Andalusia Elementary School’s new second grade teacher, Anchylus Agee, is excited to teach in the Andalusia City School system after teaching for Opelika City Schools.

After 16 years in a kindergarten classroom, this will be her first time teaching second grade, but she said that she feels like she is going to do well.

“I think my goal for the year will be to familiarize myself with the second grade curriculum,” Agee said. “I was always encouraged to step out of my comfort zone in Opelika and venture into something other than kindergarten, but that I was comfortable in that age group. So when I got the opportunity to teach second grade I knew that God put me there.”

Agee said that being a teacher is more than just a job, it is a calling.

“I knew that I wanted to teach whenever my husband Tommie was working with Opelika Parks and Recreation,” Agee said. “He restarted their preschool program and I started working there. Working with all of those kids made me think that this was something I could do for a career, so I went back to school and got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees.”

Agee earned her degrees from Troy University.

Agee said that her biggest challenge this year will be teaching the second grade curriculum, but she is excited for the new challenge.

“The challenge is not going to be teaching, I know how to do that already,” Agee said. “I think it is going to be learning what all the students know already and working to advance their education to be prepared.”

This summer has been a busy one for Agee and her family as they packed up and moved from Opelika after her husband, Tommie Agee, was hired as the Director of Leisure Services for the Andalusia Parks and Recreation.

“We haven’t really had a summer break this year,” Agee said. “We have just been picking everything up and moving back and forth.”

Agee said that since her family has officially moved to Andalusia she has felt nothing but overwhelming compassion from the community.

“The love in Andalusia is overwhelming, it is such a great feeling,” Agee said. “Even my kids have said that the people here are just so nice.”

Outside of teaching, Agee said that she loves to spend time with her extended family.

She has two sons, Tyler Agee, 26, and Torey Agee, 24, and one daughter, Angelic, 21. She also has two grandkids, Tyler, who is three years old, and Rhylie who is six weeks old. Agee has not had the chance to see Rhylie because of the move to Andalusia.

“We will get to see her in August,” Agee said. “We haven’t had the chance to see her because my son lives in Houston.”