Our Kindergarten Naturalists were invited by Dr. Joe and Billie Little (grandparents of Kindergartners James and Caleb Little) to spend the day at Basin Spring, their beautiful haven in Fernvale, Tennessee.
As soon as we arrived, Joe and Billie greeted us and began sharing their love and knowledge of wildflowers. Walking along moss-covered paths, we observed Twisted Trillium, Sweet Betsy Trillium, Spring Beauties, Shooting Stars, Phlox, Phacelia, Green Dragon, Hound's Tongue, Tooth Wort, Yellow Poppies, Jack in the Pulpit, and more.
Dr. Little also showed us a great collection of natural treasures, including an owl skull he had found. He spoke with our Naturalists about the importance of an owl's vision and how that relates to its eye sockets. Fascinating. Next, we all made our way up the creek. As we walked, Dr. Little caught a toad, a frog, a few salamanders, a crayfish, some cased caddis. Clearly, the stream was teeming with all sorts of life right under our feet.
One highlight of the day was the moment Dr. Little thrilled us with one of the best owl calls I have ever heard from a human voice. To hear it with your eyes closed, you would have thought it was the real thing – it was amazing!
Fernvale is truly a magical place, and made for a magical adventure.
Third graders visited Mound Bottom State Archaeological Area for an immersive history lesson and guided site tour that will set the stage for this year's studies in Tennessee history and Native American history.
Middle and High School Art Teacher Emily Holt will be honored with the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools’ Hubert Smothers Excellence in Teaching Award on Monday, November 9 in Memphis.
Middle School and High School Chinese Teacher Josephine Huang has been involved with USN as a volunteer, a parent, and a teacher. Now in her 20th year as a faculty member, Huang's innovative lessons and belief in relationships continue to instill in students a lifelong love of learning.
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.
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.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
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.