News

Jacob Rothman '23 nominated Josephine Huang-Yeh, who has taught Chinese at USN for 16 years.

December is full of happenings sure to delight in the Lower School section of the Hassenfeld Library.

Twenty-eight students, faculty, and administrators represented University School of Nashville at the National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference and the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

The catalog for this season's USN Evening Classes is available at eveningclasses.org. Registration will open at 9 a.m. Tuesday, December 12.

There may not be any snow outside, but inside the Hassenfeld Library, snow will be everywhere with your help. Make snowflakes at home and bring them to school to decorate library windows.

Librarians will observe National Crossword Puzzle Day and National Sock Day in December as they reinvigorate their student outreach with fun programming tied to specific days.

Following Thanksgiving Break, all exterior doors will remain locked when school is in session — as per state law (Tennessee Code § 49-6-817). All families, vendors, and other guests must ring the doorbell at the 19th Avenue entrance and present an ID to enter USN. We also will welcome Sgt. Anthony Jones and Cpl. Robert Gibson as School Resource Officers patrolling the Edgehill Campus and the River Campus.

Join our athletic booster known as Tiger Club for access to this season's basketball, swimming, and hockey games and to support all teams at USN. Membership is $100/year per household and can be purchased here. Tiger Club helps pay for upgrades to our athletic facilities, coordinates concessions sales, and sponsors sports recognition evenings. And save these dates:
- Friday, December 8 for Spirit Night
- the week of January 9-12, 2024 for Homecoming

The Artclectic 2023 chairs recruited talented committee volunteers, selected participating artists, solicited sponsors, planned parties, and ensured that there was something for everyone at our annual art show. The result: in its 27-year history, only two shows resulted in more sales than Artclectic 2023.

Join the USN community for Spirit Night on Friday, December 8 in Sperling Gym. High School basketball games begin at 3:30 p.m. The last tipoff is at 7:45 p.m. There will be fun activities for all ages during the games.

Join USN's Peabody Players on the yellow brick road. Tickets are on sale for "The Wizard of OZ" in the Durnan Auditorium through Sunday, November 19.

University School of Nashville's annual art show continues with ARTbash for adults from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, October 20 and ends Saturday, October 21 with Discovery Day, a family-friendly day with craft activities for children and food options complimentary and for purchase.

Join USN's Art Department as it celebrates the opening of mikewindy's collection, "Where All The Things I Forgot Go," in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center Art Gallery on Thursday, November 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. His exhibit will feature an interactive public rubber stamp station created in collaboration with Middle School students from Art Teacher Andy King's drawing class.

USN harriers had their best performances at the state championships on Thursday, November 2, only thwarted by strong teams ahead of them.

University School of Nashville is partnered with the Malone Schools Online Network to offer students a variety of academically challenging courses beyond what is available to them on campus.

The eighth grader, who plays piano, auditioned with over 110 students and was one of the 44 students selected to join two 22-piece big band jazz performance ensembles.

Our Middle School Quiz Bowl will send two teams to the Middle School National Championship in May following qualifying finishes at the 12th Annual Gallatin Middle School Fall Invitational.

Read about how faculty integrate technology into academics during Digital Citizenship Week, October 16 to October 20.

Director of Enrollment Scott Collins and Director of Marketing & Communications Juanita Traughber are featured in The Nashville Ledger front page article, “But can we afford it? Financial assistance is available for private schools; securing it can be hard.” The article published Friday, October 6 covers our robust financial aid efforts to make USN socioeconomically diverse. This year’s budget is $4.3 million, assisting one in five students.

During this event, prospective families can tour the Edgehill Campus and speak with students, faculty, and administrators to learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. You can help share the word about our school by picking up a yard sign from the Office of Enrollment Management (previously the Admissions Office). Also, share our new nine-part video series with prospective families.

Max Haber ’31 was surprised to discover a question he submitted to “Mystery Science” as a fourth grader during the 2022-2023 school year received an answer in October from Guide Esther Ikoro. Watch Max’s appearance with Tiger spirit as he asks, “Who invented the high five?”

Chess Club members from High, Middle, and Lower Schools receive notable placements following the 2023 Lipscomb Academy Nashville City Qualifier Tournament on Saturday, September 23.

The Nashville-based bestselling author spoke in Durnan Auditorium on Tuesday, September 26 and challenged the Nashville community to use his lessons from the bench to ignite change.

In September, Director Amani Reed shared three changes on the Administrative Team with the University School of Nashville community.

Have a spooktacular design in mind for a pumpkin book character? Decorate an artificial pumpkin and bring it to school by Friday, November 3 to be displayed in the Hassenfeld Library's pumpkin patch.

