School Safety

Investigation Support

List of 5 items.

  • Fall 2024 Investigation

    Contact the Investigators
    Email usn@btlaw.com 
    Call 615-621-6097

    Barnes & Thornburg is conducting an independent investigation into unacceptable and inappropriate behavior of former faculty member Dean Masullo. The scope of this investigation is comprehensive and will include, among other things, the underlying conduct, the school’s response to it, and recommendations of best practices for the future. The full scope may be viewed here. The scope is a guide for the new investigators — not a limitation. Barnes & Thornburg may pursue any information or testimony investigators deem relevant, with the full cooperation of USN, its Board, and its employees.

    Barnes & Thornburg has developed a core team of five investigators, four of whom identify as female, one of whom is a member of an underrepresented community, and two of whom are members of the LGBTQ+ community. B&T has additional members of its compliance and investigations group who it will call on, as needed, who bring additional diverse social and racial backgrounds and perspectives. To learn more about the firm’s experience, click here. To learn more about the investigation’s independence, click here.

    If you would like to share information that you believe would be relevant to the scope of the new investigation, please email usn@btlaw.com or call the hotline at 615-621-6097.
    Read More

  • Most Recent Communications

    November 8, 2024
    Task Force Update from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    October 25, 2024
    Investigation & Task Force Update from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    October 18, 2024
    An Update on the Community Task Force from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    October 16, 2024
    Reflecting on Today’s Demonstration from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    October 9, 2024
    An Update on the Masullo Investigation from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    October 4, 2024
    Investigation Updates from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    September 26, 2024
    Sharing the Process Ahead from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    September 24, 2024
    Thank You - We Hear You from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to faculty & staff

    September 20, 2024
    We are truly sorry from the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety to the PDS/USN community

    September 13, 2024
    An Update from the Board of Trustees from Eric Kopstain, Board President to the PDS/USN community
    Read More

  • Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety

    The purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety of the Board is to determine the best course of action for the Board pertaining to a school safety matter. To accomplish these objectives, the Ad Hoc Committee is empowered to enlist appropriate resources on behalf of the Board, particularly in the realm of legal, subject-matter expertise, and communications support.
     
    Benjamin Goldberg, Committee Co-Chair, Alumnus ’98, Parent ’32 and ’36
    Kristin Wilson, Committee Co-Chair, Parent ’29 and ’32
    Mike Bivens, Annual Fund Co-Chair, Parent ’25
    Marcya Carter-Sheats, Parent ’34
    Vinh Duong, Parent of Alumna ’23, Parent ’28
    Reagan Farr, Parent ’26 and ’30
    Eric Kopstain, Board President and Parent ’25


    Read More

  • Community Task Force

    Our community is full of incredibly qualified and caring individuals, and we value everyone’s feedback throughout the investigation process. To ensure we gain the full advantage of community input, the Board of Trustees collected nominations from the USN community in September for a Task Force. Announced in October, the Task Force will ensure rigorously that our school policies & training, student support systems, and reporting practices match and exceed the best practices for independent schools. If you need to contact the Task Force, please send a message to taskforce@usn.org. 

    Task Force on Educator/Staff Appropriate Behavior and Misconduct Response, Communication, and Policy Review 
    • Julia Morris, Task Force Co-Chair, Past Trustee, Grandparent ’31 and ’34
    • Jenn Russell, Task Force Co-Chair, Trustee, Parent ’29
    • Libin Abdulle '26
    • Leila Abolfazli, Parent ’28 and ’31
    • McLean Barbieri ’97, Trustee, Parent ’25 and ’31
    • Lindsay Barrera, Operations Coordinator
    • Joel Bezaire, Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics, Parent ’29 and ’33
    • Trish Buckner, Lower School Counselor
    • Kavi Carmona, USNA Member-at-Large, Parent ’35 and ’37
    • Cindy Crenshaw, Math Department Chair, Parent of Alumni ’15 and ’18
    • Rick Ewing ’83, Parent of Alumna ’24
    • Joanna Hall, USNA Past President, Parent ’25 and ’27, Parent of Alumnus ’22
    • Catherine Knowles, Parent ’26, Parent of Alumna ’18
    • Miranda Lee Buell ’08
    • Zinnia Nichols Loller ’25
    • Ruby Meador ’29
    • Chris Mixon, Parent ’27 and ’30
    • Eleanor Molvig '25
    • Shell Phelps, Human Resources Director
    • Kathryn Sasser, Parent ’27 and ’31
    • Bronson Schmidt ’25
    • Janet Schneider, Retired Director of College Counseling, Parent of Alumni ’03 and ’05
    • Saul Sharfstein '25
    • Latoya Townsend, USNA Member-at-Large, Parent ’32 and ’36

