Ivy Academy

Featured in Chattanooga Magazine (June 2010):

Ivy Academy:  Tennessee’s first environmental charter high school completes its first year in Soddy-Daisy.

Story and photography by Jenni Frankenberg Veal.

The first day of school at Ivy Academy last August was anything but ordinary. Students who were used to traditional school buildings and overflowing classrooms found themselves instead on school grounds with modular classrooms, surrounded by woods, bluffs and water in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. All things typical to high school seemed to blow away in the wind as students acclimated to a new way of life at Tennessee’s first environmental charter high school.

As they walked through the woods and along North Chickamauga Creek, bird and cricket calls were intermixed with the questioning voices of teens wondering what on earth to expect of their ninth-grade year.

Figuring out what on earth they are doing is exactly the point, says Ivy Academy founder Marie Daly. “The whole idea of being out in the woods is not only to reintroduce us to nature, which we have been alienated from in our culture, but to use it as a vehicle for teaching and learning,” says Daly. “The focus of this school is to be personal so each student’s learning style is addressed.”

The outdoor component of school has been significant for students, says Patti Obert, Ivy’s director of programs and operations. “Many of the students were apprehensive about being outdoors to begin with, but now they consider it a part of their day at school,” she says. “They crave the sunshine and fresh air, which makes them feel good and helps them to concentrate.”

“On the first day of school, I was scared when we went in the woods because I had never been in the woods before – a big butterfly flew at me and I screamed,” laughs 14-year-old Nick. Today, Nick says one of his favorite activities at school is going outside.

Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, Nick says he gets the academic help he needs at school and feels safe. “Last year, my classes were so big that it was hard for teachers to help students because they had to deal with problem students all the time,” he remembers. “I didn’t want to go to school because of the gangs. It was rough and you had to worry about being beaten up after school or people talking about you.”

Daly says she is committed to keeping classes small, even as the school grows. “You can really deal with each individual because of the small class sizes,” she says. With the 54 ninth graders Ivy welcomed to the school this year, that won’t be too hard. And, in upcoming years the school will add only 80 students maximum, per grade, until all four high school grades are filled.

Ivy has defined school in a new way for its students, many of whom say they couldn’t return to traditional classrooms after being at Ivy.

“We have more freedom here,” says 15-year-old Chasity, who says traditional school settings took an “emotional toll” on her. “At my other school, we had to sit at the same table in the same seat for lunch every day; now we can eat outside, play and stretch. We have hands-on ways of learning now-we don’t just work out of books. This year at Ivy has opened my eyes and helped me to think outside the box.”

For Carly, an outgoing 16-year-old who is repeating ninth grade after struggling academically and personally in a traditional school environment, Ivy has changed everything. Currently excelling in her classes, Carly says she looks forward to school each day and is motivated to take online courses over the summer so she can graduate on time.

“On the first day of school, I told my mom how grateful I was that I had been accepted to Ivy,” Carly says. “This school is different because you have relationships with your teachers-they know you. And what other school takes students on hikes all the time? It is so fun.”

Daly says the challenges of starting one of the first charter schools in Hamilton County pale in comparison to the success the school is having with students.

“We have identified a number of gifted students who were overlooked or failing in their former schools,” says Daly. “We have one student who, based on professional assessment, no longer needs her individual education plan (IEP) for ADHD because we are able to help modify the environment. She gets so much exercise here, which is one of things that helps her focus academically.”

Ivy Academy has the distinction of being one of the most diverse charter schools in Hamilton County and the most diverse in the state. “Our school looks like America,” says Chris Daly, president of the board of directors.

Daly says she has dreamed of having her own school since she started teaching English 21 years ago. When the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act of 2002 was signed into law, charter schools were allowed to open in an effort to improve learning for students, provide options for parents and encourage innovative teaching methods. She has been working diligently to open the school since 2006.

In Tennessee, charter schools are currently open to students zoned for schools that are registered as failing under the state’s accountability system and students who failed to achieve proficiency on state assessments. Currently, students zoned for the following schools in Hamilton County are eligible to attend charter schools: Red Bank, Howard, Soddy Daisy, Lookout Valley, Ooltewah, Central and Sequoyah. Last summer, charter school eligibility was extended to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Charter schools receive federal start-up funds through the Charter Schools Program Grant, as well as state and local funds on a per-pupil basis. Charter schools also rely on grants, gifts and donations from the community. Ivy has been grateful for the support of TVA, which named Ivy Academy a Partners in Education (PIE) school in 2009.

As the school year comes to a close, Daly has finally been able to enjoy some of the fruits of her labor. She is grateful to be getting calls from students who have heard about Ivy Academy and see it as a possibility for change in their lives. “It makes me feel good to know that kids are finding out they can turn to our school to help them be successful in school,” she says.

Charter schools are truly charting new ground nationwide, and Ivy has had its share of bumps in the road. However, Marie Daly hopes to support the charter school movement by sharing her experiences with others.

“We had to create so many procedures as a startup school, so we hope to share our experiences and resources with other charter schools now,” Daly says, adding how grateful she is for the support of Hamilton County School Board members Rhonda Thurman and Kenny Smith. “Nobody should have to go through what we went through-now we all know more than we did. We want to support a charter school community.”

For more information about Ivy Academy, visit ivyacademychattanooga.com or call the school at (423) 305-7494.

Jenni Veal lives on Signal Mountain and writes about conservation issues, outdoor adventures and the natural landscape of the South. See her blog at http://www.YourOutdoorFamily.com.