My name is Ryan Weathers. I am very excited to be joining the teaching team at Ankeny Christian Academy as the secondary vocal music teacher. From a young age, God gave me a love of music. Growing up in Moville Iowa, I attended Woodbury Central schools and knew even then I wanted music to be a part of my life.
I went to Wayne State College and earned a degree in music education. After college, I married my high school sweetheart and we moved to Chicago where I began to teach vocal music. We relocated several times over the next five years because of my wife’s career. It gave me the opportunity to work at different kinds of public and private schools. From small town to large inner city school districts, I enjoyed each school and gained a variety of experiences. It was in Ankeny that we found our home.
During our time in Ankeny, our small family quickly became a large family. In 2006, after our twins were born, I put teaching on hold to become the primary caregiver of what would become six children. Throughout my time at home, I was surrounded by other strong Christians. I knew the Gospel in my head, but it was through prayer and study of the Bible that the Holy Spirit moved my heart. Grace was able to break through and I now know the amazing unwarranted gift of Jesus Christ.
In 2018, our children left Ankeny Community Schools and enrolled in Ankeny Christian Academy. When our youngest child enrolled in Kindergarten, I began serving as a substitute teacher at ACA. It was an eye opening experience. In all my different teaching jobs, I had never seen a place where a person’s beliefs didn’t have to be ignored for fear of offending other students. ACA is a place where a student’s academic needs and spiritual needs could both be nurtured and celebrated. As someone who has never experienced Christian schools before, this is the missing piece for me. As a music teacher, being able to say God gave each of us our own unique voice for the purpose of glorifying Him is wonderful. The teaching jobs in the past felt like just that, a job. This position is a calling. It is an honor to teach music for God, and I pray that my work will honor Him.