Coronavirus Preparedness & Health Precautions

The following letter was shared with K-12 parents, faculty, and staff at 4 p.m. Saturday, February 29 regarding the coronavirus COVID-19 and CDC recommendations.
Dear USN families,

We’ve been following the increased intensity of the coronavirus COVID-19 story day by day here at school, maintaining a focus on being prepared for what is inherently a difficult set of circumstances to predict with certainty. We’re following a range of sources, in regular contact with our friends at Vanderbilt University for advisories and Vanderbilt University Medical Center for a better understanding of the basic facts, in addition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health agencies.

On the “what you can do” front, common sense guidelines about preventative practices for seasonal flu certainly apply. Remember it’s always helpful to commit to regular hand washing as well as stay home and consult your family physician when not feeling well. Our Health Room staff share precautions and school sick policies below. The CDC has posted a list of precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

With Spring Break now two weeks away, keep in mind U.S. State Department advisories offer the best real-time guidance if your family has international travel plans and self-quarantine expectations in the highly unlikely event of travel to one of the most affected parts of the globe. We’ve already postponed our summer China trip for that reason and are monitoring updates that could affect the Spain trip. My sense is that we are all exercising an abundance of caution on that front, given the emerging headlines. 

Having just returned from a substantial national conference for schools, I heard innumerable and anxious conversations about plans in the event that we need at some future date to suspend classes on campus for a period of time. While there are no simple solutions for that type of scenario, rest assured that we’ll be ready to provide as much support as possible for our students in response should that be the case.

As children overhear us listening to news reports and discussing current events, our concerns can cause students to fret too. Here is a video that explains the virus to young minds in a way they can easily understand.

For the moment, we’ll continue to listen closely to our medical colleagues, we’ll confirm the well-being of our students as our primary focus, we’ll stay vigilant while we work to keep things in perspective, and we’ll remain available should any questions arise on your end.

Grateful for all the lines of support,
 
 
Vince Durnan
Director

Reminders from the USN Health Room
Please keep students with fever, cough, and respiratory symptoms home until they are 24 hours fever-free (less than 100.4 degrees) or have no signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine and no vomiting or diarrhea. Click here for overviews of treatment and prevention of influenza, strep throat, and the common cold, which we commonly see this time of year.

Basic Hygiene Best Practices 
  • When washing hands: Wet hands. Turn off water. Soap and scrub for 30 to 60 seconds. Rinse well. Dry well.
  • Cough into the sleeve of your elbow or into tissues. If you cough into your hands, wash your hands immediately.
  • Wash with a general household cleaner to remove germs, then rinse with water, then clean surfaces and door handles with EPA approved products designated to kill flu viruses.
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School News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Music Night REMIX tickets go on sale November 16

    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.
    Read More
  • University School of Nashville students Eleanor Mixon '27 and Dylan Omary '27 voted first the first time on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at the Scarritt Bennett.

    Seniors take field trip to cast first ballot

    All 40 eligible University School of Nashville students in the Class of 2037 registered to vote ahead of the voter registration deadline, and Eleanor Mixon '27 and Dylan Omary '27 walked across the street from USN to the Scarritt Bennett Center to cast their first ballots on the final day of early voting.
    Read More

  • The ballot box and beyond: USN Seniors civically engaged

    Students in High School History Teacher Cameron Parsons' Advanced Topics: American Government and Politics Class have been working diligently on civic engagement projects that required them to participate in the democratic process.
    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.
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  • 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.
    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

Resources

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.