Oregon Conference Adventist Education

06/09/2022

TVA 8th graders had the opportunity to travel to Washington DC for their 8th grade trip!

06/09/2022

Twenty-five years ago, six Portland Adventist Academy students formed the school's first rock climbing club. Led by Mark Smith, PAA teacher and renowned and avid climber at the forefront of the sport, the club has quickly became one of the most po...

06/07/2022

We will miss Dan and Jane! They have been such a blessing to the Oregon Conference.

Praying for them as they move on to their next endeavors.

This week, June 1, Dan & Jane Nicola will say goodbye to the Oregon Conference as they begin a transition to Monterey Bay Academy (MBA) in La Selva Beach, California. Dan will step into the role of principal for the school, while Jane will become the school's registrar.

Since 2016, Dan has been an associate superintendent in Oregon's education department. He's been an integral part of the team as they have shepherded the growth of Oregon Adventist Education. Dan is known throughout the conference as a servant leader who works hard to support all of the principals and teachers in his schools.

Jane has served as administrative assistant in Oregon Conference Outreach and Relational Ministries departments for almost 10 years. In addition to her official role, Jane's talent in floral arranging and decorating has been greatly appreciated by many across the Conference.

Beyond their professional contributions, Dan and Jane are the type of people that make the lives of those around them better. They will be deeply missed by all of us here in the Oregon Conference. As they go, we wish them God's richest blessings as they answer His call to serve the kids at MBA.

By Jonathan Russell

Full article: https://www.oregonadventist.org/news/oregon-conference-says-farewell-dan-jane-nicola?fbclid=IwAR3LW9A9V634Sg3Zy6p5u2ydxjcAxEbpXk0WVwz8wyUBTooHsuVVQ8f1Eng&fs=e&s=cl

06/07/2022

We enjoyed having author Bob Goff speak to our educators this past April.

06/02/2022

Congratulations to Lorin Koch on completing his doctorate degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of South Carolina!

Mr. Koch is an English teacher and registrar at Livingstone Adventist Academy.

04/13/2022

In Hood View, Oregon, Hood View Adventist School is offering a unique learning environment for young students through a “Forest Kindergarten” program. Rather than spending the school day in a traditional classroom, Lizzie Segoria teaches her eight kindergarten students in a forest classroom behind the school.

Read the full article for more details. :)

02/03/2022

10/19/2021

It is such a joy to see lives being impacted for eternity in our school communities.
Congratulations to the Reece family on your baptisms!

06/22/2021

After serving as a superintendent in the Oregon Conference for 8 years, David Davies will be retiring this June 2021. In his 32 years in Adventist Education as a champion for God’s kids, his range of experience has been vast. He has taught students in grades four through college and served as principal, in addition to his years as superintendent. After graduating from Andrews University with his B.S. degree, he began his teaching career in Canada at Kingsway College. He then went on to get his Master’s degree from Loma Linda University. Next he served as a principal and teacher in Farmington, New Mexico and then moved to Medford, Oregon where he was the principal at Rogue Valley Adventist Academy for 14 years. After taking a break from teaching to work as a general contractor in Medford, Davies moved back into the Education Ministry as superintendent.

Reflecting on his years of teaching, Davies recalls his favorite aspect was building connections with students and “being able to be a part of making a positive difference in their lives.” He shares, “As I have gone from teacher, to principal, to superintendent, that is the part I most regret losing because each one is one step further removed from that contact with the students.”

Still, Davies has found fulfillment in each of his roles in Education. As principal, he enjoyed promoting school growth through building a strong academic and spiritual foundation. In his time as a superintendent, Davies has found joy in being a support to principals, teachers and the school boards as they seek to fulfill their missional impact on students. He reflects, “I see myself more as a servant as the superintendent than I ever did in the other two roles.” He also emphasizes his most “valuable contribution as a superintendent has been “finding and hiring excellent, Christ-centered, academically excellent teachers.”

