News

Get your holiday shopping done early at the USN Spirit Store, where everything is 20% off.

USN's Middle School Quiz Bowl Team hosted the third annual Welcome to Quiz Bowl tournament at the school, as students continue a strong start to the season.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025 inductees of the USN Cum Laude Society: Lucy Elisabeth Callen, Collin Hamilton Chan, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay, Tessa Chomsky, Penelope Kathleen Graham, Daniel Guo, Anna Hulan, Caroline Alice Keiper, Kareena Banerjee Kloek, Stella Olivia Liebeskind, Lillian Brantley Martin, Margaret Woods McKay, Eleanor Igo Molvig, Joshua Hans Muellenbach, Rhea Nachnani, Elizabeth Seabury Nichols, Rohan Ramachandran, Elena Rothman, Bronson Royce Schmidt, Saul Sharfstein, Amelie Cormier Soslow, and Katherine Adriane Tong.

The most decorated swimmer in PDS/USN school history will join University of Michigan Women’s Swimming. Click here to see photos from her signing ceremony on Monday, November 4.

Liv O'Hara '25 (All-State) and Madeleine Wiseman '27 finished top-20 at the cross country state championship, and the boys team — led by a top-10 finish by Drew Zwerner '28 — finished second in the state.

Tickets are now on sale for "The Drowsy Chaperone." The show will run from Thursday, November 21 through Sunday, November 24.

This year's art show featured 56 juried artists. Artclectic 2024 leaders expect $50K will benefit our endowment for innovative teaching after gross sales reaching $333K, of which the school will take $99K. Take a look at photos from Artclectic here.

Join the USN Habitat for Humanity Club at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 16 for the 15th Annual Discount Tire Habitat for Humanity 5K at the River Campus. There also is a 1.5-mile fun run for young harriers. Register here.

Join us in welcoming Alumni Director Christina Evans, School Nurse Katelyn Love, 19th Avenue Receptionist Tiara Horton, and Controller Holly Poff to USN.

Read on for parking details and other instructions for Parents' Day at 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 25 and Grandparents' & Special Friends’ Day at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 26. If a grandparent or special friend is disabled and needs floor seating, please email Lower School Administrative Assistant Annie Stewart to reserve chair seating. Able-bodied guests sit in bleachers.

This year’s guest lecturer was John Sides, Ph.D. who presented on reducing political polarization ahead of this year’s elections. The Buhl Lecture Series honors the intellectual legacy of the late teacher Arthur H. “Mike” Buhl aims to foster meaningful discourse among High School students.

USN is dedicated to fostering an informed and engaged citizenry through education about American elections. Our approach to teaching about elections is guided by research-based best practices and an awareness of students' developmental readiness and interests at each grade and division level. Click here to see a resource guide developed by faculty members who worked together this summer to design a plan for incorporating this year’s presidential election into the curriculum in each division.

USN debaters joined competitors from 35 schools at a tournament hosted by Westminster Schools. Congratulations to Eesha Nachnani '28 and Madeline Shinohara '28, who earned a co-championship in the 40-team novice division.

At a recent tournament, all four USN teams came home with a trophy and won their final matchs en route to a tournament win. Matthew Golann '29, Asher Huffman '29, Lucas Lupu '31, and Vihaan Sinha '29 were crowned the champions. Clio Cherry-Pulay '29, Elliot George '29, Harper Hughey '29, and Oren Schwartz '29 came home with the seventh-place trophy. Rose Doyle '30, James Keiper '31, Neel Sinha '31, and Claire Yu '30 won the "Bronze Division" of the tournament. Anna Brook '30, Katie Jane Bruehl '30, Reya Roy '30, and Townes Van Zandt '30 earned a first-round bye in the "Copper Division."

Join us for an artist reception for DaShawn Lewis' latest photography series, "Reflections," from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, in USN's Tibbott Gallery.

Young scientists in Third Grade Teacher Barbara Voehler’s class have been discovering the fascinating principles of friction and how they impact our everyday lives.

Registration is open for USN Evening Classes' curated collection of holiday-themed classes guaranteed to make your holiday season even more beautiful, delicious, and fun. Visit eveningclasses.org to view and register for the full collection of one-night classes.

Congratulations to National Merit commended students Devon Brown, Juno Callen, Penelope Graham, Stewart Hall, Erin Joyce, Ellie Klein, Stella Liebeskind, Lilly Martin, Joshua Muellenbach, and Amelie Soslow. They join 11 other seniors previously recognized as Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

During Fall Book Frenzy, USN's annual used book and media sale, outstanding volunteers created an exciting and fun opportunity to connect the school and the greater Nashville community with thousands of books. Click here to see photos.

