Growing Together with Purpose
September 2026 | Emily Lyons, Director of Administration
We love getting to take care of your most prized possessions: your children. We are so excited that this year has gotten off to a great start. We hope routines have been set and school has been a great experience so far for you.
One thing I know for myself is that parenting may not come with a manual (I wish it did!), but it does offer daily opportunities to be intentional with our children. Identifying your family’s core values—such as kindness, honesty, connection, or responsibility—creates a road map that can guide your choices and keep you grounded during challenging moments. These could mirror the values we focus on every month (fruit of the Spirit).
Purposeful parenting means prioritizing connection, modeling those selected qualities, and learning about each stage of our children’s development. At school, we try to understand what may be happening beneath a behavior so we can respond with greater patience, empathy, and confidence.
Remember, parenting isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about taking time to reflect, reconnect, and keep growing alongside our children. With clarity, grace, and a shared sense of purpose, we can help shape the loving families—and capable adults—we hope to nurture.
Rooted in Faith, Growing in Love
Angie Williams, Director of Education
Every other week, our students come together for a special time of Chapel where they experience worship as a community, discover more about who God is, and grow in their faith and relationship with Him. Chapel begins with a student-led prayer, followed by the recitation of our school motto and a joyful time of praise and worship. Students then participate in a Bible lesson, practice our monthly Bible verse, and close together in prayer led by a staff member.
As we begin our year together, we are laying an important foundation by exploring three big questions: Who is God? What is the Bible? What is prayer? These foundational truths will help prepare us as we begin learning about the Fruit of the Spirit and what it looks like to reflect the character of Christ in our everyday lives. Our first Fruit of the Spirit focus will be self-control—learning that with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to make choices with our words, actions, and attitudes that honor God and show love to others.
Our hope is that what children experience in Chapel doesn't stay in Chapel! We encourage you to continue these conversations at home. Rather than looking for one “right” answer, invite your child to tell you what they remember, wonder about, and are beginning to understand.
Continue the Conversation at Home
“What did you learn about who God is?”
“Tell me something you remember about the Bible.”
“What do you think it means to pray?”
“When might you need God's help to use self-control?”
“Was there something from Chapel that made you wonder or want to know more?”
We look forward to watching God continue to shape our students' hearts as they experience, discover, and grow in mind, body, and Christ.
With joy & blessings,
Angie Williams
-
![]()
Hedgehogs
The Hedgehogs practiving their gross motor skills while climbing different structures..
-
![]()
Foxes
The Foxes meeting Mr. Buns in Natural Science Class!
-
![]()
cubs
The Cubs working as a team to mix and pour with nature!!
-
![]()
birds
Reading together promotes language development, imagination, and connection.
-
![]()
turtles
The Turtles using creativity to work on an art project!
-
![]()
rabbits
The Rabbits exploring the different textures of nature.
-
![]()
monarchs
The Monarchs participating in creative play in the outdoor kitchen!
-
![]()
gatekeepers
The Gatekeepers learning how to draw a “Gatekeeper Butterfly” during their art time!
-
![]()
adventures
The Adventurers working as a team out in nature.
-
![]()
navigators
The Navigators exploring nature and journaling their observations. .
-
![]()
explorers
Explorers worked on building reading stamina. We took books into the forest and students had the option of reading independently or with up to two reading buddies.
Help us name our school garden
A message from our PTO,
We’re excited to kick off a new school year and continue building a strong community of parents supporting our students, teachers, and staff at Anothen Outdoor Academy!
If you’re interested in joining the Anothen PTO, please take a moment to complete the form linked below. Filling out the form helps us know who would like to be involved and in what capacity. There are no required volunteer hours or membership dues, you can jump in and help whenever and however it works for you!
A quick note: If you signed up at Meet the Teacher to receive this form but haven’t seen it in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder. Or complete the form using the link below.
If you’ve already completed the form, there’s nothing else you need to do at this time! I’ll be reaching out to everyone soon to make introductions, share a little more about the PTO, and let you know about the different ways you can get involved throughout the year!
Thank you so much for your willingness to support our Anothen community. We’re looking forward to a great year together!
Adriana Castro
Anothen PTO President