Story by Lori Zerne
As the 2018-19 school year opens, Chesapeake Conference's Highland View Academy (HVA) welcomes new faculty members and a few changes in responsibilities for returning staff.
The administration has hired David Nino to teach music, and his wife, Anaynsi, as school secretary. Andrew Lay, HVA’s previous music teacher, is now focusing his roles as the academy’s advancement director and alumni coordinator.
Story by Dinah Jordan
Allegheny East Conference's Pine Forge Academy (PFA) has introduced a new online learning opportunity for the 2018–19 academic year, allowing the school to reach a greater number of students and families. They will also continue to enhance their curriculum by offering dual-credit classes and a new math initiative, created by the Math department.
Story by Tiffany Doss
Stephen Laing recently joined the Potomac Conference as vice president for education. Since 2013 Laing served as principal of the Newbury Park Adventist Academy (Calif.). “Steve has more than 20 years of experience as a teacher and administrator,” says Bill Miller, president. “He has a passion for strengthening academics, enhancing the learning experience, creating environments for healthy spiritual growth and moving Adventist education forward.”
Story by Vicki Swetnam
The LEGO® Robotics club at Spring Valley Academy (SVA), named the Aquatic Engineers, recently built and programmed an autonomous robot with the ability to solve simulated challenges.
The 10-member team won third place out of 24 teams at the Adventist LEGO Robotics League Southern Challenge for their robot’s innovative design and successful completion of real-world challenges relating to transporting, using and disposing of water. Southern Adventist University (Tenn.) hosted this regional competition, themed “Hydro Dynamics.”
The Aquatic Engineers were among the top six teams from the Southern Challenge invited to the national competition at Forest Lake Academy (Fla.).
Story by Dave Morgan
Aaron Weber, the Pennsylvania Conference Blue Mountain Academy’s (BMA) director of operations, reports that the school’s agriculture program has recently impacted the local community like never before. “BMA agriculture was invited to pilot a Farmer’s Market in downtown’s Reading St. Joseph’s Hospital (Pa.),” Weber shares. “On May 1, BMA opened a produce stand in a renovated room close to the hospital’s main entrance. During the growing season—and potentially year-round—they are open each Tuesday from 12:30-5 p.m. Hospital administrators are not only making this produce market available to patients participating in VeggieRx, a healthy food incentive program, but are encouraging staff to shop there and are advertising the stand to the community.”