Davies has also loved the opportunities he has had as a superintendent to lead praise songs with students and tell “them worship stories that lead them to Jesus.” Although he will be relinquishing his administrative duties at the end of June, he looks forward to having more time to volunteer in this capacity in schools.

Gale Crosby, VP of the Oregon Conference Education Department, shares how inspirational and impactful Davies’ ministry has been. He states, “The book ‘Education’ shares that those who work in the ‘noblest work of teaching, may not even realize that their faithfulness has unsealed springs of blessing that can never cease to flow. In a world made new they will see the children they have trained become an inspiration to their family, friends and neighbors and the influence repeat itself a thousand fold’ (Education, p. 305). When I read these words, they speak directly of my hero David. I just want to be standing close by and watch the number of children that will be gathered around David as they all meet their Jesus in a world made new.”

Thank you, David, for your ministry in the Oregon Conference and continued dedication to sharing the good news of Jesus!
-McKenzie Wallace, Writer for the Oregon Conference Education Dept.

06/10/2021

Bob Johnson, a mathematics teacher at Portland Adventist Academy (PAA), is retiring this June 2021 after 39 years of teaching. Initially, Johnson had planned on a career in medicine, but after a year at Loma Linda University, he decided he wanted to teach. He taught for a few years in California and then was hired at PAA where he has spent the last 32 years instructing mostly mathematics but also chemistry some years. Johnson likes to amaze his students by sharing that he has been in school for 60 years straight now between his time as a student and teacher. He remarks with some humor, “I must like school.”

In his many years at PAA, Johnson has made an impact on generations of students. Principal Mechelle Peinado reflects, “Bob is a legend at PAA. He was a student here years before he returned to teach science and math. He taught many of the current staff. Bob cares deeply about each student. He does all possible to help each one make it through. He believes in the kids.” Being able to watch his students develop over the years as some came back to teach at the school or their own children attended PAA has been among Johnson’s favorite memories.

Johnson also particularly enjoyed working with students in running the sound system for assemblies, graduation, and other gatherings. Additionally, Johnson built a recording studio for the school to use for music and performance and production classes. Peinado also notes his influence in this area, commenting, “His love for music and the studio and students is deep. He envisioned the studio, created it, funded it, maintains it—it is a work of love.”

As he moves into retirement, Johnson shares that he will miss “the whole day academy routine, especially the interactions with the students and the staff.” Included in these interactions that Johnson appreciated were the opportunities for “spiritual thought, action and reflection” that PAA has provided through small student groups guided by teachers or larger group events like Bible camp. He also will miss teaching itself and then being able to watch “students learn and develop into hopefully thoughtful and productive workers for God.”

Another area of the school where Johnson has been involved is with the grounds. He states, “I’ve put a lot of time and effort into the campus here. I’ll miss doing those kinds of things. I have a vineyard out back with grapes. I’ll probably leave that to somebody to take care of.” Johnson has shared grapes with a friend to turn them into jelly each year. He has also given vines to church members and former students so they can plant grapes themselves. Students have also been happy to partake of the grapes throughout the years.
Johnson’s contributions to the campus—both in his interactions with the staff and students and the physical plant—have been greatly appreciated by the school. Peinado shares, “Bob is incredibly generous and kind-hearted. He does so many extra duties. He is often one of the first here and almost always the last to leave. He is wise and shares his wisdom freely with students and staff.”

Thank you, Bob, for sharing your talents over the years to provide quality, Christ-centered Adventist Education to generations of students!

-McKenzie Wallace, Writer for the Oregon Conference Education Dept.

06/03/2021

This June 2021, Portland Adventist Elementary School (PAES) will bid farewell to a pillar of their institution, Nancy Stinson, as she retires. After graduating from the University of Oregon, Stinson began her first full year of teaching at PAES and remained there for the rest of her 37-year career. She has lately been teaching 2nd grade, though in her many years at PAES she has taught across levels K-4 and the media center.

