A Tennessee Classical Education

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Learning as it Should Be

Do you want a different kind of educational experience for your child? An educational experience that seeks to cultivate the whole human person—body, mind, and heart—to prepare them for a life of moral virtue and intellectual excellence? One that takes advantage of the beauty of nature to engage students in the outdoors? At Skillern Elementary, these things are possible.

The mission of Ivy Academy’s Skillern Elementary is to cultivate the body, mind, and heart of each student through a classical, content-rich education that nurtures moral and civic virtue in an immersive, outdoor environment.

About Us

  • Who can attend?

    Any K-5th student in Hamilton County may attend this FREE public charter school of choice. In the fall 2023 we will offer four sections of kindergarten and two sections each of 1st and 2nd grade. We will grow by one grade level each year.

    Average class size for Kindergarten is 18 students and average class size for 1st-3rd grade is 20 students.

  • Location & Transportation?

    Transportation is always free and buses will be provided that pick up and drop off at county-wide cluster sites. For the 2025-2026 school year, second-fourth grade classes are across the street from Ivy Academy at 8443 Dayton Pike, 37379, where we rent space in portables until our campus is fully complete. Kindergarten and 1st grade classes will be housed in the first of our new buildings on the Rich Campus at the base of the mountain located behind the portables.

  • How to Apply & Cost

    This is a FREE choice option within Hamilton County, Tennessee. There is no cost to residents of our county. The application and lottery process is conducted by Hamilton County Office of School Choice. The application window opens in November and closes in January. If you missed the window for this year, join our mailing list to receive more information about registering for the upcoming year.

  • The teachers and staff at Skillern are the top tier professionals that we have been seeking in a local school! They care not only about the education of children but for the children themselves. My child is treated, loved, and cared for as if he is the only one in the classroom. The experiences provided by Skillern are not ones that you will find in any other school in the area! They teach stewardship that goes beyond common courtesy and help build not only smart children but responsible and respectful members of society.

    1st Grade Parent

  • Skillern approaches education in a holistic way and offers a balance of indoor and outdoor environments which we feel is the ideal match for our son. Our son is flourishing in ways we hadn't even anticipated. The teachers and supporting members of staff are excellent and are all clearly committed to making the school a wonderful and caring environment for learning and growing. The school virtues set clear expectations for the scholars and are woven into every aspect of the school day. Our son takes great pride in demonstrating these virtues both at school and at home.

    Kindergarten Parent

  • Our scholar has grown in his confidence with reading and writing. Skillern has helped equip my child with learning virtues for school and life at home.

    1st Grade Parent

  • I have been consistently blown away by how amazing this school is and how they keep going above and beyond every expectation! My child is learning so much and not only learning didactic knowledge but also how to actually appreciate the earth and how to be a person with good character. My child comes home excited to tell me about the things he has learned and gets excited about the planned activities. My child's teacher has been phenomenal and overall I just can’t say enough good about this school and every teacher or personnel involved!

    Kindergarten Parent

  • We could never say enough about how amazing this school is! My son comes home daily with new knowledge. The way that they incorporate learning being outdoors has been the best thing for him. It keeps his attention and he's not at a desk all day long. He loves attending and every single morning that we arrive he says, "Oh, there's the best school ever!" I totally agree with him! All of the teachers and staff are wonderful! I wish this school had existed when I was his age. Learning would've been a lot more fun!

    Kindergarten Parent

  • I am so very thankful for Skillern. My daughter loves going to school and learning. The teachers and administration are wonderful. It is like a family there and I really don’t have enough words to describe how much we love the school.

    Kindergarten Parent

  • My child has learned so much about every thing! To know that my kid is in the best hands at the best school has been a relief. I truly wish every school would follow the Skillern path. Now that I've seen this elementary school, I couldn't imagine my child sitting behind a desk, in the same classroom, seeing the same thing every day for a whole year. We LOVE every thing about Skillern!

    Kindergarten Parent

Contact Us