Columbia Union Holds Annual Fall Education Meetings

Story by Office of Education Staff 

This week, the Columbia Union Conference Office of Education (CUOE) held several meetings at the New Jersey Conference headquarters in Lawrenceville.  

On Sunday and Monday, CUOE hosted “Journey to Jesus: Small Schools’ Multigrade Workshop,” designed for multigrade teachers and leaders. Instructors shared on spiritual growth, Standards-Based Learning, and innovated technology and multigrade resources that are helpful in small school settings.  

“Together, faith and learning were nurtured, equipping teachers with spiritual insight, effective instructional strategies and innovative tools to strengthen their classrooms and inspire their students,” says Ruth J. Nino, associate director for elementary education. 

On Tuesday, the Columbia Union Conference Early Childhood Advisory Committee Meeting focused on play-based and nature-based learning. 

Kayla Souza, owner and director of the Little Lilac Preschool in Hagerstown, Md., led a discussion on “A Child’s Right to Play and Play-Based Learning,” “Nature-Based Learning,” and “Family Engagement”—key topics that underscore the importance of holistic early childhood education, says Cynthia Poole, associate director for early childhood education at the Columbia Union and that day’s organizer. 

“Participants also enjoyed a hands-on outdoor nature break, providing them with a firsthand experience of the kind of exploratory and sensory-rich activities that children at Little Lilac Preschool engage in daily,” adds Poole. “This interactive session not only highlighted best practices in early learning but also reinforced the vital role of play and nature in fostering curiosity, creativity and family connection.” 

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Columbia Union School Administrators’ Council gathered for their annual fall meetings. The two-day event began with collaboration, reflection and discussion of the shared mission.  

Members discussed key topics such as enrollment trends, school accreditation, the financing of Seventh-day Adventist education and code review updates. Superintendents from across the Columbia Union presented reports highlighting educational updates and initiatives from their conferences. They also received reports from the CUOE teams representing early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, certification and data support. 

On Thursday, Robyn Jackson, an educator, administrator and CEO of Mindsteps Inc., led a professional development session with the group.  

“Collaboration among superintendents and leaders fostered meaningful discussions around systems, policies and vision, helping ensure that teachers and students are supported while our schools remain mission-focused and sustainable,” notes Nino. 

“Together, these gatherings created a rich professional development experience,” adds Nino, “strengthening and empowering our teachers, school leaders and administrators to thrive in their ministry of education.”