August 2026

Traveling brings me JOY! My wife and I love to travel, we find joy in the journey. For a number of years my mother-in-law would “snow bird” in Marana, Arizona. For the Christmas holiday or spring break we would use our Southwest airline miles to visit. One year we decided to share the joy by purchasing an airline ticket from Allegiant Airlines for our niece so she could join us on the journey. Unfortunately that was the year the COVID epidemic hit and we canceled our plans for spring break. Allegiant airlines gave us a flight credit for our nieces ticket and allowed us six months to use it. Fast forward from March to August. The ticket needed to be used, I looked on the internet and the place with the least COVID at that time was North Dakota. So I flew up on a Thursday for an extended weekend. My journey across the state of North Dakota was filled with Joy! Wide open spaces, huge farms, stops at State and National Parks (wild horses and bison @ Teddy Roosevelt NP). The long hours of driving weren’t always enjoyable but the destination was worth it!

Teaching, much like a cross-country road trip, definitely has its long, grueling stretches.

However, the breakthrough moments make every mile worth it! The spark of Literacy: watching a child unlock the joy of reading for the very first time, the "Aha!" Moment: Seeing the exact instant a complex concept like the quadratic equation finally clicks and the Ultimate Destination: Supporting students as they make eternal decisions and take a stand in their faith through baptism. You’re not just filling out lesson plans; you’re shaping hearts, minds, and eternal destinies. Here’s to finding deep, steady Joy in the Journey throughout this entire school year! May you be continually refreshed along the way.

~Matt Pacer

"Laughing and playing with my grandchildren; laughing and playing with my students; laughing and playing on the beach; laughing and playing and knowing that God loves laughing and playing, too."

~Sheila Jones Head Teacher Centerville Christian School

"Time with my wife. Time with my kids. A weekend with nothing on the schedule. A true surrender to God."

~Andrew Jamieson Vice Principal of Student Life Madison Academy

"I have found no greater joy, than being used by the Holy Spirit, to lead another to Christ."

~Chadd Watkins Principal Highland Academy

Watch the following video where Brandon Robison showcases construction updates.

Welcome New Teachers and Staff!

August 5 New Teacher Inservice

August 6 First Day of School

August 28 Opening Reports Due

September 1 Panorama Survey

September 7 Labor Day No School

September 8-11 MAP Growth Testing

September 14-18 MAP Fluency Testing

September 30 Leadership Adventure @ ICC Grades 7-8

July

1 Alexis Hartline

11 Tatum Fuqua

11 Marklynn Bazzy

11 Valerie Morris

12 Sharon Lodge

19 Kenny Smith

25 Linda Dickinson

26 Stephanie Rufo

28 Aaron Raines

August

8 Alex Brown

17 Debra Ito

18 D.J. McKenzie

21 Joan Zollinger

29 David Pasos

• Adventist Education Dashboard for Educators

• https://www.adventistlearningcommunity.com/courses/adventist-education-dashboard

• Data Rollup for NAD School Administrators

• https://www.adventistlearningcommunity.com/courses/data-rollup

• Adventist Education Resources – A Goldmine!

• https://www.adventistlearningcommunity.com/courses/adventist-education-resources This is especially helpful since our website has recently been redesigned and things may look different than you remember!

To locate the handbook, navigate to: adventisteducation.org | NAD Educators’ Corner | Educators | Handbooks and Manuals.

Username: School Org ID (all lower case)

• Ask your school principal/head teacher for your school’s ORG ID.

Password: nadsa1