Commitment to Civility

by Vince Durnan

Here's the letter I sent to families Wednesday in advance of the new school year. I want to be sure it finds you one way or another. Your commitment to reviewing the weekly Newsletter helps in countless ways. May you never be too busy to do so. I'll keep writing regularly, as in past years, even as we work hard to get other voices audible via this medium.
Greetings from preparation central here on campus. All is in go mode for next week’s resumption of classes and the start of a new school year. Permit me to offer a few observations and requests in advance of our getting together:
 
The summer has felt long, at least to me, with each week offering headlines that left many of us struggling to make sense of events in our nation and our world. Seldom have I been more excited about school starting, in large measure out of a sense that we have so much to do. Our Demonstration School and USN founders and predecessors took their responsibility to society deeply to heart, and they set an example worthy of emulation.
 
What that means, among other things, is that this fall we should be emphatic about our own community commitments at USN and that we are likely to realize that our own standards may exceed those revealed beyond our classrooms here on Edgehill. In that spirit, let me offer a few examples, and in so doing ask for your active support.
 
This fall, given the political circus of the past few months, projects to be a time of historic incivility. Let us resolve to be apolitical in our educational approach and unceasingly determined to treat others with respect and kindness. Let us be countercultural in that regard. Let us commit to helping to raise the children in our midst to be good to one another, as we, in turn, do the same. Let us understand the challenge posed by growing up in these days of vitriol, of widespread mean-spirited rhetoric and frequent utter disregard for telling the truth or working in unison.
 
Connected to that commitment to civility, let us commit to respecting the identity of everyone in the USN community. Looking at our nondiscrimination statement, it occurs to me that each descriptor in its text has been challenged by words and actions we have heard and seen this summer. What seems to so many of us to be common sense is alarmingly less common in current public discourse. We stand, by contrast, in support and celebration of the dignity and importance of each person at USN, young and not so young.
 
Rooted deeply in our combined commitment to appreciating the diversity of backgrounds present in the life of our school is the opportunity to learn from and understand one another. May we each resolve to listen to the perspectives and experiences of those around us, especially when those stories are unfamiliar to us. Could there be a higher calling or a more powerful opportunity to grow and learn? My pledge is to help create chances for that to happen throughout the school year.
 
So those would be my three wishes as we reconvene. Those will be my own aims, and it strikes me as important to be explicit, given the times. Add, if you would, some willingness to listen as we try to address our city’s transit woes by working our acre here, encouraging carpooling, public transport, bikes, and walking where possible. And please resolve to make the most of this precious year together.
 
Thanks for reading, as always. I’ll try to communicate succinctly via a new Twitter feed that is still making me feel like a geezer. But schools should be places to learn, shouldn’t they?
 
Let’s be patient as routines settle in next week, and let’s be persistent in our promise to set the best kind of example for our children.
 
In gratitude, as ever,
Vince
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School News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Get crafty with USN Evening Classes

    There are a variety of USN Evening Classes available this fall to help you create special gifts for yourself and others. These one-night classes are open to the Nashville community and benefit University School of Nashville's need-based scholarship endowment.
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  • Secure your tickets to Artclectic Patrons Party today

    For more than 30 years, Artclectic has been one of Nashville's premier juried art shows, welcoming nationally recognized artists and visitors from across the city to USN's Sperling Gym turned art gallery. The weekend features exceptional artwork, artist demonstrations, student experiences, family activities, and special events that celebrate creativity, with proceeds benefiting USN. Purchase your tickets today.
    Read More

  • Travel grant takes naturalist to Galápagos Islands

    The Helen Meador Summer International Fellowship funded a summer of professional development in South America for Lower School Naturalist Carrie Riley. Through this profound experience, she said she plans to bring these lessons into her teaching, grounding her voice in wonder, joy, and a commitment to protecting the natural world, which she loves.
     
    Read More
Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • HS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
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  • MS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
    Read More

  • MTB Race #2 Report - Rockabilly Ridge Trails, Oakfield, TN

    Steve Smail
    The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.
    Read More

Contact

Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212

Phone:  615-321-8000
Fax:       615-321-0889 
Email:    info@usn.org

River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218

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USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.