Formation Through Craft, Nature, and Attention
Transfiguration Orthodox Academy Enrichment Day forms attentive, capable students through hands-on learning, seasonal study, and traditional crafts rooted in Orthodox Christian faith and nature.
Join us for our November Enrichment day!
We will be having professional sourdough instruction, alongside instruction for holiday cookies. Your student will learn about the process of sourdough fermentation and go home with a ball of dough to bake.
Ages 4 and older welcome, Please see our FAQ below.
Contact: sophiazaferes.toa@gmail.com with any questions.
Enrichment Day is a seasonal program of hands-on learning where students engage directly with the natural world, traditional crafts, and practical skills. Each session is guided by mentors, shaped by the rhythms of the year, and grounded in Orthodox Christian faith.
Rather than moving quickly through disconnected topics, students focus deeply on one area of study at a time. They observe carefully, work with real materials, and return to their learning through practice. The pace of learning is intentionally unhurried—not to lessen rigor, but to restore depth and mastery.
Students may spend a session studying birds of prey, natural habitats practicing botanical illustration, working with clay or wood, baking bread, or tending to living systems.
Across all experiences, the goal remains: to form attention, capability, and reverence for the world God has made.
What is an Enrichment Day?
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Forest Dwellings
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Gardening 101
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Bread Making
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Animal Studies
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Knitting
✳︎ Forest Dwellings ✳︎ Gardening 101 ✳︎ Bread Making ✳︎ Animal Studies ✳︎ Knitting
Upcoming Sessions (Mondays Only)
Late Summer: August 24th - September 14th 2026
Creatures Great and Small
GA native wildlife study with expert: Melissa Mackelprang
Autumn Sessions: October 19th, 2026 and November 16th, 2026
Craftsmen and Makers
October session: Pinch pots & primitive icons.
November session: Sourdough baking
What makes our Enrichment Day different?
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Learning follows the rhythms of the year, allowing concepts to be revisited and understood in context.
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Sketchbooks, tools, soil, wood, thread, and fire are central to learning. Screens, although a tool, are not the primary environment of discovery.
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Each session includes a mentor—someone who is well versed, or actively works in the field being studied.
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Students work with wood, soil, tools, food, and living systems—not simulations or screens.
What To Expect:
Slow, focused education that builds attention, skill, and confidence over time
Hands-on, analog learning in nature study, crafts, gardening, cooking, and journaling
Expert-led sessions with real practitioners and naturalists guiding each term
Eligible students are…
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Ages 5-13
Our program is best suited for primary-middle school-aged children. Topics can be grasped in small groups at different levels for these ages.
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Aligned with our philosophy
Our program is rooted in the Orthodox Christian faith, participation is open to families of all backgrounds who are aligned with our approach to hands-on, character-focused, and nature-based learning.
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Growing in attentiveness
Students who are developing the ability to focus, observe carefully, and take joy in meaningful work.
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Hands-on learners
Students who learn best through doing—working with real materials, outdoor exploration, and practical skills.
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Creative and expressive
Learners who enjoy making, building, drawing, crafting, and engaging their imagination through real materials.
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Naturally curious observers
Children who are drawn to noticing details in the natural world and engaging deeply with what they see.
Learning in Rhythm.
We have thoughtfully developed an educational enrichment curriculum that is designed to move in rhythm with your child’s natural development, the seasons, and a life with meaningful formation. This is education that values depth over speed, attention over distraction, and formation over information.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Reach out through our contact form here and we will get back to you shortly!
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Tuition details will be announced as each session opens for enrollment. Pricing will vary depending on materials and personnel needed for the session.
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Early pick up is permitted, however pricing will remain the same. Late pick-ups occurring 30 min or more are subject to a late fee.
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Our enrichment day program is best suited for students ages 5-13, however we accept younger students who are currently in Pre-K, potty-trained, and experience low-separation anxiety.
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Yes! Our favorite part of the day is sitting around together for community lunches.
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Nope! We welcome students from any family who is interested. This is a great way to enhance your child’s learning, and to deepen their sense of community with children from other similarly-interested families.
We also invite anyone who is additionally curious about what the ethos and environment of TOA feel like to try out Enrichment—this is a beautiful way to experience our school in a light and joyful way. We look forward to meeting you!
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We are a small intimate program, and our ability to hire personnel and teaching guides for Enrichment days is directly tied to Enrichment tuition. In light of this, tuition is non-refundable.
Enrichment Day Registration Form
This form is the first step in enrolling your student in TOA’s enrichment program.
*Please note that you are required to pay here. Upon enrolling, you will be contacted with safety release forms, and price in order to complete registration.
Please select “One-Time Payment” ($45 for November 16th cohort) and specify your student’s name(s), and Cohort name (Month/Activity) in the notes of tuition payment.