Public charter school Ivy Academy Chattanooga announces the vice president of their board, Dr. Patti Skates, will be serving as a member of the Tennessee State Board’s School Board Training Advisory Committee in 2024. The state board is responsible for approving the training courses that local school board members and charter school governing body members complete to meet their annual training requirements.
In 2021, the state board established an advisory committee to review applications and make recommendations to the board for approval of local school board member training.
The rule was recently expanded to allow the committee to review and recommend charter school governing body training as well. As part of this expansion, qualified and experienced charter school board members were solicited as candidates for this committee, and Dr. Skates has now been confirmed as a member.
Dr. Skates holds a doctorate in educational leadership and is a retired Hamilton County educator. She has received numerous awards in education and civic service, among them are the National Academy Teacher of the Year, Tennessee Social Science Teacher of the Year, Award of Recognition for Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities, U.S. Army Civilian Award of Service and Chattanooga Bar Award. Dr. Skates has served as the Hamilton County Social Studies Textbook Committee chair. Dr. Skates was the first woman elected to the Soddy-Daisy City Commission and also served as vice mayor for the city.
Ivy Academy Executive Director Holly Slater said, “Charter schools are meant to be leaders in education within our state, so it only makes sense that quality board members of a charter school would be selected to serve on this committee.”
Ivy’s Chief Consultant Angie Markum said, “I knew when we sought out Patti to be on the Ivy board, that we would be working with a winner. She displays a level of service to her community that is uncommon. We are grateful for the time she has served here, and we look forward to her influence at the state level.”