Director of Safety, Security announced

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.
By Juanita I.C. Traughber, Director of Marketing & Communications

Director Amani Reed has named Aerin Washington to serve as USN’s Director of Safety and Security. In this role, she will develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive physical security plan and school safety program specific to USN and its needs as an urban campus. She also will coordinate safety-related inservice training for faculty and staff, organize age-specific safety education programs for students, and ensure USN’s compliance with local and state regulations regarding school safety.

As a Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission-certified individual, Washington will work directly with Vanderbilt University Public Safety and USN’s other external security professionals as well as supervise Vanderbilt University Police Department Officers and Community Service Officers working on USN’s Edgehill and River Campuses. Her addition to USN’s Administrative Team is part of the growing relationship between the K-12 school and its former parent institution, as USN remains an independent school governed by a Board of Trustees yet looks to external partners and consultants for their expertise in areas outside of education.

A top priority Washington’s first weeks in her office, the first floor former COVID Room, will be updating the school’s standard operating procedures for crisis prevention and response as well as overseeing visitor management for daily school operations and special events.

Washington will join USN in September from Michigan State University’s Department of Police and Public Safety where she serves as the Inspector of Professional Accountability and the Clery Liaison. There she managed the university’s accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. She previously served the University of Utah as the Director of Campus Security and
Compliance where she oversaw a non-sworn campus security program and contractors. She also worked as the Crime Prevention Officer, Accreditation Manager, and Clery Compliance Officer at Tennessee State University. Her background includes a variety of public safety roles, including hospital security, corrections, crime prevention, and community outreach programs. Washington, who comes from a family of law enforcement administrators, holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Grambling State University and a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

She is a former USN parent and enjoys attending festivals and events, including the Cherry Blossom Festival, Musicians Corner, and Movies in the Park, with her two children.
Back

School News

List of 3 news stories.

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.
     
    Read More
  • 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
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.