While there are many Christian schools in the Chattanooga area that require agreement with a doctrinal statement and/or a pastor referral letter, Brainerd Baptist School does not.  Brainerd Baptist School was founded as a ministry of Brainerd Baptist Church in 1953 and continues to this day as a ministry of the church.  The school is truly non-denominational in the sense that we accept students from a wide range of religious backgrounds and faith traditions, and our faculty and staff attend many different Bible-believing churches in the Chattanooga area. Our student body represents a variety of ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as families not affiliated with any church or religion.

The school is unapologetically Christian and teaches from a Biblical perspective that reflects the truth, love, and grace of Jesus Christ. We are committed to fulfilling the Great Commission as revealed in Matthew 28.  This missional philosophy truly makes our school special place and sets it apart from most Christian schools in the Chattanooga area.

The requirements depend on the grade the student is applying for. For K3, there are two specific requirements:

1. The student must be potty-trained by the start of the school year.

2. The student must turn three by August 15 of the enrollment year.

If you are applying for any other grades, a screening must be done first. This screening helps ensure that the academic pace that is kept at Brainerd Baptist School will not frustrate your child.

The admission process is designed to be very simple and straightforward.  You may request an admission packet by calling the school office or by clicking the “request a packet” link on our site.  Once you have reviewed this information, the next step is to tour the school.  You may schedule these by calling Robin Morris at 423-622-3873. 

Once you have toured, you may submit the application. The screening process is different for K4 and K5 than for 1st-5th grade students.If you are applying for K4 or K5, we will contact you to schedule a screening.  The admission screening takes about 30 minutes. Once the screening is completed, we will go over the results with you and acceptance packets are then mailed out. For 1st-5th grade applicants, we request that applying students spend a day visiting Brainerd Baptist School.  Students are asked to be at the school around 8:15 AM and be picked up around 2:30 PM. The visit gives the student a chance to learn more about Brainerd Baptist School and also meet prospective teachers and classmates.  We typically will screen your child sometime during their day while they are visiting with us. The screening process for the 1st-5th grade applicants takes around 45 minutes to an hour.

Yes, we are accredited through the Southern Association of Independent Schools which is the premier accrediting agency for private schools in the southeastern United States.  In addition to SAIS membership, Brainerd Baptist also is a proud member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools. Examples of other schools in our area that hold accreditation and/or membership in through these organizations are McCallie, GPS and Baylor.

Our goal is simple: to be the best elementary school in Chattanooga. Every decision we make is guided by this mission. Brainerd Baptist School graduates are highly sought after by schools across the city.

For over 30 years, BBS has maintained a tradition of academic excellence. Our students are frequently recognized as Valedictorians, Salutatorians, National Merit Scholars, All-Americans, and student leaders in their schools. A BBS graduate is prepared to succeed at any school in Chattanooga.

This is one of the greatest advantages of enrolling your child at BBS. Whether your child moves on to Baylor, McCallie, GPS, Chattanooga Christian, Boyd Buchanan, or another school, we work closely with area middle schools to ensure our students are set up for success. The strong foundation from Brainerd Baptist School consistently leads to remarkable achievements.

At Brainerd Baptist School, our students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Currently, students can enjoy art classes, ballet, drama club, piano, chess club, Soccer Shots, and a variety of other clubs offered throughout the year by our teachers or third-party partners. These activities take place after school, and we are always looking to add more opportunities for our students. For a full list, please visit our Extra Curricular Activities page.

Students in grades 3–5 also have access to athletic programs. They can participate in track, cross country, and tennis camps, while students in 4th and 5th grades can join soccer, basketball, and cheerleading teams. These programs provide fun, skill-building, and teamwork experiences beyond the classroom.

A successful school thrives on strong support, and at Brainerd Baptist School, we value partnering with our families to achieve academic excellence. With this in mind, we ask each family to volunteer 10 hours per year to support our school community.

There are many ways to fulfill these hours, and our Parent Support Organization (PSO) organizes a variety of opportunities for families to get involved. Volunteering not only helps our school but also strengthens the connection between home and classroom, creating a richer experience for our students.

Brainerd Baptist School is pleased to offer early care for our parents at no cost. Early care begins at 7:00 AM and continues until 8:00 AM when students are dismissed to their classrooms. Breakfast is also provided free of charge during this time.

After-school care is available from the time your child is dismissed until 6:00 PM each day. The cost is $7.00 per hour, which includes a snack. Detailed billing procedures are outlined in our school handbook.

We also offer a summer camp for all Brainerd Baptist students. Camp begins the Tuesday after Memorial Day and runs through July. Students participate in a wide variety of activities, including swimming and weekly field trips. Registration information is sent home each spring, and additional details are available on our Camp Bobcat website.

Brainerd Baptist School uses a company called FACTS for tuition management. This company gives our parents complete online access to their account and also gives our parents many options in regards to paying their tuition.  You may choose ACH drafts or use credit cards as payment option.  Our goal is to make the tuition process as easy and flexible as possible.  If you have additional questions about tuition or FACTS, please contact Chris Shields.

Parents can choose from a Monday, Wednesday, Friday (MWF) or the Monday-Friday option for K2, K3 and K4. The hours for all of our Pre-K programs are 8:15 AM to 12:30 PM. Students eat lunch at school before dismissal.

Yes. Financial aid is offered for students in K5 through 5th grade on a yearly basis.  All aid is need based and is awarded in April of each year.  Students who receive financial aid are expected to maintain academic and behavior guidelines.  All applicants are required to fill out a form through FACTS each year.  More information on financial aid can be obtained by visiting the Financial Aid section of our website.

All students entering Kindergarten must turn 5 before August 15th.  This is also the date that we use for our K4 and K3 programs.

1. Request a Packet – This will have general information about the school. You may complete this step by clicking the link at the top of any page on this website, or by clicking here.

2. Tour the School – This is the most important step in the process. You will take a tour of our campus, meet with our Head of School who will share our philosophy of education and see what makes our school so special. Tours typically take about 1 hour. For families entering K3, K4, or K5 we prefer to do the tour in the morning hours so you can see the students in the classroom environment. We also recommend that children not attend the tour as we have a special time planned for them when they come to complete the screening process or on their shadow day (students entering 2nd-5th grades). Call (423-622-3873) or email to schedule.

3. Apply for Admission – Parents begin this process after they have completed a tour of the school. The process is all done online. Step by step instructions will be provided. Parents will pay the $75 application fee in this step. To begin the application for admission please click here.