Day three of our trip is quickly coming to a close, and it’s been another exciting and educational day. The schedule today closely mirrored yesterday’s, beginning with morning classes focused on the diverse wildlife native to this region.

Our first day at Burton 4-H Camp is coming to a close, and it has been a full and exciting one! The students began stirring a little after 6:00 AM, and by 6:30, they were already outside exploring. Right outside our cabins, we have volleyball and basketball courts, tetherball, gaga ball, and even a giant Jenga game—all of which the students can enjoy during their free time.

A few years ago, Tennessee began offering Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) to Hamilton County residents who meet certain eligibility requirements and complete the application process. Several BBS families currently participate in this program.

This blog post introduces a new scholarship opportunity that is available to many of our families. This program has fewer income restrictions than the ESA program. The Educational Freedom Scholarship (EFS), launching for the 2025–26 school year. There will be two scholarship options available:

We often discuss the importance of creating a learning environment that provides opportunities for all students. While we frequently celebrate achievements in athletics, our outstanding art program, our chorus, and even our Shakespeare on the Playground performances, we also recognize accomplishments in academics. Recently, one of our students competed in an international history competition. Fifth-grade Social Studies teacher Deb Gruner shares more about Porter’s impressive achievement.

This fall, 8th graders at Girls Preparatory School read Animal Farm by George Orwell. After finishing the novel, their teachers challenged them to write their own children’s books with an allegorical message, similar to Orwell’s work. As part of their final exam, GPS 8th graders visited Brainerd Baptist to share their stories. The students from GPS and BBS gathered together to read their books, ask questions, and engage in lively discussions. It was a fun and inspiring opportunity for our students to see that anyone can be an author and bring their own stories to life.

The SAIS Board of Trustees recently informed our school that we have been re-accredited for another five-year period, spanning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. This achievement is the culmination of a comprehensive self-study that identified key areas of growth and self-improvement for our school. The SAIS accreditation process encompasses all aspects of school life and operations, ensuring we meet the highest standards of educational excellence.

Have you heard about the Bobcat News Network (BBN)? For many years, students at Brainerd Baptist School received their morning announcements over the PA system. However, this year, two innovative teachers, April Connell and Suzanne Breedlove, have taken this idea to the next level. They've transformed the routine task of delivering school news into a fun, engaging, and highly anticipated weekly video series.

If you have followed the Brainerd Baptist School social media accounts, you have undoubetedly seen the hashtag #learningisfunatbbs many times. I never cease to be amazed at the fun ways in which our faculty make learning fun for our students. This past Thursday was International Pirate Day and our 4th and 5th grade teachers did not let this special day pass without incorporating it into a fun day of learning. I have asked 4th grade teacher Jesse Robinson to tell us about this day.

If you have been a part of the Brainerd Baptist School community for a while, you have probably seen similar posts each summer introducing our new faculty members. I have often said that the most important part of my job is finding faculty who are the best fit for our culture and community. As we make final preparations for the upcoming school year, we are excited to introduce the new faculty and staff joining our team.

Since 2020, our school has completed several construction projects during the summer months that have completely transformed our campus. We have built new classrooms for 1st grade and K2, a new library, a STEM lab, The Learning Center, a new upper school office, new administrative offices, a new entryway, a new shop, and a remodeled cafeteria. Last summer, we completed a full remodel of our entire lower school, including new floors, paint, windows, furniture in all classrooms, and new bathrooms for our K3 and K4 students