Red Bank Elementary

It’s another welcome Wednesday at RBE.

Today, we welcome Mr. Sam Durham who is joining the fourth grade team as a math and science teacher.

Mr. Durham is starting his 13th year teaching and truly feels it is his calling. He has a 22 year old son, Tyler, that just graduated college. He is originally from Atlanta, but has been in Chattanooga now 21 years. Mr. Durham enjoys woodworking, auto restorations, home renovations, fishing, and motorcycles. He is so looking forward to joining the Red Bank community.

Welcome Mr. Durham!

School may be out, but Leo the Lion has been BUSY exploring the world with our amazing Red Bank families and staff!

So far this summer, Leo has:
🥾 Hit the hiking trails
🎬 Gone to the movies to see The Mandalorian
🏜️ Explored Arches National Park
🌴 Relaxed in Florida
🇮🇹 Traveled through Italy
🎢 Ridden roller coasters at Universal Studios
🗽 Explored New York City
⚽ Cheered on Team USA during the World Cup
🇮🇪 Visited Ireland
🌲 Explored Seattle
🚢 Sailed on an Alaskan Cruise
🏝️ Soaked up the sun in the Bahamas
📚 Stocked up on books for summer reading at McKay’s
✈️ Taken to the skies on airplane rides
⚔️ Stepped back in time at the Chattanooga Renaissance Faire

And summer is only getting started!

Whether Leo joins you in your backyard, on vacation, at a local adventure, or halfway around the world, keep sending us your photos and stories!

📸 Take Leo along on your adventures.
📲 Share your photos using the QR code and Google Form shared from the last day of school.

Where will Leo go next? We can’t wait to find out!

Today, we are excited to welcome Lindsey Sparacino (Benjamin) to the LION family.

She is excited and grateful to be joining the RBE family as an Exceptional Education teacher.
She is coming to Tennessee from San Diego, California, where she has spent the past nine years teaching and supporting students with diverse learning needs. She holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education, along with credentials in both General Education and Special Education.

Ms. Sparacino’s passion is creating an inclusive classroom where every child feels seen, valued, and capable. She believes relationships are the foundation for learning, and loves partnering with families to help students grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, practicing and teaching yoga, reading and writing, exploring new places, and spending time with her husband, her adult daughter, and their two dogs. They are excited to begin this new chapter in Tennessee and become part of the Red Bank community!

She can’t wait to meet her students and families and look forward to a wonderful school year together!

Our 2026–2027 school supply lists are now available on TeacherLists, making it easy for families to access everything students will need. Use this link: https://app.teacherlists.com/schools/58477-red-bank-elementary-school?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_30q92BSBPpyLj7JC1RN8wHqAiOu8hIVEnoyolOvgBBQExR6mjvoLfs_3lyGNnXGhxWny1_Vw0DfZte8PV5omM3xPufQ&_hsmi=364509999

Supply lists for all grade levels are also attached as a picture in both English and Spanish for convenience.

SAVE THE DATE: Tennessee’s Tax-Free Weekend is July 31st – August 2nd, making this a great time to shop and save on school supplies!

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Las listas de útiles escolares para el año 2026–2027 ya están disponibles en TeacherLists, lo que facilita a las familias acceder a todo lo que los estudiantes necesitarán. Use este enlace: https://app.teacherlists.com/schools/58477-red-bank-elementary-school?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_30q92BSBPpyLj7JC1RN8wHqAiOu8hIVEnoyolOvgBBQExR6mjvoLfs_3lyGNnXGhxWny1_Vw0DfZte8PV5omM3xPufQ&_hsmi=364509999

Las listas de útiles para todos los grados también están adjuntas en inglés y español.

📅 RESERVE LA FECHA: El fin de semana libre de impuestos en Tennessee es del 31 de julio al 2 de agosto, ¡lo que hace de este un excelente momento para comprar y ahorrar en útiles escolares!

We are so proud of our amazing school counselor, Mr. Goodridge, who is presenting this summer on how project-based learning brings SEL to life!

Our students LOVE social-emotional learning and developing their LION (leadership, innovation, ownership, and never-give-up grit) tenets with Mr. Goodridge during PAWS because he not only connects with them and makes them feel a sense of belonging- he makes learning fun, relevant, and engaging!

Let me introduce the next Summer Summit guest presenter, Bradford Goodridge who will be teaching all about project based learning! 🤗

In addition to the book you read with your students, the slides you covered, or the worksheet they completed; how else can you engage students in social-emotional learning?

Project based learning helps your lesson come to life. It allows for real time practice and reflection. Your PBL will keep students engaged as they grow into healthier and stronger individuals! 💪

Not an IMPACT member? Join today and get access to all the Summer Summit sessions for FREE!

We are thrilled to offer a new Tuition-Based Pre-K program for the 2026-2027 school year!

Over the years, we have heard from many families who were interested in our Pre-K program but did not meet the requirements for income-based Pre-K enrollment. We wanted to create an opportunity for more children to experience the high-quality, play-based learning environment our families love and help keep families together at Red Bank Elementary from the very beginning of their educational journey.

Our Tuition-Based Pre-K program features:
🍃 An inclusive, play-based learning environment
🍃 Indoor and outdoor learning experiences
🍃 A strong focus on kindergarten readiness
🍃 Opportunities to become part of the Red Bank Elementary community before kindergarten

Children must be 4 years old by August 15 to enroll.

Ready to learn more or apply? Visit:
https://hcde.org/opportunity-and-access/pre-kindergarten/

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with families who may be interested!

It’s a welcome Wednesday at RBE!

We are excited to share that our school is growing and so is our faculty and staff. Meet Mr. Matthew Bradshaw, our new and second assistant principal.

Mr. Bradshaw comes to us from East Brainerd Elementary where he served as a teacher leader, instructional coach, and dean. He has spent the past 9 years in Hamilton County and is looking forward to being one of our Assistant Principals. He is excited to build relationships within the Red Bank community, collaborate, and help grow our students on all levels!

Welcome to the LION family, Mr. Bradshaw!

We love our partnership with WaterWays and the opportunities it creates for our students!

RBE Field Day was full of joy, teamwork, and sunshine! Thanks to Coach Young and all of our amazing staff, volunteers, and families who made the day a success. Sweet memories were made playing and working together.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate FIVE of our amazing Red Bank Elementary educators for completing the STEM Fellows program with Public Education Forward!

Through this experience, these teachers deepened their STEM knowledge, connected with community partners & fellow educators across the region, and completed a project that benefited our school community.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding teacher leaders!