Learn about the origins of Indigenous Peoples Day and how USN students are marking the occasion. Click here to help us recognize the many holidays and cultural observances celebrated within the USN community.

Artclectic is a three-day art show that benefits USN's Endowment for Innovating Teaching. Tara Goldberg, Grace Hu, and Felicia Tibbs are coordinating Artclectic 2024, taking place Thursday, October 17 through Saturday, October 19 in Sperling Gym.

The National Merit Scholarship Program honors seniors whose PSAT scores show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations to seniors Collin Chan, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay, Daniel Guo, Caroline Keiper, Alex Lara, Sam Luffman, Eliza Nichols, Rohan Ramachandran, Ellie Rothman, Saul Sharfstein, and Kati Tong for this honor.

University School of Nashville welcomes prospective families to tour the Edgehill Campus, speak with students, faculty, and administrators, and learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. for Middle & High Schools and 1 p.m. for Lower School. Current USN families can help share the word about our school by picking up a yard sign from the Admissions Office. 

Early bird ticket prices for Artclectic's Patrons Party end on Monday, October 6th. The Patrons Party is the first opportunity to view the stunning artwork available for sale at Artclectic, which benefits the endowment for innovative teaching. Click here to purchase tickets. 

Putting their hacking skills to the test, Rohan Ramachandran ‘25 and Collin Chan ‘25 hosted at USN the first hackathon in Nashville for high school students across the city.

Michael Mucker, whose exhibition "The Unrefined Collection" is on display in the Tibbott Gallery through Friday, September 27, spoke with High School art students about the inspiration and ingenuity behind his latest works.

While students were away this summer, faculty & staff received accolades, earned achievements, and accomplished professional and personal milestones.

The USN Student Theatre Guild's Kickoff Cabaret and musical reveal will take place 5-7 p.m. Friday, September 6 in Durnan Auditorium.

Frenzy your way: University School of Nashville’s annual book sale begins 12 p.m. Thursday, September 26 for the USN community only and is open to the greater Nashville community from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, September 28.

USN Director of College Counseling Aaron Fulk sat down with The Tennessean to discuss the changing landscape of college admissions and preview Nashville's HBCU Fair at USN, which will take place 2-4 p.m. Saturday, August 24.

Fifth Grade Social Studies Teacher Connie Fink was named National Teacher of the Week in the latest issue of The Week Junior.

Twenty-eight students earned the highest score of 5 on the Advanced Placement exam. In this challenging class, HS Math Teacher Justin Fitzpatrick teaches two semesters of college-level calculus in less than two semesters of High School.

The Helen Meador Summer International Travel Fellowship funded a summer of professional development for Middle School Learning Coordinator Anna Claire McKay and High School Science Department Chair Anne Dervan.

Join us in welcoming to the High School Math and Science Teacher Alex Wankowicz, Math Teacher Sarah Helms, Ceramics Teacher Natalie Thedford, Science Teacher Eric Royer, French Teacher Morgan Miense, History Teacher Ayesha Nawaz, English Teacher Phillip Bandy, and Head of High School Chai Reddy.

Join us in welcoming Eighth Grade Social Studies Teacher Christina Milon, Eighth Grade Math Teacher Clair Green, and Spanish Teacher Cecilia Cámara. Longterm substitutes Dorlisa Dismuke and  Laura Rodriguez again return to USN, and Joel Bezaire has moved into the role of Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics.

Join us in welcoming Kindergarten Teacher Megan Collins, First Grade Teacher Beth Terwilliger,  Third Grade Teacher Ansley Adams, Third Grade Teacher Ellie Blue, Fourth Grade Teacher Jessica Rosenthal, and Head of Lower School Kristian Noden. Bovender Faculty Chair Kyleen Shyer also has moved up from third to fourth grade.

Among the new faces you will soon see in hallways, offices, buses, and sports facilities are Human Resources Director Shell Phelps, Aquatics Coordinator Brent Crosby, Bus Driver and Operations Staff Ashtun M. Rayburn, Chief Financial Officer Alex Heiberger, Admissions Coordinator Arden Snead, Bus Drivers Alanda Thompson and Kenya Jones, River Campus Grounds Assistant Cody Gooch, and Utility Staff Brody Sherrod.