University School of Nashville’s annual book sale Fall Book Frenzy is open to the public 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, September 30.

Author Mikki Brammer read an excerpt from her book, “The Collective Regrets of Clover: A Novel” and discussed the writing process with High School faculty, staff, and students.

Business Office Manager Sarah Dey, Assistant Director of Annual Giving Justin Gung, and Special Gifts & Donor Relations Director Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt '02, and Middle School Athletic Trainer Anna Unnasch joined USN after the start of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Fall Book Frenzy preparations are underway with the collection of pre-loved books, puzzles, and games. Tuesday, September 26 is Author Night, a lively evening with Tyler Merritt, author of the best-selling book “I Take My Coffee Black.” The book sale takes place in Cheek Gym from Thursday, September 28 through Saturday, September 30. It benefits the Hassenfeld Library and USN’s K-12 need-based scholarship program and allows local nonprofits and public school teachers to refresh their bookshelves at little to no cost.

Facilitated by members of PFLAG Nashville, this information session introduces High School parents to the essentials of teen LGBTQ+ health and well-being at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 20 in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.

The independent school earned several awards from the National School Public Relations Association and Public Relations Society of America for the summer 2022 campaign to introduce Director Amani Reed as the new head of school.

The artwork of Victoria White '26 and Jessica Penilton '24 is in Cheekwood Estate & Gardens' Frist Learning Center Great Hall.

USNA is thrilled to announce Tyler Merritt has agreed to be our celebrated author for Fall Book Frenzy 2023 Author Night on Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. in Durnan Auditorium. Tickets may be purchased for $20 here.

Tiger Arts Patrons and Student Theatre Guild hosted a beautiful evening promoting USN artists and performances for the 2023-2024 school year on Friday, August 25 in the Durnan Auditorium.

Painter Melodie Provenzano’s “Seeing Oneself in Others II” art collection will be on exhibit from Tuesday, September 5 through Friday, September 29 in the Tibbott Gallery.

Students shared their generosity with a North Nashville nonprofit promoting arts & music and through book donations.

University School of Nashville invites all public, private, and charter high school students and their families to meet admissions officers from historically Black colleges & universities and "The Guide to College for Black Families" authors Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown.

Capt. Aerin Washington, a commissioned law enforcement officer with extensive experience in higher education, will return to University School of Nashville as an administrator overseeing the K-12 school’s comprehensive physical security plan.

High School World Languages Teacher Waldir Sepulveda and High School History Teacher Anna Stern recall their recent travels funded by USN’s Helen Meador Summer International Travel Fellowship to enhance their curriculum and teaching.

Several student-athletes were mentioned in local news in June and July. Congratulations to Alima Kassim ’24, Ainsley Moore '24, Kate Vaugh ’24, Ryder Ortner ’26, and Anna Hulan '25.

USN is full of readers, and we want to showcase them in the Hassenfeld Library. Please send pictures of USN students, faculty, and staff reading to MS/HS Instructional Librarian Courtney Brown.

Consider joining Tiger Club, our athletic booster club for access to games year-round and to support all teams at USN. Tiger Club helps pay for upgrades to our athletic facilities, coordinates concessions sales, and sponsors sports recognition evenings.

UNISON Dance, University School of Nashville's Middle School and High School dance company, will present a celebration of dance, freedom, and form on Thursday, April 27. All USN students and families are welcome to attend the free performance.

Join Middle School thespians May 10-12 as they bring Michael Slade's "And A Child Shall Lead" to Durnan Auditorium.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Little Shop of Horrors" on 13 Spotlight Awards nominations and to Henry Gatto '25 for winning a Special Recognition Award for puppet manipulation.

Tiger Arts Patrons would like to thank all of the students, faculty, parents, and volunteers who helped make TAPstravaganza a resounding success on Saturday, April 29. View photos from the spectacular event here.

The Arts Department held a gallery opening featuring students' spring work and awarded Jaimie List '23 with the Bridget Chérie Harper Artist Scholarship on Tuesday, May 9.

- Baseball
- Boys Lacrosse

Middle School student-athletes enjoyed a spring sports recognition night on Monday, May 1. Continue reading to discover the athletes recognized.

Congratulations to Maya Arsovski '30, Leela Jain '30, Kavya Shah '30, Ike Tift '30, and Avery Weinman '30.

The English Department and Hassenfeld librarians share their summer reading lists for rising grades K-12 and AP courses. View their suggestions at usn.org/reading.

Spring weather in Tennessee is infamously unpredictable; be ready for cool mornings and warm afternoons with the versatility of a fleece, zip-up hoodie available for purchase now at the USN Bookstore.