    Task Force Charge
    The Task Force is charged with providing substantive input to the Board of Trustees and USN administration on USN’s current practices, policies, and communication strategies concerning issue response. This input will reflect to the largest extent possible the relevant SAIS Standards and Indicators, recommendations of the NAIS Independent School Task Force on Educator Sexual Misconduct: Prevention and Response, and any other relevant legal guidelines and best practices. The goal of the Task Force is to help identify areas for improvement, propose actionable recommendations, and ensure that USN fosters a safe, supportive, and transparent environment for all members of its community. The Board and USN administrators will utilize this input along with feedback from the currently ongoing independent investigation to make material improvements to (1) the school’s policies, procedures, and enforcement of those policies and procedures, related to the mental and physical safety of students; and (2) the future handling of reports of inappropriate conduct by members of the USN community. Specific focus will be placed on:
    1. Policy Review: Evaluating current policies regarding inappropriate and/or boundary crossing behavior and sexual misconduct to ensure they align with SAIS Standards and Indicators, NAIS recommendations for prevention and response, and any relevant current legal standards.
    2. Response and Reporting Mechanisms: Assessing how incidents are reported, documented, investigated, and resolved, ensuring that systems are accessible, clear, and fair for all involved parties, and reviewing supportive service provisions and approaches to community support as incidents unfold.
    3. Communication Protocols: Reviewing how USN communicates with students, families, staff, and the broader community when incidents arise, ensuring a balance between transparency, privacy, and legal considerations.
    4. Training and Prevention: Identifying gaps in education and training related to appropriate behavior and boundaries for all members of the USN community, including faculty, staff, students, and parents.
    5. Culture and Climate Assessment: Gathering feedback from the USN community to understand perceptions of the current culture regarding awareness, support systems, and how comfortable individuals feel about reporting concerns related to appropriate behavior and boundaries.
    6.  Support Services for the USN Community: Identifying services that should be available to all members of the USN community.
    Read More

  • Steps to Educate & Protect Students

    Curriculum & Programming
    Since 2019, University School of Nashville has worked with Authentic Connections to assess twice yearly the health, well-being, and community life of USN High School students through scientific surveys. We began monitoring our faculty health and well-being data in 2020 and added our Middle School students in 2023. That qualitative data is evaluated, compared with results of those at other high-achieving schools, and used to inform and guide USN's student and parent programming, including some shared below.

    In 2019, USN High School started with the Green Dot program, a culturally responsive intervention used at many college and university campuses to promote safe, healthy, and engaged communities. The school transitioned in 2022 to active bystander education for HS students, faculty, and staff to learn about how to use the four bystander intervention strategies (direct, distract, delegate, and delay) when they see things that do not reflect the school’s culture. MS faculty and staff received training in 2023 to model being an active bystander for their students in grades 5-8, who began a modified active bystander intervention program in spring 2024. This training helps keep students and their peers safe.

    Lessons for our youngest students are based in Social Emotional Learning, and USN recently adopted the curriculum “Character Strong.” For many years, Lower School has worked with Emi Canahuati — a Certified Educator by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists — to bring “The Birds and The Bees” and “What Sexuality Education Looks Like in Early Childhood” parent education workshops to parents of students in grades K-4 to learn how to best talk to their children in a way that fits within their family’s values. Click here to download the handout Canahuati shares with parents present. It includes recommended books for various age groups and parents. For more resources, visit her website, TalkAndThrive.com.

    High School Grade Level Programs
    Human Sexuality Seminars are a multi-installment series of workshops led by community partners, scholars, and practitioners on topics including health dating & relationships, boundaries, consent, and social media & dating.