The booster club Tiger Arts Patrons contributes additional funding to visual and performing arts at University School of Nashville while providing supporters with free admission to most music, dance, and theater performances. Register for annual TAP membership here for $100.

Consider joining Tiger Club, USN's athletic booster club. Tiger Club helps pay for upgrades to our athletic facilities, coordinates concessions sales, and sponsors sports recognition evenings. Membership consists of three level options: $100, $250, and $500. Each level includes a family pass to most sporting events and exclusive Tiger Club spirit gear.

Administrators, students, and families will gather 7-11 a.m. Saturday, August 3 for annual maintenance of USN's 33-year-old wooden playground. Click here to register to help spread a thick layer of mulch, remove splinters removal, and sand the wooden structure.

The English Department and Hassenfeld librarians share their summer reading lists for rising grades K-12 and AP courses. View their suggestions at usn.org/reading.

University School of Nashville’s free academic enrichment program includes daily swim lessons and studies in math, reading, science, and writing to reduce summer learning loss among 125 scholars.

Seniors turned their tassels and graduated from University School of Nashville on Sunday, May 19 on the Back Lawn. Visit usn.org/classof2024 for more highlights from their last year on Edgehill and to learn what they will do next.

It is common to have five or more University School of Nashville student-athletes sign college athletic commitment letters each year. USN has 22 alumni participating in their chosen sport at the collegiate level from the Classes of 2020 through 2024. Continue reading to learn more about where Tigers are competing beyond Edgehill.

The girls track and field team finished its season as state runner-up, while the boys team placed 15th out of 27 teams. The boys soccer team made the state final four for the third straight season. And boys and girls tennis team competed at their state tournaments with the girls advancing to the state quarterfinals.

University School of Nashville invites all public, private, and charter high school students and their families to meet admissions officers from historically Black colleges & universities and "The Guide to College for Black Families" authors Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown. Register at usn.org/HBCUfair.

USN Summer Camps will run Monday, June 3 through Friday, July 12. Because we move hundreds of campers and cars through a tight space, we have altered the drop-off and pick-up routines. Drivers must use Grand Avenue to reach USN and may either drive through USN's 19th Avenue lot to drop off campers or use short-term parking in Vanderbilt University lot 111.

Eesha Nachnani ’28 is studying how AI responds to cardiology scenarios and how to improve software. She has been selected as a U.S. Agency for International Development Science Champion for her presentation at the Middle Tennessee Science and Engineering Fair. 

Convocation on Tuesday, May 14, in Durnan Auditorium, recognized Distinguished Alumnus Seth Feman '97 and welcomed the Class of 2024 into the PDS/USN Alumni Association.

Students in Fifth Grade Social Studies Teacher Connie Fink’s class explored the history of their hometown during a study of Nashville's historic African American communities and presented their work Saturday, May 11 at Fort Negley.

Gidgie Bass ’24, Eli Galentino ’24, Kate Vaughn ’24, and Nick Venable ’24 designed the expo to showcase the academic work of their peers.

Community Service Officer Rochelle Law-Wagener joined USN part-time in 2020 and transitioned to full-time in 2021. CSO Lakeith Washum joined USN in 2016. CSOs provide safety and security-related functions, including perimeter and parking lot security, traffic direction, access control, and special event staffing.

The American Classical League recognized 41 University School of Nashville students for their scores on the National Latin Exam this year.

After winning the state championship earlier this year, Margot Ross '24, Xavier Warren '24, Caroline Quinones '24, Benjamin Kampine '24, Bronson Schmidt '25, Erin Joyce '25, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay '25, and Henry Gatto '25, took home seventh place the national Mock Trial competition.

Convocation on Tuesday, May 14 in Durnan Auditorium recognized Distinguished Alumnus Seth Feman and welcomed the Class of 2024 into the PDS/USN Alumni Association.

The girls and boys Ultimate frisbee teams performed exceptionally and won state championships after a weekend of thrilling matches. The girls earned their third state title, and boys are back-to-back state champions.

Aliza Ahmed '26, Uma Ehrig '26, Victor Peng '26, Ruchika Ramachandran '27, and Yvonne Wang '27 participated in the Asian Educators Alliance conference this year in Atlanta, Georgia.

Anna Brook '30, Claire Yu '30, Clio Cherry-Pulay '29, and Liam Mooney '28 took him the championship during the 4th annual USN Middle School Quiz Bowl Championships.  Two teams will travel to Chicago to compete in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments Middle School National Championships on Saturday, May 10.