Celebrate School Library Month by learning more about the incredible team that makes Hassenfeld Library a popular gathering and programming space for the entire school community.

Rising fifth through eighth grade students interested in learning about the technical side of theater are welcome to join Middle School & High School Theater Director Jim Manning in bringing Matilda's world to life ahead of the August 2023 Middle School musical.

Congratulations to Els Shepard '23, Sarah Page-McCaw '24, Devon Brown '25, and Amelie Soslow '25 on receiving national honors for their creative writing.

Join Middle School and High School Show Choir performers as they present a spring concert on Thursday, April 20.

Save the date for Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. when Tiger Arts Patrons will roll out the red carpet for TAPstravaganza. Advanced registration opens Monday, April 10.

All K-12 families are invited to celebrate the arts at USN with TAPstravaganza 2023. Reserve your seats now.

One of the best parts of working in education is learning from the students, as often happens with the bulletin board displays that different student groups create. Read on to find out who High School's Feminism Club taught us about for Women’s History Month this year and how you can keep learning about women’s history once March is over.

Show your support for spring student-athletes during this festive day at the River Campus. There's a way for everyone to get involved and join in on the fun.

Juniors and seniors enrolled in Spanish Topics: Cultura welcomed Vanderbilt University Associate Professor of History Celso Thomas Castilho in their exploration of cultures in the Spanish-speaking world through soccer.

In light of the tragedy at The Covenant School this week, USN High School students have postponed this annual celebration of cultures and countries. Once students decide, we will follow up with a rescheduled date.

Spend a fun-filled day at the River Campus and cheer on the Tigers during Sports of All Sorts on Saturday, March 25. Events will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with fun for all ages, including a kickball game for our youngest students and softball game for our oldest students.

During a signing ceremony on Monday, February 13, three members of the Class of 2023 signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. Owen Block '23 and Townsend Stevenson '23 will both play baseball at Washington University in St. Louis. Meanwhile, Collin France '23 will play basketball at Vassar College. View photos from the signing celebration in the album here.

Black History Month may be drawing to a close, but you can read great books by Black authors all year long. Continue reading for some highlights from our library collection.

While the team's historic season ended short of the Hine Cup, three student-athletes were named the 2023 All-Star Gnash High School Varsity Team — Jordin Palmeri '23, Ryan Barrett '24, and Nick Venable '24.

Spring athletics season are underway at 2000 Edgehill. Continue reading for a look at how USN student-athletes are off to a strong start in a few sports.

After School and High School's Black Student Union are teaming up to host a Black History Month celebration on Friday, February 24 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. in the Sperling Center. All University School of Nashville students and families are invited to enjoy this event featuring food from Black-owned restaurants, performances, and activities.

Congratulations to the student-athletes on the High School swimming team. The girls team brought home a state trophy and eviscerated USN's records board. Continue reading for full recap from the state meet.

High School Ultimate Frisbee student-athletes played well in the annual home tournament held February 25-26.

Support the HS hockey team on Monday, February 27 in a winner takes all final match of the season. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m. at Ford Ice Center in Bellevue.

University School of Nashville baseball player Grant Reilly '24 was recently selected to the 2023 National Athletic Advisory Council.

Students welcomed guests from all over campus into their classrooms as they learned about the structure of picture books, developed independent thinking skills, and voted on their favorite illustrations.

Students, faculty, families, and community members are invited to attend an Evening of Poetry with Roberson on Monday, February 13 at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; registration is required here.

Fresh off the excitement of Homecoming Week, Lower School students and families can keep the school-spirited fun going by attending Lower School Spirit Night on Friday, January 27. Plan to make an evening of it. There will be plenty of options for everyone and lots of basketball.

Support fellow Tigers by joining us for remaining Homecoming festivities.

Friday, January 20
- USN Spirit Day: Take your school spirit to the next level by putting on all your Columbia blue and garnet garb.
- 2 p.m. Pep Rally in Sperling Gym (for students, faculty, and staff only)
- 4:30 p.m. Junior Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Grace Christian Academy in Sperling Gym
- 5 to 7 p.m. Habitat Spaghetti Supper in Sperling Cafeteria (families welcome)
- 6 p.m. Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Grace Christian Academy in Sperling Gym
- 7:30 p.m. Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Grace Christian Academy in Sperling Gym
- 8 p.m. HS Ice Hockey vs. Tennessee Outlaws at Centennial Sportsplex

Join us in welcoming Jordan Faimon to University School of Nashville as the Athletics Department’s first-ever, full-time athletic trainer.

Fourth grade activists raised $400 with holiday card sale.