"An effective journey to excellence requires careful planning. Resources must be allocated at all organizational levels in new and creative ways to support school improvement initiatives."
—Journey to Excellence, North American Division Office of Education
Adventist schools are to be safe and nurturing environments where the curriculum is delivered in a relevant and meaningful manner. For this to be accomplished, Adventist educators must utilize curriculum materials in each subject area which best reflect the systems goals. This includes:
Acceptance of God
Commitment to the Church
Interpersonal Relationships
Responsible Citizenship
Healthy Balanced Living
Intellectual Development
Communication Skills
Personal Management
Aesthetic Appreciation
Career and Service
The Adventist system of education strives to update curriculum materials on a five-year rotation basis. In the past two years, major curriculum updates implemented in Lake Union schools include the areas of mathematics, science, music, and art.
In Fall 2005, students in our schools will experience a new social studies curriculum. Seeking to provide the very best for our schools, the North American Division Curriculum Committee selected materials from two major publishers. Social Studies textbooks adopted for use in Lake Union elementary schools this fall include:
K Here We Go, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 1 All Together, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 2 People and Places, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 3 Communities, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 4 Regions, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 5 The United States, Scott Foresman, 2005
Gr 6 Foundations of Geography, World Studies, Prentice Hall, 2005
The Ancient World
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Gr 7 Medieval Times to Today, World Studies, Prentice Hall, 2005
Europe and Russia
Latin America
The United States and Canada
Gr 8 The American Nation, Prentice Hall, 2005
Note: The curriculum for grades 6 and 7 includes the implementation of four mini-books to be taught on a quarter-year basis.
Garry Sudds is the Lake Union Conference associate director for education.
