Ashoka
Anansi Charter School
Anansi Charter School’s mission is to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where children of all races, creeds, religions, and special needs develop a love of learning and acquire a strong foundation on which to build a lifetime of knowledge. Anansi is a community based upon trust, communication, empathy, and a non-punitive educative approach to school discipline. Emotional intelligence is an important pillar of the school: they use RULER, Six Seconds, and the Love and Logic model to support social emotional competency. Academic units at Anansi culminate in a service project that the students design themselves, allowing them to cultivate critical thinking and leadership skills.
Michele Hunt
Michele Hunt is one of the co-founders of the Anansi Charter School and she works passionately and tirelessly to further the quality and unique education that the Anansi Charter School offers. Michele has degrees and training in early childhood development, elementary education, educational leadership, and more. She loves her work with the children, parents, and staff that make up the Anansi community. In her free time she enjoys the company of her husband and son, and the beauty of the natural environment where she plays on her skis, her bike, her boat, and her feet.
Elsbeth Atencio
Getting to teach Anansi Charter Schools 5th graders is like winning the lottery to Elsbeth. She can't imagine a better way to spend her days. After years of teaching outdoor science classes and park rangering – here in Taos and around the west, Elsbeth is happy to share her experiences and passions with the students of Anansi. Each day, she tries to balance the classroom with loads of fun, plenty of hard work, and a sprinkling of silliness! Besides hanging out with 5th graders, Elsbeth enjoys many things: time with her family, hikes in the mountains, frequent naps, incredible sunsets, and her secret life as a birdwatcher.