Cpl. Robert Gibson joined University School of Nashville in November as a School Resource Officer, a certified police officer who is primarily assigned to a school and provides safety and security-related functions, including emergency response, safety training, traffic direction, and patrol functions.

An academic and educational leader with experience working with elementary grades in Australia and California, Kristian Noden will join USN for the 2024-2025 academic year.

At the end of the 2023-2024 school year, we will bid adieu to MS/HS Art Teacher Delia Seigenthaler, Operations Staffer Don Brown, and Head of LS Amy Woodson. A retirement reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10 in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.

Students were able to see new chicks hatch in class as they completed their lesson on the life cycle.

Local bookstore Parnassus will share a percentage of its profits with USN between 3 and 6 p.m. to support faculty and staff professional development.

Our Chamber Ensemble, Concert Band, and M.I.C. Ensemble performance has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 in Durnan Auditorium.

Sgt. Anthony Jones joined University School of Nashville in November as a School Resource Officer, a certified police officer who is primarily assigned to a school and provides safety and security-related functions, including emergency response, safety training, traffic direction, and patrol functions.

University of Virginia selected Margot Ross '24 to be a Jefferson Scholar. The highly selective scholarship includes the full cost of attending UVA for four years of study as well as numerous enrichment opportunities. It has been 16 years since a University School of Nashville senior last became a Jefferson Scholar.

Dance and choral students will come together for their spring semester performances at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25 in Durnan Auditorium.

The softball team opened the season with a new dugout, new equipment, and a renewed sense of school spirit.

Congratulations to Gold Key Award recipients Alder Brandon '27, Cleo Gauthier '24, Caroline Keiper '25, Eliza Nichols '25, and Kati Tong '25 for their critical essay, flash fiction, and science fiction works.

The Middle School Quiz Bowl team competed in the Spring Forward XV Middle School Academic Challenge and had standout performances, ranking third, fourth, and seventh, and Liam Mooney '28 having the highest score of all competitors at the challenge.

Congratulations to Sadie Begtrup ’24 on being named a finalist in Hands on Nashville’s annual volunteer awards competition.

Ever wonder how USN got its colors and branding? Celeste Green ’27 and Abigail Manoukian ’27 visited the school Archive to find out. This article originally appeared in The Peabody Press, the High School student-run newspaper.

An experienced global education leader and social studies teacher with two decades of demonstrated history of working with grades 8-12, developing curriculum, and supporting faculty, Chai Reddy, Ed.D. will join USN for the 2024-2025 academic year.

On Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22, two poets from Project VOICE, a nationally-renowned organization that seeks to educate, entertain, and inspire students with spoken-word poetry, visited USN as part of our annual Author in Residence program.

Congratulations to Coach Eric Mukherjee, Jackson Green '26, Penelope Graham '25, Daniel Guo '25, and Rohan Ramachandran '25 for their performance at this year's Quiz Bowl State Tournament.

Tiger Arts Patrons welcomed over 200 guests, performers, and faculty to celebrate USN's visual and performing arts.

The USN community set a goal to read 25,000 pages during Read Across USN Week, and it's safe to say, we're going to need a bigger goal next year. Read on to find out our final number and our raffle winners.

Third graders learned about Cherokee life, The Trail of Tears, and researching primary sources during a recent trip to the Tennessee State Library & Archives.

Congratulations to Meer Aban '24, Valentin Barrera-Vinha '24, Benjamin Kampine '24, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay '25, Sydney Fast '25, Anna Hulan '25, Erin Joyce '25, Eleanor Molvig '25, Anna Picasso '25, Caspar Schmidt '25, Amelie Soslow '25, and Kati Tong '25 for their induction into the French Honor Society.

As a part of Read Across USN Week, Middle School language learners read the same novel in their respective languages and worked together to complete a group activity based on the novel.

Dedicated educational leader Harvey B. Sperling, who lead USN from 1979 to 1990, has died.

YMCA of Middle Tennessee Youth in Government program participant Ophelia Cherry Pulay '25 traveled to Washington, D.C. with a delegation of Middle Tennessee leaders to meet with Congressional members.

The Class of 2033 culminated history lessons by presenting some of America's greatest figures to their families in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.

The Peabody Press, the High School student-run newspaper, took home several awards at the Tennesse High School Press Association Awards, and Margot Ross '24 earned the H.L. Hall Award for Journalist of the Year. Congratulations also to Annie Cox ‘24 and Bronson Schmidt ‘25

Mahoney Daunic '24 will play baseball at Denison University and Olivia Schwarz '24 will swim for Middlebury College.

