Operations staff makes summer upgrades
Over the summer, the Operations staff worked to prepare the Edgehill Campus for the year ahead, beginning with the Back Lawn renovation, installing new carpet in classrooms and the Hassenfeld Library, replacing furniture, painting, updating lighting, improving HVAC systems, updating the Sperling Gym concession area, and replacing a part of the floor in Cheek Gym.
By Kalen Russell, Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
Students will soon enjoy an updated dining services area near Sperling Gym. This area previously used for concessions during basketball and volleyball games will now be used as a grab-and-go food station to offset some of the traffic in the Sperling Cafeteria. The nearby bathroom vanities outside of Sperling Gym & Cafeteria are also being replaced.
The summer’s unexpected project has been repairing the floor in Cheek Gym. When a summer storm unleashed 2 inches of rainfall in July, a sump pump failed. The gym flooded, 20% of the floor to be ruined and had to be replaced. Floor repair is underway, and sanding began this week. The full project is expected to be complete in two to three weeks.
Back
In Wednesday’s Inservice meeting, Director of Operations Erik Mashbegan his Operations for faculty and staff by thanking the Operations team for their work this summer tackling both “challenges that were planned and unplanned.”
Each summer, the Operations staff creates a list of projects to maintain the school’s facilities and improve functionality. Projects are prioritized based on what has been neglected, budgets, and timeline constraints. Once projects are decided, the Operations staff works with the people who will be most impacted to discuss logistics.
Back Lawn renovation is this summer’s priority and has required extensive cross-campus collaboration. Other planned projects included: installing new carpet and updating the furniture in the Hassenfeld Library, replacing the furniture in the Edgehill Lobby, installing carpet in a few classrooms, converting lights to LED light, painting, enhancing the Sperling Concession, and making HVAC updates.
The library’s old carpet was original to the building and had been in place for 20 years. Carefully considering the impact they wanted the space to have on students, the librariansdecided to place darker carpet in the lobby and lighter carpet throughout the rest of the library. Once the new carpet was installed, Hassenfeld librarians envisioned how other components of the space would come together.
Each summer, the Operations staff creates a list of projects to maintain the school’s facilities and improve functionality. Projects are prioritized based on what has been neglected, budgets, and timeline constraints. Once projects are decided, the Operations staff works with the people who will be most impacted to discuss logistics.
Back Lawn renovation is this summer’s priority and has required extensive cross-campus collaboration. Other planned projects included: installing new carpet and updating the furniture in the Hassenfeld Library, replacing the furniture in the Edgehill Lobby, installing carpet in a few classrooms, converting lights to LED light, painting, enhancing the Sperling Concession, and making HVAC updates.
The library’s old carpet was original to the building and had been in place for 20 years. Carefully considering the impact they wanted the space to have on students, the librariansdecided to place darker carpet in the lobby and lighter carpet throughout the rest of the library. Once the new carpet was installed, Hassenfeld librarians envisioned how other components of the space would come together.
“The goal was to create a space that was inviting and warm for students. We’ve rearranged some shelving and seating on the main level so it feels more open for students to hang out and collaborate,” said Library Director Kate Pritchard.
Pritchard said she is excited to see students’ reactions to the library’s new look. She also looks forward to working with teachers to support student development of critical literacy skills. Over the summer, K-12 Director of Experiential Learning Kalee Barbis, worked with students to transform the library’s west mezzanine into a maker space and experiential learning area.
The quieter campus creates ideal conditions for Operations to tackle larger facility updates. This summer a few classrooms received new carpet tiles, which will make upgrading and cleaning the carpet easier and less time intensive. More lights were converted from traditional lights to LEDs which use less energy and provide a more comfortable light. Air handlers have been replaced in the Tibbot Gallery. Heat pumps throughout the art building and library have also been upgraded.
The quieter campus creates ideal conditions for Operations to tackle larger facility updates. This summer a few classrooms received new carpet tiles, which will make upgrading and cleaning the carpet easier and less time intensive. More lights were converted from traditional lights to LEDs which use less energy and provide a more comfortable light. Air handlers have been replaced in the Tibbot Gallery. Heat pumps throughout the art building and library have also been upgraded.
Students will soon enjoy an updated dining services area near Sperling Gym. This area previously used for concessions during basketball and volleyball games will now be used as a grab-and-go food station to offset some of the traffic in the Sperling Cafeteria. The nearby bathroom vanities outside of Sperling Gym & Cafeteria are also being replaced.
The summer’s unexpected project has been repairing the floor in Cheek Gym. When a summer storm unleashed 2 inches of rainfall in July, a sump pump failed. The gym flooded, 20% of the floor to be ruined and had to be replaced. Floor repair is underway, and sanding began this week. The full project is expected to be complete in two to three weeks.
Though the summer included challenges, Facilities Manager Lindsay Barrera said she knows that the work is meaningful.
“There is joy that comes from being a building that functions and is up-to- date, " said Barrera.
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
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Back Lawn transforms with turf field, track
Expect to see an active construction site as students, families, and faculty return to the Edgehill Campus. Progress continues on USN's most anticipated campus improvement of summer 2026.Read More -
Curricular travel opportunities return for the 2026-2027 school year
Read MoreUniversity School of Nashville is excited to announce the return of curricular travel opportunities. Student applications for the 2026-2026 school year will open Friday, August 21, 2026. Additional details, including, financial aid processes, and application timelines, will be shared with families soon.Please contact K-12 Director of Experiential Learning Kalee Barbis with any questions, kbarbis@usn.org. -
Back-to-school Popsicle Party cancelled
Mother Nature is not cooperating for our annual Popsicle Party. Depending on which weather app you use, actual and feels-like temperatures are 98 to 101 and higher. Under these conditions, we would limit student activities, so, in the interest of everyone's health and well-being, we are going to cancell our gathering at the River Campus. There is just not enough shade and certainly no air conditioning to bring relief to hundreds of USN families. Thank you for understanding. We look forward to seeing you in a few days for the start of our new school year.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
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
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.
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.