Meet new MS faculty

New to the Middle School are Fifth Grade English Teacher Kevin Foster, Sixth Grade Science Teacher Selene Willis, Sixth Grade Math Teacher Ella Koehl, and Seventh Grade Science Teacher Lara Webb.
By Joel Bezaire, Interim Head of Middle School

Kevin Foster said he is thrilled to join the USN faculty this year as a Fifth Grade English Teacher. Hailing from a small town in rural Missouri, he has lived in Nashville since 2007. After completing a B.A. in English from Belmont University and an M.Ed. from Lipscomb University, he spent most of the intervening years teaching fifth-grade English in Metro Nashville Public Schools, interspersed with stints at Parnassus Books and, most recently, at home as a primary caregiver to an adventurous toddler. The heart of his practice is a strong classroom community, grounded in student curiosity and the joy of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking.

Sixth Grade Science Teacher Selene Willis joins USN with over 16 years of experience in education, teaching, and leading STEM programs in both public and independent schools. Most recently, she served as Deputy Director of The Ingenuity Project, an advanced STEM program for gifted high school students in Baltimore, Maryland. Willis is passionate about making science active and relevant. She encourages her students to experiment, ask questions, and think critically about the world around them. She even took her love for science teaching beyond the classroom, working with NASA as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, where she helped broaden participation in STEM education nationwide. Willis holds a Ph.D. in Science Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Florida, along with degrees in biochemistry from Virginia Tech and education from Pace University. When she’s not teaching, you’ll probably find her exploring hiking trails near and far, trying out a new baking recipe, or binge-watching science fiction shows. Willis said she is thrilled to join the USN community and can’t wait to meet her new students and families.

Sixth Grade Math Teacher Ella Koehl was born and raised in Northern Virginia and is the eldest of four girls. She graduated from the University of Tennessee and moved to Nashville in 2020, where she began her teaching career in Metro Nashville Public Schools. For the past five years, Koehl has had the privilege of teaching sixth-grade math in MNPS and said she has loved building meaningful relationships with her students and their families. Outside of school, Koehl enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, spending time with her two dogs, and exploring Nashville’s restaurant scene as a dedicated vegetarian foodie. Koehl said she is truly looking forward to becoming a part of the USN community and supporting the success of our students.

Seventh Grade Science Teacher Lara Webb said she is excited to return to the classroom at USN. She started her career at USN teaching third grade. During her time out of the classroom, she facilitated professional development, worked with preservice teachers, and taught for SAVY at Vanderbilt University. Most recently, she was a science curriculum developer at Great Minds. She has three boys, ages 16, 12, and 8, who keep her and her husband busy with school activities, band, and baseball. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and friends and read.

Also announced in the spring, Joel Bezaire is Interim Head of Middle School, and Brittany Iams is Interim Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics. John Kleiner steps into the newly created role of Middle School Dean of Student Life.

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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.