Leander ISD’s Paul Smith, teacher and former River Place Elementary principal, worked at River Ridge
Elementary with Adam Ladner. “This one says it all. His love for the Longhorns and for his students. This was
at our River Ridge 4th and 5th grade track day. He pushed his student in her wheelchair for the 100 m dash.
Look at their facial expressions! Adam was a perennial student favorite.”

Adam Ladner taught at River Ridge Elementary in Steiner Ranch starting in the  2009-10 school year and through the 2014-2015 school year. Local parents share comments on what a great teacher he was after learning of his death last weekend.

Rachel Nau

My daughter had him as one of her 5th grade teachers, so we were acquainted. About 5 years ago I had a car accident on 620 right before 2222. He came by right after, saw my River Ridge mom t-shirt, and immediately stopped. He didn’t know it was me, but stopped anyway to make sure I was OK, and gave me a comforting hug once he recognized me. He stayed until my husband arrived. Didn’t matter to him who the mom was, it was one of his RRE family, and he was there to help.

Amy Miller

He always stood on his tippy toes to be taller than my son. By end of 5th grade they were the same height! He loved to play basketball with him and the other boys! Outside the classroom rarely seen without a smile on his face.

Christina Olivarez Morales

As a parent, he assured me my ADD son was going to be okay because he had ADD. Loved that about him. He opened River Ridge Elementary and my son was in his class. My son had so much fun with him. Who can forget “The Impossible Shot”

Kristie Tysarczyk Odom

What I loved about him was that he taught his students to work hard and play hard, just as he did. He was known as a “hard” teacher, he expected the kids to try for the maximum and knew how to guide them with tough love mixed with good fun!

Clarice Bendorf

I remember my oldest’s first day of 5th grade, he asked Mr. Ladner about the mark above his eye. I as a mom was mortified, but he immediately put me at ease and answered Ryan’s curious question. He approached everyone with a good heart.

I gave Mr. Ladner a jar of red and black M&Ms the first day of school and he gave me this strange look. For some reason, he thought the colors were for Texas Tech. I laughed and said it was River Ridge’s school colors… He loved the Longhorns and he loved his students.

Misti Caesar-Dwyer

Mr. Ladner always had a smile on his face! His positivity was contagious!!! He will be dearly missed by so many.