The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Minnesota has been prayerfully considering the best path forward for Adventist education, and specifically for Maplewood Academy. During its October 26 Board of Trustees meeting, the board voted to reaffirm its mission-centered approach to Adventist education in Minnesota.
The recent Adventist education survey highlighted several areas in need of attention and improvement. In response, the board voted a series of recommendations to address these needs, and also voted to convene a special constituency session on January 18, 2026, at Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, Minnesota. The purpose of the session is to share the academy’s current financial realities and to explore sustainable, mission-aligned options for the future.
Thanks to recent extraordinary financial support, closing Maplewood Academy does not need to be considered. However, the board recognizes the need for an open and prayerful discussion about how the academy can continue to operate in light of current financial and societal realities.
“Maplewood Academy provides opportunities for discipling young people for future leadership,” said Minnesota Conference President Jeff Scoggins. “We are not running a business. We are running an Adventist school, the primary purpose of which is to give our children every opportunity to choose to live their lives for and with Jesus. We are making a strategic impact on the Great Controversy.”
Founded in 1888, Maplewood Academy is the oldest continuously operating Adventist boarding school in the world. Over its long history, it has experienced both times of abundance and times of challenge—yet through it all, God has come through time and time again.
As the Adventist Church in Minnesota looks to the future of Maplewood Academy, the immediate focus will be on intense study and strategic planning to strengthen both sustainability and mission alignment. Over the coming months, church leaders, committees, and educators will continue refining recommendations to present at the special constituency session on January 18, 2026.
In preparation for the January session, Minnesota Adventists are invited to unite in prayer for discernment and unity. “We have one mission: to lead young people into a saving relationship with Jesus and equip them to share Him with others,” said Scoggins. “Please pray for our board, our academy leadership, and our church family as we seek God’s direction for the future of Maplewood Academy and Adventist education in Minnesota.”
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The Minnesota Conference of Seventh-day Adventists oversees the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church across Minnesota. Our mission is to help people realize they are accepted in Jesus Christ, and come to know, love, serve, and share Him. Through our churches, schools, and ministries, we offer a variety of programs including prekindergarten through twelfth grade education, disaster response, health and wellness resources, and opportunities for spiritual growth. For more information, visit www.mnsda.com or call 763-424-8923.