Brandon S. Rainbeau has B.S. in Animal Biology and an M.Ed. in Biological Science Education from the Universaity of Florida. I hold a Connecticut Professional Educator Certification for grades 7-12. I previously held a California Professional Educator Certificate for grades 7-12.  I have been teaching biology, marine biology, and oceanography at the high school level for 22 years. Additionally, I have been teaching AP Biology for 13 years and have a spent time on and off over the last number of years tutoring.
 
I lived in Southern California from August of 2001 through June of 2013. I moved to Ridgefield, CT the summer of 2013 to begin teaching at Ridgefield High School (RHS), part of Ridgefield Public Schools (RPS).  My current teaching assignment for the 2022-2023 school year includes AP biology, biology CP, and oceanography. I taught grades 10-12 at Channel Islands High School (CIHS), part of the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD), from 2001-2013. I taught AP biology for 3 years, marine biology for 10 years, and was the marine biology teacher for CIHS’s Marine Science Academy (MSA) for 3 years. 
 
CIHS’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary allowed me to develop a diverse, student-centered marine biology curriculum. I would engage my students in activities including hands-on class activities and labs. My students took many field trip that included a floating marine biology lab, nature hikes at the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, trips to the Aquarium of the Pacific, and field studies at state beaches that allowed students ample opportunities to apply the marine biology curriculum outside of the classroom. 
 
I started teaching AP biology at CIHS in 2010. This college-level class emphasizes laboratory experience, with 25% of the entire course dedicated to hands-on, inquiry based labs that meet the expectations of the AP College Board. In addition to the recommended AP labs, I also partnered with the Amgen Bruce-Wallace Biotechnology program, which is an educational outreach program that provides equipment, curriculum assistance and supplies to high schools and colleges. The program integrates a hands-on, inquiry-based molecular biology curriculum designed to introduce, with extensive teacher support, the excitement of scientific discovery to students.
 
In addition to traditional teaching techniques, my teaching philosophy focuses on student-centered learning and engagement by emphasizing technology integration and utilization. I tailor my instructional techniques to the diverse academic needs of individual students. I have utilized multiple teaching tools, including in-class voting systems, Promethean & Smart boards, learning management systems such as Schoology and Edmodo, hands-on labs, activities to further student engagement, and field trips. I also design and maintain my own class website with a wealth of resources available to students, parents, and teachers alike (http://www.brainbeau.com).
 
I currently live in Ridgefield, CT with my wife, Elizabeth, who works in biotech for Amgen, and my two sons, Dylan (16) and Ethan (11). My interests and hobbies include web design, gaming, gardening, and home repair/renovations. Thank you for taking the time to visit my site.