SODDY-DAISY, TN (WDEF) - English Language Arts is a vital part of a well-rounded education. Samantha Smith is great at making the page come to life for her students at Loftis Middle School. She's firm, but fun…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - A fresh group of freshmen at Howard High School have started a career path that will take them into the medical field. Over the next few years, the students will develop skill sets that are in…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Andrew Jones knows that communication is key for exceptional education students. He just started at East Side Elementary last August, but kids in his class are already making great strides toward independent learning.…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - The pandemic forced teachers to adapt. Virtual learning is typically not ideal. Claire Millsaps took on that challenge in style, and her second graders at Big Ridge recently scored very well on their…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Water makes up more than half of our bodies. Depending on their age, children should drink anywhere from 4 to 11 cups a day. That's hard to do when school water fountains are shut down due…
Tommy Wells is an institution at Richard Hardy Memorial School in South Pittsburg. Through his decades of teaching, he has displayed genuine kindness to all his students and players earning him this week's Golden Apple Award.
The driving simulators at schools these days are demonstrating lessons on more than impaired driving. Now they focus on distracted driving at Richard Hardy Elementary.
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) -When teachers truly connect with their students, they can spend less time on discipline and more time on learning. Kathy Gordon makes it a priority to find each child's learning style. The Barger Academy…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Positive behavior and academic success go together like reading, writing and arithmetic. At Howard, "The Tiger Way Initiative," balances teacher and student accountability by celebrating victories big and small. The state of Tennessee is taking notice.…
SODDY-DAISY, TN (WDEF) - Keeping first graders on track is hard enough in ideal conditions. When you add a virtual element, the degree of difficulty can be staggering. Sarah Leeseberg met that challenge and more. Meaghan Moss…
How quickly do kids forget how to play? One local school program is trying to keep young string instrument players in the game a bit longer. It's part of What's Right With Our Schools this week.
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Music has to power transform us. It's a subject that Sarah Tortora is passionate about. She shares that passion with more than 400 students at Hardy Elementary. Robin Bambrey is the Principal at…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Hardy Elementary School had to get extra creative for this year's Black History Month Celebration, but they still managed to get Hardy at home students through a series of interactive projects. Rose Prince teaches 4th grade…
WHITWELL, TN (WDEF) - Musicals have become an annual tradition at Whitwell Middle School. For the last 25 years Roger Payne has been the man behind the music. It's a great way for kids to showcase their…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Chattanooga Prep will put on its Speak Like a King Event this week (2/22-2/26 2021). It has to be virtual this year, because of the pandemic, but on the bright side, the whole world can see…
FLINTSTONE, GA (WDEF) - Teaching first and second graders is a hard enough job in ideal conditions. Add a virtual element to the mix, and a tremendous amount of patience is required. Chattanooga Valley's Leslie Miller met…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Technology is changing the way we remember things.Film and video tape are having to cross over the digital divide to be preserved for future generations. Students from Brainerd and East Ridge are helping along the way…
RINGGOLD, GA (WDEF) - For the best educators, teaching isn't just a profession, it's a calling. That's certainly the case for Shana Raburn. She's quick to volunteer for any job that needs doing at Woodstation Elementary, and…
RINGGOLD, Ga. (WDEF) -- Ringgold High School is the defending One Act Play State Champions, and they will put that title on the line later this month. Jané Ellis is the Musical Theatre Director. She says, "We started the musical…
CHARLESTON, TN (WDEF) - Going to school for the very first time is a big step in a child's life. Sabrina Hardy is an expert at calming the fears of her Pre-K students at Charleston Elementary.Her friendly face helps them…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) -Zoom calls are okay for remote learning, but the seamless presentation of live television is tough to beat. Hamilton County Schools teamed up with WTCI for a series of live learning shows. Whitney Blanks is a Literacy…
TRENTON, GA (WDEF) - When graduates of Dade Elementary are asked to name a teacher they will always remember, Lori Case's name pops up quite often. She's been known to make Math more interesting by adding pumpkin tasting to the…
ROSSVILLE, GA (WDEF) - West Side Elementary is officially a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. It earned that honor thanks to its extraordinary impact on its staff, students and community. Robert Mountjoy is the Principal at West Side Elementary. He…
DECATUR, TN (WDEF) - When tragedy struck Meigs South Elementary school, children were left with some very grown up questions. Ms. Kaley Carpenter helped them understand and cope. One parent describes her as an angel in disguise. Ms. Carpenter describes…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - When it comes to uniquely American sports, nothing has been around longer than Lacrosse. When played right, it builds teamwork, toughness and it's great exercise. Ricky Jones is the Head Lacrosse Coach at Howard. He says,…
DALTON, GA (WDEF) - Kristy Townsend's family has attended Valley Point Elementary School for generations. That's where she learned to do her best every day and always keep a positive attitude. Now, she's passing those lessons on to her students.…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) -A good education is all about learning new things. Lacrosse is a relatively new sport at Howard, but it's already opening up a wide variety of educational opportunities for Hustlin' Tigers who decide to pick up a…
ROSSVILLE, GA, (WDEF) - Julie Butler was born to teach, but she postponed her own higher education until her youngest daughter was a teenager. Students and faculty at Ridgeland High School know it was worth the wait. Ms. Butler's heart…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - In the middle of the Chattanooga Christian campus sits a nearly 4,000 square foot, state of the art, learning facility. It's home to classrooms and simulated work and home environments.The Center provides highly individualized education programs…
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, TN (WDEF) - When the weather is nice, having class outside is a real treat. In the age of Covid, it's also a sensible thing to do. Nolan Elementary's outside classrooms are a fresh example of "What's Right…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Give a man a pie and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to cook, and he might make it a career. It's a recipe for success that Howard is serving up in its…
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, TN (WDEF) - Boredom is out of the question in Becky Leary's 3rd grade classroom at Nolan Elementary. From the Buddy Bench, to researching Signal Mountain's rich history, Ms. Leary's love of teaching shines through in every thing…
HARRISON, TN (WDEF) - With cooler temperatures settling in, a heavy Winter Coat is essential. Chattanooga Gas is providing 200 high quality jackets to Hamilton County Students. Paul Leath is the Regional Director of Operations for Chattanooga Gas. He says,…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Gary Coles is an In School Suspension Monitor at Red Bank Middle School. This year, he's also teaching Math, Science and Spanish. Mr. Coles makes sure his students get on the right track in school and…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - A Brainerd High School student is flying high! Kobe Rivers recently completed his first solo flight. He's on course to earn his Private Pilot's Certificate by the end of the school year. Brainerd's Future Ready Institute…
CHATTANOOGA, TN. (WDEF) - Teacher's assistants can play a crucial role in reaching children with developmental delays and other challenges. For 20 years, Ava Hixson has been making a positive difference at Hixson High School. She says, " I'm just…
Getting children interested in reading at an early age is a key lifelong learning.
SODDY-DAISY, TN (WDEF) - Karina Martin started her life halfway around the world in Poland, but she has dedicated her career to helping American children grow up to become productive citizens. No moment is wasted in her Kindergarten Class at…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - The Erlanger Institute of Healthcare and Innovation has added a Sterile Processing Pathway for students at Howard. It's an intensive curriculum that also exposes students to opportunities in medical research and innovation. Nina Deaton is the…
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF) - The best educators are lifelong learners. That is certainly the case for Dr. Reginald Adkins. He can't wait to discover new things and pass that knowledge along to his students at East Lake Academy. His unending curiosity…