CAT~News a Publication from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Canada Office of Education
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Volume 10, Issue 1 CANADIAN ADVENTIST T EACHERS’ NEWSLETTER Winter 2016 CAT~news A publication from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada Office of Education THE GIFT OF TEACHERS FAREWELL TO DR. DENNIS MARSHALL Betty Bayer, Director of Education Christmas, this front page of It’s Christmas, and I think once again CAT~news, and certainly the about gifts and giving, and about SDACC office of education, is school Christmas programs and the just not the same this year. teachers who make them possible. Quite simply, we are very much And as I consider my blessings from a missing Dennis. For ten years, different vantage point, the people who Dr. Marshall served the Sev- have touched my life, and the work I enth-day Adventist Church in have been asked to do, I am convicted Canada as Director of Educa- anew that (1) there is no more im- tion. For more than ten years, portant work than the education of our children1, and we have valued his wisdom, his (2) the classroom teacher is the most influential (and experience, his deep faith, and his friendship. Even in therefore, important) person in our education sys- retirement, Dennis continues to model lifelong learn- tem2 . next to the children, of course. Through the ing as an avid reader, a world traveler, and a seeker years, teachers have indeed been a gift to me—the for truth. Thank you, Dr. Marshall. You are missed ones who have taught and continue to teach me, big time, and always welcome in education circles those whose classrooms my son has been in, those across Canada! who model Christ-like patience and who spend hours WELCOME TO SHAD LEHMANN planning lessons that point children to the Creator and Saviour while teaching them about the world and The SDACC Office of Ed- their place in it. It is the classroom teacher who ucation is so very pleased knows every child by name, who knows what he's to welcome Shad Leh- afraid of and what she wants to be when she grows mann to our office as the up. Curriculum comes alive in the hands of a skillful Associate Director of Edu- teacher, classrooms become engaging places where cation. Shad has taught students want to learn because of the efforts of a cre- in classrooms from Gr. 1 ative teacher, students build caring relationships with to university, and has ad- each other and with significant adults under the nur- ministrative experience in ture of a caring teacher. three conferences across Canada, most recently as All other levels and roles in the education system . Superintendent of Education in the Manitoba/ administrators, secretaries, conference, union, and Saskatchewan Conference. An experienced adminis- division personnel . exist to support the classroom trator, an outdoor education specialist, a spiritual lead- teacher. My primary responsibility in the SDACC of- er, and the father of three, he brings a wealth of expe- fice of education is to support our classroom teachers rience and a passion for Adventist education. Shad, in our Adventist schools across Canada. When we we eagerly anticipate your arrival in Oshawa some make decisions about policy and funding and sched- time in January! uling, we need to pause to consider how those deci- sions will impact classrooms. When we represent What’s Inside? Canadian concerns at NAD committees, we must SDACC News ................................................... pg. 2 ensure that we are representing the interests of our NAD News ........................................................ pg. 3 classroom teachers. Dates of Importance ......................................... pg. 4 continued on pg. 2 Contact Information Education Director: Betty Bayer ([email protected]); Associate Director: Shad Lehmann ([email protected]); Administrative Secretary: Brandy Perkins ([email protected]) Address: Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, Office of Education, 1148 King St. E., Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1H8 Phone: 905-433-0011 Toll-Free: 1-800-263-7868 Fax: 905-433-0982 Website: http://catnet.adventist.ca C ANADIAN A DVENTIST T EACHERS ’ NEWSLETTER 2 SDACC News THE GIFT OF TEACHERS, continued… We extend our warmest congratulations to our outstand- ing educators. Nomination forms for the 2017 school Will there always be consensus in identifying what year are posted on CAT~net (http://catnet.adventist.ca). those needs are and how best to meet them? Unlike- Submissions are due April 15. ly. But we must be deliberate and sincere in our ef- forts to do so. 2017 SCHOOL EVALUATIONS I can't promise you that enrollment will increase or The following schools have evaluation visits that more schools will open or that test scores or bap- this school year: tismal numbers will rise. I can't promise you quick Elementary Schools