The board of directors and staff of Ivy Academy, Tennessee’s first environmental public charter high school located outside of Chattanooga, announced the 2009-2010 Gateway/End of Course (EOC) test scores for the school’s first class of ninth-grade students.

“We have dozens of examples of how Ivy Academy has made huge positive impacts in the lives of individual students, but our outstanding test scores prove our school is successful,” says Chris Daly, president of Ivy Academy’s board of directors.

The Gateway/EOC tests are based on Tennessee state standards and define what students should be learning each year. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the test. Last year, Tennessee revamped the test and scoring system, making this year’s state report card difficult to interpret. Ivy Academy has selected to use a score of 70 percent as a benchmark for proficiency, which is higher than past benchmarks for the state. Given this benchmark, Ivy Academy school officials report that 83 percent of students were proficient or advanced in Algebra I and 96 percent of students were proficient or advanced in English I.

“Ivy Academy students rose to the challenge and scored above average as a student body – I am very proud of all of them,” said Ivy Academy founder and veteran teacher Marie Daly. “These scores reinforce that the Ivy model is sound and it works. This is very empowering for all of us.”

“It is so exciting to see these students succeed, as many of them have struggled in traditional school environments,” said Ivy Academy board member Donna Curry, a former math teacher and power industry manager. “This success will translate to more than just academic success for these kids – it will help them in all areas of their lives.”

Ivy Academy, a tuition-free public charter high school, opened in Hamilton County in the fall of 2009 with 60 ninth-grade students. Each year, Ivy Academy will add a grade until all four high school grade levels are filled. For the 2010-2011 school year, the school anticipates enrollment of approximately 140 ninth and tenth-grade students.

Based on a philosophy developed by Marie Daly, the school’s founder, Ivy Academy offers students small class sizes, longer class periods and an integrated thematic curriculum that integrates real-world concepts across all disciplines. Additionally, the school – located adjacent to 7,000 acres of protected wilderness land in Soddy-Daisy – focuses on outdoor learning opportunities.

Ms. Daly says she is committed to keeping classes small, even as the school grows. She said, “You can really deal with each individual because of the small class sizes."

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 programs.

“The board of directors and staff are looking forward to another year of success with the Ivy Academy school model,’ said Ivy Academy board member Linda Collins, a UTC Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences professor. “The school has a wonderful staff of teachers and administrators who are looking forward to accomplishing great things with the students this year.”

Ivy Academy is accepting applications for ninth and tenth-grade students through Sept. 10 for the 2010-2011 school year, which will begin on Sept. 1. For more information, visit www.ivyacademychattanooga.com or call the school at (423) 305-7494.