Senator Alexander Discusses Education
Senator Lamar Alexander, a former U.S. Secretary of Education, came to the USN auditorium to talk about the future of education.
Senator Alexander began by mentioning the familiar faces he saw in the crowd, including Harvey Sperling, who was USN's director when Lamar and Honey Alexander were USN parents. He also mentioned Cathie Sperling, who taught the Alexanders' son, and at one point said, "I assume Ms. Schneider is still around." She was in the auditorium.
Vince Durnan asked Senator Alexander questions about education, eliciting his opinions on charter schools, which he sees as "cause for optimism." He argued that the most important contributors to a school's success are the parents and the teachers, citing the example of Maryville High School in his home town.
Read the article in The Tennessean about Senator Alexander's visit to USN.
When he was asked what role a school like USN could play in the future of education, Senator Alexander said, "You should train your students to save the world rather than try to save it yourself." Then he listed three ways an independent school could "be part of the solution," as Vince Durnan said.
1. Show the world what an independent school can do and be part of the charter school debate.
2. Become involved in the school board.
3. Help public schools figure out what to do about digital education.
People in the audience asked Senator Aleander's opinions on such topics as teacher tenure, charter schools, the FAFSA form (which the senator had displayed earlier), and standardized tests in college admissions.
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Vince Durnan asked Senator Alexander questions about education, eliciting his opinions on charter schools, which he sees as "cause for optimism." He argued that the most important contributors to a school's success are the parents and the teachers, citing the example of Maryville High School in his home town.
Read the article in The Tennessean about Senator Alexander's visit to USN.
When he was asked what role a school like USN could play in the future of education, Senator Alexander said, "You should train your students to save the world rather than try to save it yourself." Then he listed three ways an independent school could "be part of the solution," as Vince Durnan said.
1. Show the world what an independent school can do and be part of the charter school debate.
2. Become involved in the school board.
3. Help public schools figure out what to do about digital education.
People in the audience asked Senator Aleander's opinions on such topics as teacher tenure, charter schools, the FAFSA form (which the senator had displayed earlier), and standardized tests in college admissions.
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.