fixes to longstanding problems or the absence of con- Chilliwack Adventist Christian School (Interim Review) flict or even warm and dry and attractive facilities. College Heights Christian School (Full Evaluation) But I can promise you that I will pray daily for you and Crawford Adv. Academy - Peel Campus (Full Evaluation) for your children. I can promise you that I will work Curtis-Horne Christian School (Interim Review) tirelessly to build a culture of trust, a spirit of collabo- Grandview Adventist Academy (Full Evaluation) ration, and a focus on spiritual growth. Truth is, I be- North Okanagan Jr. Academy (Interim Review) lieve that education is an affair of the heart. Its great- Ottawa SDA School (Full Evaluation) est strength and its greatest power lie in relation- Pleasant Valley Christian Academy (Interim Review) ships... first, a genuine and growing relationship with Robson Valley Jr. Academy (Full Evaluation) Jesus and then caring connections with others. As Sartigan Adventist Academy (Full Evaluation) we focus on those relationships--what's most im- South Side Christian School (Interim Review) portant--God will supply every other need. Windsor Adventist Elementary School (Interim Review) This Christmas, I am thankful again for the gift of Woodlands Adventist School (Revisit) teachers. I am thankful that God has called each of Junior Academy you to play an important part in Adventist education Red River Valley Jr. Academy (Full Evaluation) across Canada. As we look forward to 2017, let’s Senior Academies commit to supporting each other. Let’s dialogue Cariboo Adventist Academy (Full Evaluation) through the difficulties, rise to the challenges, choose Coralwood Adventist Academy (Full Evaluation) to believe the best. We have the privilege, Mrs. Crawford Adventist Academy (Interim Review) White writes, “not only to look for but to hasten the 3 Deer Lake SDA School (Full Evaluation) coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As we partner Mamawi Atosketan Native School (Full Evaluation) together—school and home and church, teachers Peace Christian School (Interim Review) and parents and pastors—we can help to do just that. Prairie Adventist Christian eSchool (Full Evaluation) 1 See E. G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students: “There is Sandy Lake Academy (Full Evaluation) no work more important than the education of our youth” (p. 46); “Nothing is of greater importance than the education of our children and young people. West Coast Adventist School (Full Evaluation) The church should arouse and manifest a deep interest in this work” (p. 165). NEW SUPERINTEN- 2 See, for example, a 2005 study by the Organization for Economic Co- DENTS/TEACHERS operation and Development which referred to teachers as “the most signifi- cant resource in schools” (p. 7). We welcome the following individ- 3 uals who are new to their positions or new to our Adventist E. G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69. education system in Canada: EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION Dan Carley, Assistant Superintendent, Ontario Conference AWARDS Joanna Alexis, Deer Lake SDA School, BC Marc Andrade, Chinook Winds Adventist Academy, AB The Excellence in Education award recog- David Barritt, Mamawi Atosketan Native School, AB nizes the work of exceptional teachers and Roland Charlin, Greaves Adventist Academy, QC outstanding school administrators in the Bobby Chilaka, Coralwood Adventist Academy, AB SDACC school system. The award consists of a Annina Engelbrecht, Shuswap SDA School, BC Karlyne Felix, Crawford Adventist Academy-Peel Campus, ON beautiful iron and glass award and a cheque for David Forsey, Adventist Christian Elementary School, ON $1000.00 for the selected teachers and $1500.00 for Carlene Green, Crawford Adventist Academy, ON the selected principal. The 2016 Excellence in Educa- Marthe Hall, Greaves Adventist Academy, QC tion Award winners are: Luz Ahumada, Sartigan Ad- Hye-Young Lee, Red River Valley Jr. Academy, MS ventist Academy, QC; Martha Boehner, Sandy Lake Angela Manzanares, Red River Valley Jr. Academy, MS Patrick McKibbon, Peace Christian School, BC Academy, NS; Linda King, Fraser Valley Adventist Academy, BC; and Matthew Okimi, Prairie Adventist Ajay McNarland, Mamawi Atosketan Native School, AB Christian eSchool, AB. The administrator recipient is Gidget Meeks, Lakeview Christian School, BC Gail Wilton, Mamawi Atosketan Native School, AB. Sara Morrison, West Coast Adventist Christian School, BC C ANADIAN A DVENTIST T EACHERS ’ NEWSLETTER 3 NAD News NEW SUPERINTENDENTS/TEACHERS MCGRAW HILL MUSIC STUDIO continued from pg. 2 This Matthew Murray, Avalon Adventist Christian School, BC cloud- Emile Ndekezi, Higher Ground Christian School, AB based Sibongile Nyathi, Bella Coola Adventist School, BC inte- Rosie Oabel, Avalon Adventist Christian School, BC grated music program is currently