When Ivy Knipe returned to Tucson after 11 years in Brooklyn, she brought with her a unique blend of big-city teaching experience and hometown heart. Now, as the English teacher and Exceptional Support coordinator at Edge High School’s Northwest campus, she’s creating magical learning spaces – literally and figuratively – for every student who walks through her door.
From Brooklyn to Tucson
Ivy’s journey to Edge reads like one of the compelling narratives she teaches in her English classes. A Tucson native and University of Arizona graduate, she initially worked in TUSD’s self-contained autism program before heading east to New York City. There, she spent six years at Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School in Brooklyn, where she taught special education English, became department chair, and earned her graduate degree from Relay Graduate School of Education – all while managing to squeeze in some aerial acrobatics and bartending on the side.
“I lived in Brooklyn for about 11 years,” Ivy reflects. “It was a very different culture from Tucson in every way.” When the opportunity arose to return home and join Edge, she jumped at the chance to bring her diverse experiences and passion for helping students to Edge.
Transforming Spaces, Transforming Lives
One of Ivy’s first projects at Edge was reimagining her classroom. Taking over a space that had been home to the same teacher for over a decade, Ivy partnered with fellow ELA teaching assistant Alandra to create something special.
“We really remodeled the classroom. We built a little library – an internal library that we’re still building,” Ivy explained. “You can sit back here with a bean bag chair and stuff and like a little rolly chair. It’s really fun.”
This physical transformation reflects Ivy’s teaching philosophy: create engaging, comfortable spaces where students want to learn. The classroom library makes literature accessible and inviting and gives students agency in their education.
Shakespeare, Contemporary Novels, and Student Choice
While Ivy admits to being “such a dork” about Shakespeare (“When anybody is reading Shakespeare, I’m always really nosy about where they’re at”), her approach to literature is anything but rigid. Edge students can trade out ELA units for literary units, choosing books that interest them from the classroom library or bringing their own selections.
“Students can choose a book from the library or just a book of interest – something that they want to read,” Ivy explains. “As long as it can be used to test the major objectives in that unit, we’ll approve it, which makes it fun because then they have a little bit of agency.”
From The Great Gatsby to Frankenstein (which, fun fact, contains “literally every vocabulary word” from the SAT and ACT), Ivy helps students navigate both classic and contemporary literature. Her goal? To get students reading more and finding joy in the process.
Small Classes, Big Impact
With classes capped at 20 students – and some as small as 8 or 9 – Ivy can provide the individualized attention that makes Edge special. This is particularly crucial for her role supporting students with special needs.
“The one-on-one time is where the teaching really comes in,” she notes. “When students write essays, for example, that’s where they get the most interaction with teachers. The feedback is really interactive, and we can support them with the writing process a lot better.”
Ivy believes writing is “the most important thing” students need when they leave high school, and we are continually inspired by her dedication to helping each student find their voice on the page.
More Than a Teacher
What sets Ivy apart isn’t just her teaching credentials or her creative classroom design – it’s her genuine care for Edge’s unique community. She praises the students for being “genuinely nice kids” who are “accepting and willing to talk to you and be your friend when you get here.”
Outside of school, Ivy continues to push boundaries – literally. She practices aerial acrobatics at Tucson Circus Academy, specifically aerial lyra (hoop). “It’s really like the most fun I’ve ever had,” she says. “It’s kind of like flying.”
She also shares her life with Carl, a rescue dog with the peculiar quirk of freaking out whenever he hears the Happy Birthday song – a reminder that everyone, even our four-legged friends, comes with their own unique story.
Why Edge?
When asked what she’d tell prospective students about Edge, Ivy doesn’t hesitate: “The culture here is very warm. The students here are genuinely nice kids… Everyone here is pretty forgiving and understanding and supportive.”
She emphasizes the flexibility of Edge’s online curriculum, which allows students to control their pacing and potentially “fly through things” if they’re motivated. But most importantly, she highlights the supportive environment where students who’ve had challenges elsewhere can find success.
Building Community, One Student at a Time
As Edge continues its mission of providing alternative education paths for Tucson’s youth, teachers like Ivy Knipe embody what makes the school special. She’s not just teaching English or supporting students with special needs – she’s creating spaces where teenagers can discover their love of learning and know that someone believes in them.
Whether she’s geeking out about Shakespeare, helping a student draft an essay, or simply being present for a kid who needs support, Ivy brings her an enviable combination of expertise, creativity, and genuine care that makes Edge a community where every student can thrive.
About Edge High School
For 30 years, Edge has been serving Tucson youth with a tuition-free, Cognia accredited, high school education. We provide an alternative to traditional education, meeting the diverse learning and life needs of our students with online distance learning, in-person or hybrid classes, and flexible morning or afternoon schedules at two conveniently located campuses. Our high-quality, passionate teachers are dedicated to individualized instruction in our small academic classes. Get to know Edge on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Be you. With us. At Edge.