Introducing Anodos Release-Time Classes
For much of American history, education was understood to be about more than mere academic achievement. A truly great education also formed students’ hearts toward virtue and away from vice—toward meaning, and away from despair. Christian formation, in particular, prioritised love, truth, beauty, sacrifice, and the promise of a life filled with higher purpose.
Beginning in the late 1950s, Christian formation was removed from public education in the name of “neutrality.” In the decades that followed, the consequences of this shift have become increasingly clear: significant rises in self-reported meaninglessness and despair, sharp declines in happiness and life satisfaction, and growing confusion around identity and purpose.
Recognising this, the Iowa Legislature in 2025 reaffirmed the long-standing, practice of religious release-time instruction through the passage of HF 870. This bipartisan law—passed unanimously by the Iowa Senate—restores students’ ability to receive religious formation during the school day and reflects a renewed understanding that education is not merely about information, but about forming the whole person.
In response to this legislation, and in furtherance of its mission, Anodos Academy is pleased to announce its newest offering for residents of Mitchell County: Anodos Release-Time Classes.
Our first Release-Time course, “Anodos Awakening: How to Think Like a Christian,” helps students round out their high school education by exploring deep questions of Christian meaning, virtue and vice, and how to live a purpose-driven life.
Over the last several months, Anodos Academy has been working closely with administrators at Osage Community Schools to coordinate the dismissal of 8th–12th-grade students from Osage High School to Anodos Academy (Washington School) on Thursday afternoons from 12:35 to 1:35 PM, beginning February 26, 2026, during the Spring semester. Transportation will be provided for all participating OCS students, courtesy of Anodos Academy.
This unique offering is available to all Mitchell County students in grades 8–12, including homeschooled students. Per HF870, public school students may not be graded down, disciplined, or otherwise disadvantaged for time spent attending release-time religious instruction.
Thanks to the generous donors of Anodos Academy, this offering is available at no cost. Registration is capped at 30 students and seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about this offering, including registration details, please visit: https://www.anodosacademy.org/release-time.
