blend both ministries. The goal was to focus on how the church and school could work together in the Great Commission of spreading the gospel.

COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on our schools. Teachers demonstrated their dedication in 2020 as many forfeited their spring break to prepare an online classroom. Most schools hardly missed a day during lockdowns. The pandemic demonstrated the innovation of our teachers as they used online programs and software they were unfamiliar with before the stay-at-home time. They visited students who were struggling with online learning and did car-to-porch, socially distanced tutoring. Teachers and parents discovered how important it is to work together as they navigated this new way of delivering school. There is not enough space to expound on the many innovative methods teachers were using to remain connected with their students.

Enrollment

Over the past several years we have been excited to see the enrollment across the Conference increase each year. Including Mount Pisgah Academy, our enrollment has increased from 667 students in 2014-2015 to 947 in 2021-2022.

We continue to request that your prayers boldly ascend to God’s throne for our schools and teachers as they rightly train our young people to help finish the work of spreading the gospel to a world in need of a Savior. May God continue to richly bless those on the front lines instructing and investing in our youngest leaders!

GARY ROUSE

Superintendent

RICK ANDERSON

Associate Superintendent