Distance Learning at MWA

Sunday, April 10,2011, the Minnesota Conference Constituency met to discuss an innovative plan for broadening the reach of Maplewood Academy and making Seventh-day Adventist education to more students in Minnesota.

Minnesota is facing many of the same challenges that several other conferences in the nation have seen with their academies.  One of our sister schools, Minnetonka Christian Academy, had to close down its high school program at the end of the 2010-2011school year and continue only as an elementary school due to finacial struggles. However, Maplewood is not on the verge of closing.  We do operate on a very conservitve finacial basis and we are grateful for the continued support of alumni and friends.

The Minnesota Conference understands the importance and impact of Seventh-day Adventist education for our young people and decided to research more options for reaching high school students who want an Adventist education and do not have a day academy to attend. A plan is being carefully crafted bassed on the Atlanta Adventist Academy model. This plan will provide distance secondary education to students throughout the Minneapolis- St. Paul metro area using modern technology. In future years, there may be the opportunity to set up more distance learning sites around the state.

Maplewood Academy will still run our boarding school program and, in addition we'll have partner campuses initially throughout the Twin Cities area, and later throughout Minnesota.  Classrooms at Maplewood and on partner campuses will have advanced communications technology that will allow the students and teachers at each site to interact in real-time. All students and teachers can see, hear, and speak to classmates and teachers continuously throughout the class period.  Several times a year, students at all sites will meet together on Maplewood's campus to build spiritual and social community through spiritual, social, and athletic activities, classroom labs, and possibly music and P.E. classes.

This program opens up a wide number of opportunities. Maplewood will have the capability of reaching more students who would not normally be able to attend academy. It creates a learning environment that uses cutting-edge technology, giving students an advantage in preparing for college and futuer careers. The system allows students to attend class and easily make up missed work when they're sick or are away on school-sponsered activities. More programs and subjects offerings can be made available through this system.

Thi is a great opportunity to extend the reach of Maplewood Academy and it has the potential to keep MWA finacially and operationally healthy. Please keep Maplewood Academy in your prayers as decisions and plans continue to develop. If you have any questions about this program, contact Ed Barnett at the Conference Office or Marshall Bowers at Maplewood Academy.