From the Director: Life in Full

In the big, beautiful community enterprise of USN, there’s always something happening. Read on for upcoming highlights to help confirm your ”in the know” status, with a special kicker at the end.
Here’s hoping you passed a restful weekend, and here’s hoping that your MLK experience provided time for reflection combined with action. As the holiday grows more and more a part of default calendars, the risk of missing the point only grows. Living in times that broadcast their headlines at blaring volume, in surreal storylines, we need to work harder than ever to remember what’s important.
 
Against that backdrop, a rare moment of quiet at USN ended when we discovered a burst pipe on the ground level of Lower School. And back to action we went, or more correctly my Operations and LS Admin and faculty colleagues went. The good news is that we know what to do, we know whom to call, we have resources in place, and we’ll be back in place by mid-day Tuesday. The bad news is actually quite remarkably not bad — thanks to Herculean efforts by our PE and kindergarten teaching teams, with an extra special effort by Music Teacher Doni Princehorn. Look up “leaning into the tough stuff," and you’ll see their portrait. They find a way.
 
The fact is, in the big, beautiful community enterprise of USN, there’s always something happening. Maybe not the need-Servpro kind of something; but, life comes at us full force, and you could be forgiven for feeling maxed out. It all makes sending this monthly missive feel more and more like tossing a corked bottle in the Cumberland River and hoping someone sees the message downstream.
 
In a sincere act of gratitude for your eyes finding this page, let me mention of few current highlights to help confirm your ”in the know” status, with a special kicker at the end. Did you pencil in our budget discussion meeting in advance of the Board’s meeting next week to set tuition and define what we’ll be able to do for people and programs next year? Are you hip to the fact that it’s Spirit Week at USN, leading to Homecoming basketball games on Friday night, preceded by the one and only time our entire enrollment gathers together (in pep rally mode at 2:30) before the High School Habitat chapter spaghetti supper fundraiser feeds that masses? Did you know that our Middle School actors and singers went en masse to Atlanta this weekend for the Junior Theater Festival, in the company of the best in the nation?
 
And to add one more, specific to today, do you know that Music Night tickets are just about to go on sale? More than two decades in, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s just for us, courtesy of the goodness of the amazing musicians in our midst. This time around we’re celebrating our neighbors just down 19th Avenue at Compass Records — USN mom and dad Alison Brown and Garry West are summoning some of the treasure trove of talent in their orbit to make a quintessentially one night only, Nashville only evening on Sunday, February 16, in the midst of our next three day weekend. Got one more minute, check out samples and read details here.
 
The menu is fit for company, the room is going to be transformed, and a host of volunteers is toiling away already getting ready for you. And if you’ve never heard our faculty house band, Joe Getsi & the K-12 Situation, then you’ve got one important number missing in your Tiger Bingo quest. The opening set will knock you out. Three cheers for being dialed in, for booking your tickets early, and for realizing that it’s worth the investment to stay up to speed.
 
We’ll get back to doing our part and being ready for whatever today brings, which in these times probably makes good sense.
 
Over and out for now,
Vince
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More USN News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Spring sports season ends with podium finishes, trophies

    The girls lacrosse team ended its season in overtime to become state runner-up. Tennis players Carter Kojetin '29 finished as a state quarterfinalist, Sophie Oliver '26 and Mary Kate Adler '28 finished as state semifinalists, and Veer Kodali '29 and Max Parker '29 finished as state champions. Meanwhile, eight runners competed at the state track and field meet in Knoxville, where Griffin Davidson '27, Caleb Freifeld '28, Drew Zwerner '28, and Jack Fruin '27, sprinted to first in the 4x800m relay and Jack also placed first in the 800m dash.
    Read More
  • Interim Director Juliet Douglas roars with laughter as students hold photos of her on sticks during the High School Awards Assembly on Friday, May 8 in Durnan Auditorium.

    USN creates the Juliet Douglas Endowed Fund for Student Success

    For the entire USN community: an invitation to give in gratitude, in celebration, and in honor of the woman who has given so much to our school. Make a gift at usn.org/giving to support students with needs beyond tuition and honor Interim Director Juliet Douglas.
    Read More
  • The team poses for a photo after competing in the Middle School Quiz Bowl National Championships.

    Middle School Quiz Bowl competes at national championship

    The Middle School Quiz Bowl finished off another successful season with a trip to the Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago. The team fought hard and ended the season as a top-100 program in the country, finishing 75th overall. Congratulations to the team on a great performance and to Lucas Lupu ’31, named an All Star for being the fifth-highest scorer nationwide.
    Read More
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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.