From the Director: The Daily Tension

by Vince Durnan, director

As we at school try to strike the right balance between current events and our educational purpose, please make time for kitchen table conversations and active expressions of civic engagement.
We're conscious of news breaking all around as each new school day begins. The question of when to change plans, of how much to divert from regular, familiar routines is particularly top of mind for me and for colleagues at USN.
 
Maybe first on the list is the question of our place in the national conversation about community safety and gun policy. I'm actually typing this message from the National Association of Independent Schools conference in Atlanta, where that topic is gobbling up conversation time in every meeting I attend — with no consensus opinion other than the importance of supporting young people motivated in this moment. USN students have been asking about the right approach to next week's walkout, or about attending the Washington, D.C. rally during Spring Break, and we're listening closely in Middle and High Schools. I've been impressed by their thoughtfulness.
 
Meanwhile, the Contemporary Civics class I'm lucky enough to convene has more to talk about than we ever imagined two months ago, even though we knew we'd be busy with transit and housing and healthcare and finance questions of lasting importance for our city. There's such value in their developing a knowledge base about fundamental policy questions for a metropolitan area, and yet it feels wrong to miss the chance to work from one headline to the next in the trying times for Nashville.
 
And just this Tuesday, while Minnijean Brown-Trickey returned to campus for what we think is the 16th year to share recollections as a member of the Little Rock Nine, with fifth graders who read "Warriors Don't Cry," another guest arrived. Heather Warren '77, University of Virginia professor and Rhodes Scholar, offered a lunch and learn about what really happened last summer in Charlotteville — and on pretty short notice. But how could we say no? Listening to Heather provided an eerie echo of what Minnijean recalled, a reminder to know our history and see its relevance.
 
Friday, March 9, we'll celebrate the beautiful variety of cultural backgrounds represented by USN families,  as we gather for the annual International Fair to break bread in many of its iterations. With the debates about trade wars and nuclear security and Olympic diplomacy, highlighting the benefit of people learning from difference strikes me as a  particularly important message to reinforce. Making time to gather in that way is actually a pretty topical thing to do in this geopolitical climate.
 
There's an old saying about not letting school get in the way of your education. Maybe it's better to think about the way education, more broadly defined, is at the core of the best kind of school experience, amidst classes and credits and curricula. We are, most certainly, a kind of sanctuary for children (and for many adults), called on to strike the right balance between current events and permanent purpose. But we can't live in isolation. Please join us in the effort by making time for kitchen table conversations and for active expressions of civic engagement, as you strive to keep the news cycle in perspective. Let's set that example for the young people in our care in anxious times.
 
That's enough for now,
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School News

List of 3 news stories.

  • 'They're creepy, they're kooky,' they're on stage at USN

    USN Peabody Players present "The Addams Family: School Edition" on Thursday, November 19 through Sunday, November 22 in Durnan Auditorium. Click here for tickets. This musical is appropriate for K-12 audiences.
    Read More

  • Music Night REMIX tickets on sale

    Join USNA on Saturday, January 30, for all the nostalgia, none of the teenage drama. This adult-only concert will feature USN's faculty house band, The K-12 Situation, with proceeds benefiting the school. Click here for tickets.
    Read More

  • Diplomacy wins for USN at Model UN

    High School students traveled to Murfreesboro last weekend for the Model UN conference last weekend, which provided opportunities for leadership and collaboration across grade levels. They had the highest number of resolutions per capita in the General Assembly, had the highest-ranking resolution presented to any committee, and earned awards for Outstanding Statesperson & Outstanding Resolution.
    Read More
Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on “Electric" State Champs Trails, Dehner Snags Overall Podium Medal

    Steve Smail & MTB Team Coaches
    With trail names like Megawatt, Electric Avenue, High Voltage and Livewire, the mountain bike team knew it was time to pedal out some extra watts for their NICA/TICL State Championships at Raccoon Mountain, and survive the technical trails above Chattanooga full of boulder gardens, rock drops and sandy rubble.
    Read More

  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on Winged Deer Trails, HS Makes Podium Appearance

    Steve Smail
    Winged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and speed which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season.
     
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  • 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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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.