News Articles

Investing in Adventist Education: New Student Information System Unique Fit for Adventist Teachers

North American Division works with Adventist educators, professional programmers, and designers to create AE-Connect.

November 20, 2023 | Columbia, Md. | Lisa M. Krueger

The North American Division (NAD) has been working with a dedicated group of Adventist educators, professional programmers, and designers to create a cutting-edge student information system that will specifically meet the needs of Adventist educators.

The system, called AE-Connect, includes an enrollment/registration module, a standards-based assessment module, scheduling and messaging capabilities, and options to connect with NAD financial management systems, such as the Student Treasury system and Adventist Accounting Software International.

“AE-Connect is truly a product developed with input from us. It will allow us to input student information on a product that is ours and fits our needs,” says Rachel Jameson, a teacher and the principal of a one-room school, Edenville Seventh-day Elementary School, in Michigan.

With the development of this product, teachers will no longer need to rely on systems designed for public schools and their needs. This platform will integrate with other platforms such as eAdventist, eCertification, Accreditrac, Encounter, Cobblestones, and others to streamline the data entry process, says Martha Ban, Director of Technology for Education at the NAD.

After a number of years of research and development, AE-Connect was introduced at the North American Division’s 2023 Educators’ Convention in August in Phoenix, Ariz. During the convention, educators from small and larger Adventist schools met with the Guildhouse Group, led by Matthew McVane, owner and creative designer. McVane’s company has been managing Adventist Education Dashboard and Data Rollup, and will now be the administrators of AE-Connect.

For this 2023-2024 school year, around 110 small schools started using the system, representing eight unions, 29 conferences, and one mission. For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, larger schools and academies in the NAD will begin to use it as well.

“We are excited about being able to offer this software, knowing that it was built utilizing expertise from our practitioners and that we are honoring our core values. We want to thank the NAD administration for the foresight and investment in Adventist education,” says Arne Nielsen, NAD vice president for education.

“AE-Connect is an investment in Adventist education,” adds Judy Glass, NAD treasurer. “It provides our students, parents, and educators with technology that is intuitive and meets the unique needs of our schools.”

Report on 2024 Consolidated Enrollment

The Association of Adventist Colleges and Universities (AACU), comprised of the presidents and other top leaders from 13 Adventist colleges and universities in North America, has determined that the latest consolidated fall enrollment numbers for all 13 institutions totals 20,828 students. This increase of 256 students from the previous year marks the second consecutive year of total growth.

Charting a New Path: 2024 Administrators’ Conference Unites Leaders to Shape the Future of the Church in North America

It’s been 10 years since conference and union presidents, executive secretaries, and treasurers gathered in one room to brainstorm how best to carry out the church’s mission in North America. A long-awaited follow-up, the 2024 administrators’ conference hosted more than 200 conference and union officers at the NAD’s headquarters on Oct. 30-31.

50 Ministerial Spouses Unite for Community Service, Fellowship, and Training During the 2024 NAD Year-End Meeting

Community service, fellowship, and training sessions made up the spouses’ meetings during this year’s NAD Year-End Meetings, with roughly 50 spouses of conference leaders in attendance.

Promoting Healthy Minds at Southern Adventist University

Experts across America have gathered statistics that point to a mental health crisis for college students. Anxiety concerns have risen from 56 percent in 2013 to 65 percent in 2023, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. The center also found that the number of students seeking help has steadily increased from 2009 until the pandemic. In response to the crisis, Southern Adventist University is working to ensure that students have access to various high-quality mental health resources.

Pacific Northwest Hosts Young Adult LIFE Tour

Who are your people? What is good news to them? Where do my people need me to show up for them? These are the questions that attendees were challenged to answer at the Spring 2024 Young Adult LIFE Tour stop at Pleasant Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church in Happy Valley, Oregon. Young adults, church leaders, mentors, and parents gathered to learn about the unique challenges emerging adults face and how churches can help meet their needs.