Christie Rainbeau has known since a young age what she has wanted, and she’s gone for it.  

“My sophomore year of high school, my chemistry teacher came up and told me I’d make a really good teacher,” Rainbeau said. 

Born in Stanton Island, NY, she moved from state to state throughout childhood and made her way to south Tampa. Attending college at the University of South Florida with a secondary science education major, she has taught in Tampa schools ever since.  

“I think that’s kind of where I started developing how I wanted to be as a teacher,” Rainbeau said. “I saw how hard it was for me to understand the material, and the difficulty of transition between high school and college.” 

From there, she worked at schools in the Hillsborough county, making her mark on each one. She has managed to win teacher of the year in every school she’s worked at. She made her way to Plant, where she’s spent a decade perfecting her craft. This year, she was once again nominated for teacher of the year, which she’s said has been a highlight in her career. She shines with positivity in every circumstance. 

“Every day there’s something to laugh about,” Rainbeau said.  

She sent out a message on Sept. 30 informing her students of her departure, remarking in her statement that she would be accepting a position with Hillsborough Virtual School.  

“I am forever grateful to have worked at such an amazing school,” Rainbeau said in her Canvas statement. “My students this year have been nothing but kind and I truly appreciate them.”  

She worked her hardest to change and evolve as a teacher, and that caught up with her in the long term. She has remarked that she’s had a sense for couple of years that her burned out state would affect her, and this year with COVID-19 restrictions, it only made sense to her to leave. She knew that she would be a more effective teacher in the comforts of her own home.  

“I’ll have, like, a toilet,” Rainbeau said. “There won’t be fire drills, disruptions, everything we deal with here.” 

Despite her need for a change, Rainbeau has always made sure to have a welcoming atmosphere in her room. She is known for her eccentric style of teaching, owning a class skeleton named Boner and has music playing from a different artist recommended by a student playing every day as peers come into work.  When asked about one of the most memorable moments, her response was priceless.  

“We decided to do ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ with me singing all the lead and all the students doing all the backup parts. In the midst of us singing ‘Galileo! Galileo!,’ Mr. Bush walks in and sees me and the entire class jamming out and singing at the top of our lungs,” Rainbeau said. “He just shook his head and laughed.” 

It’s obvious that she has a passion for her teaching, getting emotional saying a last remark to her students. She said she sees her kid’s as little families at the end of the year, because she works to get to know each and every one of her students.  

“Thank you,” Rainbeau said. 

These were the words she said over and over regarding a last remark to her students.