USN’s boys and girls teams are expected to play the flying disc game between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 at the River Campus.

The International Fair is Friday, March 22. Tickets are now on sale for this fun evening of international foods, drinks, performances, and activities.

Collin Chan ‘25 and Sid Pruthi ‘25 presented at the Tennessee Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and Collin advances to the national competition in May.

How many pages can USN students, families, faculty, and staff read in one week? Read Across USN Week, our one-week schoolwide reading challenge, is Friday, March 1 through Friday, March 8. An evening of family run and read-alouds will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in Hassenfeld Library.

Congratulations to team captains Adam Wang '24, Claire Gilliam '24, Henry Wykoff '24, and Eliza Nichols '25 as well as team members Ruchika Ramachandran '27, Eva Choe '26, Lin Zheng '26, Robiya Sahibnazarova '24, Jessica Penilton '24, Emily Law '24, Maya Guha '24, Eleanor Molvig '25, Caroline Keiper '25, Amelie Soslow '25, Erin Ilagan '26, Madeline Wiseman '27, Ethan Lu '27, Zahra Ansari '27, Anne Dervan, Collin Chan '25, Daniel Guo '25 Elizabeth Crane '27, Daniel Law '27, Henry Wykoff '24 (team leader) Collin Chan '25, Madeline Wiseman '27, and Izzy Aulino '24. The team will compete at the state competition on Saturday, April 6.

Due to the generosity of more than 800 individual donors, Tigers far and wide were able to support USN’s Annual Fund during this year's Tiger Give Back Challenge. USN appreciates each of you.

Eighth graders studied major landmarks such as the Flavian Amphitheater, Pantheon, Circus Maximus, and the Baths of Caracalla using USN's 3D printer and the guidance of Middle School Educational Technologist Kari Luecke and Middle School Latin Teacher Richard Rosenthal.

Charlotte Soslow ’28, Sarah Page-McCaw ’24 competed against hundreds of clarinet players across the Middle Tennessee region to secure spots in the 7/8 Silver Band and 11/12 Gold Band, respectively. See both of the clarinetists during HS Classical Night on Tuesday, March 5 and MS Ensemble Night on Thursday, March 7, both at 7 p.m.

This month, we're thrilled to shine the USNA Volunteer Spotlight on Ashley Upkins who serves as the Cultural Collaborator for USNA.

Audrey Flatt ’24 created a new logo to build school spirit and support for performing and visual arts. The booster club Tiger Arts Patrons contributes additional funding to the arts while providing supporters with free admission to most events and performances. Register for annual TAP membership here for $100.

This annual day of giving encourages families, alumni, and friends of USN to participate in the Annual Fund, which accounts for 6% of our budget. With your help, we will unlock an additional $100,000.

Of special note are Illiana Béhague-Mentzel ’25, Lucy Gibbs ’28, Cléo Gauthier ’24, Lin Zheng ’26, and Suzie Zhao '28, who received Gold Key Awards. Their work will be displayed at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens and considered for awards at the national competition later this spring.

Get to know USN's High School Quiz Bowl team through a Q&A session with Ophelia Cherry-Pulay '25 and Daniel Guo '25.

USN Middle School students challenged themselves by playing against older players last weekend.

Get to know the Zeitgeist Club through a Q&A session with Bronson Schmidt '25. The student-organized music festival takes place Friday, April 26 on the back lawn.

University School of Nashville returns with Evening Classes, a collection of casual, one-night classes for adults offered January through April in restaurants, businesses, and private residences. Now in its 31st season, Evening Classes include cooking lessons with local chefs, writing and film courses with authors and professors, home and gardening lessons, and arts and creativity sessions with entrepreneurs and musicians. New classes are added weekly. Course catalog and registration are available at eveningclasses.org.

Click here to preview the camps USN will offer in 2024 and plan for warmer days. Registration is open at usn.org/summer, and waitlists are available for sold-out camps. USN Summer Camps will run Monday, June 3 through Friday, July 12. There will be no camps on Juneteenth or the week of Independence Day. The popular Dog Days of Summer return to the River Campus from Monday, July 22 through Friday, August 2.

Cheers to John Sullivan and Dads' Alliance, our stars of the month. Meet the leader of the group of men committed to supporting USN, and discover what motivates him to volunteer with this dynamic group.