One way in which Stinson has impacted both PAES and the broader Oregon Conference (OC) is through her contribution to Professional Learning Communities (PLC). PLCs have provided opportunities for collaboration across schools among educators and Stinson has enjoyed serving as a leader of the 1, 2 group. Superintendent Angela White reflects that Stinson “has been paramount in our journey in Oregon during these past six years” and “she led the way for our conference to establish flourishing and student-centered PLCs where teachers could collaborate, learn, and have fun together.” White continues, “Her leadership has been a contagious catalyst for most of OC’s initiatives. She has also spent the last six years being an OC mentor for many of our new teachers and provided a solid foundation for organizing and instructing a thriving academic program for the lower grades.”

In her classroom, Stinson employed her excellent leadership skills in seeking to equip her students with life skills like respect and generosity. She has used a book called The Power to Choose, which she refers to as the “P to C,” to help guide her students in growing their life skills. When a student struggled, she would remind them that they always have the “P to C” how they will behave in that situation. Stinson has found it to be an effective classroom management strategy that she could incorporate throughout all subjects.

Another tool that Stinson has particularly loved employing in her classroom is choosing a theme for each year. For example, her theme this year is “God is Wild About Us” and she has used that as her inspiration for decorating and choosing songs. In relation to this emphasis, Stinson would remind her students of Bible promises such as, “God loves us… there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for us, we can count on him, and he never changes.” Picking a theme helps Stinson in building community and establishing a Christ-centered focus for the year.

The creativity and devotion to Jesus that has marked Stinson’s teaching has been exemplary for PAES. School leader Brandon O’Neal shares, “As a principal I am often asked, ‘What do you look for in a teacher?’. I can just send them to Mrs. Stinson’s class. Mrs. Stinson is the model of a great teacher. She is innovative, kind, knows her students and their needs, and is a lifelong learner. But most of all she loves Jesus and shares him with all students and our PAES family every day.”

Stepping away from teaching at PAES will not be easy for Stinson, as she has spent her life there, developing both personally and professionally. Her years at the school have been “more than just a job” to her. She states, “I thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to do something that I love.” Although she will no longer be an employee of the school, she looks forward to being a “teacher fairy”—offering volunteer support to ease the burden on educators. She also plans to hike, golf with her husband, take classes, and spend time at their vacation home in Central Oregon.

Thank you, Nancy, for the passion you have brought to teaching and love for Jesus that you inspire in those around you!

-McKenzie Wallace, Writer for the Oregon Conference Education Dept.

05/27/2021

"I truly think I was only given a break in life because of Milo, and it’s all possible because of the staff here who have believed in and supported me.”

Part 4 of this Oregon Conference student's story.

(4 / 4) “The shelter we ended up at was a Christian shelter. We had worship in the evenings and morning. We also had curfews. The weirdest part was the worships. I’m sitting there with other homeless people acting like this is completely normal. I’m looking around and everyone is acting like this is normal. Every morning we’d say the Lord’s Prayer. But I kept thinking, ‘Where is my daily bread? Is it really just the literal bread I was given at the shelter?’

For dinner we’d go to this other place that had ties with the shelter. They would have food, but the food was often expired or the stuff that nobody else wanted. We were vegetarian, too, so we didn’t have a lot of options. I remember this one time I was eating spaghetti with no sauce with just salt and butter and I was so happy. Because that was the best thing I had gotten in like a week since everything else usually had meat in it. The little things meant that much more to me.

Even coming to Milo in the first place, there was so much I had to do on my own. Applications and all kinds of things - adulting stuff I didn’t have any help with. It was overwhelming. I turned 18 last year, and the Moors have been a crucial part in helping me get up and going. Pastor Steve is family now, and I’m honored to be a part of the family. They’re amazing people, and I’m eternally grateful for what they’ve done for me. They’ve been a safe place for me all the while helping me plan my future out and process my past. I’m excited for what’s next. I’m going to Walla Walla and I’m setting up some summer work. I truly think I was only given a break in life because of Milo, and it’s all possible because of the staff here who have believed in and supported me.”