    9th Grade
    • Startup Series: Active Bystander Training, Part I
    • Project SAFE: Language of Violence with Dr. Otis McGresham
    • Common Mental Health Disorders and Self Care with Dr. Patrick Michaels
    10th Grade
    • Active Bystander Training, Part 2
    • Human Sexuality Seminars: Planned Parent session on healthy relationships
    • You Have the Power on consent
    • How to Help a Friend and Types of Help Available with Dr. Eboni Webb
    11th Grade
    • SHAPE presentation about sexual assault
    12th Grade
    • Project Safe: Sexual Assault on College Campuses with Dr. Otis McGresham

    Student-Led Initiatives
    • Comprised of four High School students, the Student Mental Health Coalition aims to educate and inform the student body by discussing, researching, and raising awareness about mental well-being by hosting HS Assemblies and lunch & learns and sharing informational flyers around the Edgehill Campus. 
    • Sexual Harassment Advocate and Prevention Educators, better known as SHAPE, strives to educate students about sexual harassment and assault in order to promote awareness among HS students. Founded by HS students in 2022, the group focuses on leading presentations, sharing flyers, starting important conversations, and hosting guest speakers like the Sexual Assault Center.
    • Peer Educators and Assistants, known as PEAs, are a selected group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have class weekly to discuss current events and bring what they learn to the USN community to educate classmates on pertinent issues.

    Faculty Training
    All USN employees acknowledge receiving school policies through the Employee Handbook upon initial employment with the school and each time it is updated. They also complete required courses "Protecting Children: Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct K-12" and "Mosaic: Prevent Discrimination and Harassment Together: Faculty & Staff - K12." Contracted by USN through United Educators, these online courses cover the distinct risks and opportunities faced by K-12 schools. Those who drive a USN-owned or leased vehicle or a personal vehicle for USN business also complete the United Educators course "Driver Safety Fundamentals - K12."

    During their October 2022 inservice, faculty and staff viewed Darkness to Light's flagship training, Stewards of Children, which teaches adults practical actions they can take to reduce instances of child sexual abuse and covers reporting obligations & setting professional boundaries with students.

    In August 2024, faculty and staff attended an open inservice training regarding USN’s commitment to ensuring its policies around student safety and boundaries are followed. Additionally, the training emphasized the importance of each faculty and staff member to that process.
    Read More

Our Commitment

The protection, safety, and well-being of our K-12 students are foundational objectives for our school and crucial to our success as an educational institution. Among the very best in the country, University School of Nashville stands out for its unparalleled commitment to excellence, social justice, expression, and community care in an inclusive and welcoming environment that fosters a sense of belonging for each student. 
Every single person who walks through the hallways of USN deserves to feel supported and heard. This past year we did not fulfill this duty, and we need to do better.
This webpage is a central place to direct questions and concerns as well as provide updates from the investigators and the Board of Trustees. It will be updated regularly as we gather information, engage in difficult conversations, and come together to share the path ahead, to grow, and to learn from this important work.
— The Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety

Resources

List of 3 items.

  • For Students & Alumni

    You are not alone. All students deserve to feel safe and supported by the school and their peers when reporting misconduct. To make such a report, or to support a friend who wishes to report, students should contact any trusted adult at USN. USN has four in-house counselors to support students on a daily basis:

    There are several resources available to students seeking help.
    • Students in Grades 5-8 have access to the Counseling Group Page, offering support services, parent education workshops, and session scheduling for students and parents. Students also have access to resources through the Student Mental Health Coalition.
    • The Nashville community also offers several local resources that are separate from the school but still available to all community members:
      • National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 800-656-4673 (please note that this is often not the best in times of crisis due to a long waiting time)
      • RAINN Chat Service
      • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
      • Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453
      • Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
    Read More

  • For Parents & Families

    This has been a difficult time for our whole community, and especially for our students. Our commitment to protecting the safety and securing the well-being of your children remains strong, and your feedback is incredibly important to us.

    USN's Counseling Department, in support of our school’s mission,  delivers a comprehensive K-12 school counseling program that provides equitable services for all students, with mental health and well-being as the core element of educational success. Parents and families have access to the Counseling Group Page, which offers support services, events, and session scheduling for students and parents. Click the topics tab at the top of the Resource Board to view parent education workshops as well as suggested books, articles, videos, podcasts, and more. We also encourage your students to access resources available to them through the Student Mental Health Coalition.

    To learn more about supporting your child with sensitive topics such as sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, and grooming, please reach out to the Counseling Department, which includes four in-house counselors to support students on a daily basis:
    Read More

  • For Faculty & Staff

    USN faculty and staff are all encouraged to review the Employee Handbook to ensure that their practices fall in line with USN policies. If you have questions regarding these policies, please contact your Division Head, Office Director, or Human Resources Director Shell Phelps.

    All school employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program, which is a free and confidential counseling and assistance service. To access it, faculty and staff should log into usn.org and visit the Human Resources Board or see page 13 of the school's Benefits Guide.
    Read More

Contact Us

List of 4 items.

Contact USN

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

Quick Links

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.