Webinar Series to Address the Needs of Adventist Church Schools

by AT News Team

A webinar series on the theme “Adventist Education at the Crossroads” has been announced by the Center for Research on Adventist Education (CRAE). The presenter for the first event will be Dr. Thambi Thomas, associate director of education for the Pacific Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He has spent 44 years as a teacher, principal and superintendent of schools.
 
The series will address the two major problems that face Adventist schools today: declining enrollment and limited funding. One of the reasons that enrollment in Adventist K-12 schools is declining may be due to the “graying” of the Adventist Church membership. Other possible causes will also be explored in the Webinar series and suggestions will be provided for how to deal with three issues that face many local schools:
 
(1) Funding of Adventist education is predicated on an out-dated formula of constituent church support that is strained or ineffective.
 
(2) School board structure is based on the same out-dated formula and in need of change.
 
(3) Principals and school boards need a renewed vision that can create a distinct identity for their schools, making them more marketable.
 
Readers interested in participating in the webinar should send an Email to the center requesting a copy of the invitation. Participation is limited and the Email address is crae@lasierra.edu.