Anothen FAQ

Preschool drop off is at 9:00am and pick-up is at 3:00pm. Before care is offered for additional fee from 8:00am-9:00am.

After care is available from 3-5pm for a fee.

Form-1 has drop from 8:15-8:45am.

We don’t require much at AOA but what we do ask you to pack in your preschooler’s backpack is listed here in our AOA Packing List. Please download this document and keep it for your reference.

We do not have a temperature restriction but on very cold or very hot days we will limit our amount of time outside. 

Our gates are locked each day at 9:30 and open again at 2:30. If you need to pick-up your child early you may call the school when you arrive and one of our staff will open the gate for you. 

Yes, we ask that you alert the teacher via Brightwheel and call the school phone when you arrive at the gate.

On any given day our students will spend 3-4 hours outside, should the weather permit.

We have school even if it rains. We encourage “rain play” at AOA and love jumping in the puddles with our preschoolers.We jump in muddy puddles! Part of our AOA packing list is rain boots and raincoats. Teachers will take students outside to play even in rain. We will not be outside if thunder or lightning has been present within 30 minutes. In the event of thunder or lightning, preschoolers will remain indoors and participate in other classroom activities.

Since we are a mostly outdoor preschool, we encourage parents to send their child in clothes they are okay with getting a little dirty. Download our What to Wear document for more information on what is acceptable.

We offer Before-Care and After-Care for an additional fee. Before-Care is 8-9am and After-Care is 3-5pm.

We ask that you keep any child home that is exhibiting illness symptoms. In order for a child to return to school they must be symptom free and fever free for 24 hours without the use of any type of medication.

Anothen Outdoor Academy views our student’s education and discipline as a partnership between our Staff, Student, and Families. We will also use positive methods of discipline and guidance. We believe that each parent and teacher will know how to best love, encourage and discipline their students. Our staff will only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction. We believe all conflict is normal but that is identification, confession, restitution, and reconciliation.

Discipline will be individualized and consistent for each child, appropriate to the child’s level of understanding, and directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control. Discipline starts with setting reasonable and developmentally appropriate expectations. Mild discipline issues are common to growth and development. These will be addressed by the Teacher in the classroom.

Possible Disciplinary Actions:

• Teachers will exhaust redirection and positive motivation before singling out a student for discipline.

• Teachers may ask a student to sit out for an activity for no more than 1 minute for every year of age.

• Parents will be notified of all discipline issues.

• Although rare, it may be necessary to send children home immediately.

This occurs anytime there is:

a. Physical Injury to another child

b. Hitting, kicking, biting or spitting at a teacher

c. Refusal to follow directions

If your child does not have all the immunizations, Texas law allows (a) physicians to write medical exemption statements which clearly state a medical reason exists that the person cannot receive specific vaccines, and (b) parents/guardians to choose an exemption from immunization requirements for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.

Instructions for requesting the official exemption affidavit that must be signed by parents/guardians choosing the exemption for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, can be found at www.dshs.texas.gov/immunizations/school/exemptions. 

A list of immunizations can be found here.