UTC, district expand their partnership
Institute of Teaching and Learning established
Hamilton County high schoolers can now explore careers as school psychologists or physical education teachers through the expansion of a future ready institute at Tyner Academy.
The UTC Institute of Teaching and Learning at Tyner Academy launched in 2018 as a partnership between Hamilton County Schools and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and largely focused on preparing students to become secondary teachers. Through a continuation of the partnership, the program will expand to provide students opportunities to also explore other education-related careers beyond teaching.
“What we’re most excited about is expanding the opportunities, not just for teachers, but thinking about social workers, school psychologists and all the other roles that we know we need in schools and, right now, are really hard to staff,” Superintendent Justin Robertson said in an interview. “So creating an early pipeline for those professions is exciting.”
School district and UTC officials signed a contract Wednesday to extend the university’s sponsorship of the institute. Each year, UTC will support the program through in-kind staff service or an up to $50,000 donation.
“They say if you want to change the world, be a teacher,” UTC Chancellor Steve Angle said during the contract signing ceremony. “Some of us are doing it in higher ed, some of us in K-12, but it’s about that pipeline and getting young people inspired, and so this is such an important opportunity for students.”
Students in the institute participate in work-based learning opportunities, and Tyner Academy Principal Tiffany Earvin highlighted the work students in the program are doing to serve other students by tutoring at Bess T. Shepherd Elementary and Harrison Elementary.
“They’re working in classrooms,” Earvin said during the ceremony. “They’re teaching lessons of various types — just to make sure they’re pouring back into their own communities. … It is critical for us to make sure our younger students can also see the importance of teachers, not just teachers that are certified currently, but the ones that are leaving their own classrooms and coming back to work-based learning programs to provide access and opportunities for our younger students.”
The UTC Institute of Teaching and Learning is one of four future ready institutes offered at Tyner Academy. Across Hamilton County, there are roughly 30 future ready institutes, which aim to embed small
at Matheny’s Lincoln Street home, according to a departmental news release. Officers found Matheny dead when they arrived.
“Our hearts go out to his family, friends and constituents during this difficult time,” the department said in the release. “Mayor Matheny dedicated his life to serving our community, both as a successful businessman, farmer and as a committed public servant. His leadership and dedication will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
Matheny was a member of the Tennessee House from 2003 to 2012, according to the Tennessee General Assembly’s website. He was speaker pro tempore in 2011 and 2012. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Tennessee Army National Guard.
Dennis Hunt, Coffee County commissioner, said during the news conference he had been elected chair pro tem during the county legislative body’s last meeting and under state law will serve as county mayor in Matheny’s place. County Election Commission officials said the county mayor’s seat will be on the August general election ballot, and Hunt will serve until then.
Hunt was emotional talking about Matheny’s death.
“Judd Matheny once told me Coffee County government in the absence of the mayor could run on autopilot,” Hunt said, “and that will be proved in the next few weeks.”
At the news conference, Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin described Matheny as a “true friend of our county and our citizens,” and a “champion of law enforcement not only in our county but our state.”
Northcott warned against spreading speculation and rumors about Matheny’s death and said the results of the autopsy and TBI investigation will be made public “at the appropriate time.”