usn admissions viewbook
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University School of Nashville Admissions ViewbookTRANSCRIPT
University School of NashvilleInnovation and Excellence since 1915
University School of NashvilleInnovation and Excellence since 1915
A non-sectarian, independent college preparatory co-educational day school located in the
heart of Nashville’s university area
Founded in 1915 as Peabody Demonstration School
1,030 students in kindergarten through twelfth grades
When you visit us, you’ll notice that USN is no ordinary school. First you’ll see that our campus is surrounded by a university.Our proximity to Vanderbilt University and Peabody College for Teachers reminds us every day of our 100-year-old roots inthe demonstration school culture of innovation and educational best practices. Our home also places us squarely in theuniversity community of inquiry and intellectual life, a boon to our students and teachers.
Every day at USN, students come first. The kindergarten child contributing ideas as the class agrees upon rules for their community, the eighth grader researching a Change Project, the sophomore starting a new club—all know that what they say matters to the adults around them.
Came to USN in 2009
Grew up in Murfreesboro and went toVanderbilt
Though most of her interests come fromher work, Christy is learning mindfulness,meditation, and yoga. Loves reading andwalking in cities or forests with no particular destination
Grew up on a small farm, so childhoodmemories include helping pull a calf whenits mother was having a difficult delivery
What does she love most about teaching at USN? “Working with people who arepassionate about the work we do every dayand committed to getting it right. I lovebeing part of a community where it is safeto take risks as a learner, whether you are astudent or a teacher. I love knowing thatmy kindergartners will be in the buildingfor 12 more years, growing up around me.”
Christy Plummerkindergarten teacher
Came to USN in 2002
“From the deep South of two countries”—Ontario, Canada and Jackson, Mississippi
Coach of the middle school Mathleticsteam, former coach of the middle schoolbaseball team
Bass player and sometime session musician,recording engineer, and humor writer
Developer of a pre-algebra curriculum appthat replaced the old textbook weighingdown seventh grade backpacks
Predators fan and season ticket holder
Decided to major in math while waiting inline at the registrar’s office to declare anothermajor
What does he love about teaching at USN?“Daily interaction with some of the coolestseventh graders I could possibly imagine.”
Joel Bezaireseventh grade pre-algebra teacher
Come to USN to see an independent school that doesn’t fit the stereotype of independent schools. University School’s hallways and classrooms are filled with a remarkable diversity. We’re a school with a long history of embracing the benefitsof a community where not everyone looks and thinks alike.
Came to USN in fifth grade
Born in Chicago and has lived in Nashvillesince he was five
A captain of the soccer team, he hasplayed on two state championship soccer
teams, his travel team and USN’s
Loves helping younger kids through USN--as a Lower School Aide at USN, as a BigBrother to a student at Carter LawrenceSchool, as a member of the Writing and
Service class that goes to Cameron Middle School
Likes collecting urban sneakers, listeningto music, disc jockeying, and trying new
kinds of food
What does he love most about USN? “I love the freedom. There is something for everyone, and the diversity here is
incredible. No one stands above or below.Everyone wants to see the best you’ve got.”
Donald Hardin
Came to USN in fifth grade
Lived in Italy and France until she was ten,attending French schools before
she came to USN
Is in Show Choir and on the Dance Team, performed in four drama productions this
year, and plays center on the lacrosse team
Considers herself a former Cub Scout sinceshe went to all her brothers’ meetings and
camp-outs when they lived in France
Runs a day camp for lower school children ather house in the summer
What does she love most about USN? “WhenI came to USN in fifth grade, I wrote in myjournal, ‘Why is everyone so nice?’ New kidswho come here and make fun of others learnpretty quickly that that’s not the way we dothings at USN. Before USN, I wasn’t a dancerand never thought about studying law, but I
tried a dance class and joined Mock Trial, andnow I’ve found two new activities that I love.”
Elizabeth Dossett
Our culture of achievement means that USN students expect each other to work hard and do well. It goes beyond suchexternal measurements as SAT and AP scores and college admissions, proud as we are of those benchmarks. Nor is itmerely top-down. This culture encourages students to take pride in their own good work and that of their classmates.
Came to USN in 2007
Grew up in Chicago
Teaches middle school theater, includingimprovisation, scene work, and auditionpreparation
Coaches the high school cheerleadingsquad and directs the middle school musical and middle school play
Acts in shows at the Tennessee RepertoryTheatre and other local theaters
Plays trombone in the high school bandand loves creating, whether acting, singing,dancing, directing, choreographing, ordesigning posters
In college, he was a drum major
What does he love most about teachingat USN? “The people, the people, thepeople! We are a family.”
Bakari Kingtheater teacher
While academics hold top priority at USN, our students also excel as athletes, artists, actors, and musicians. We don’thave a cookie cutter. Students feel encouraged to discover what interests them and then to pursue those interests, on oroff campus. Some walk across the street to Vanderbilt for a class, some head down the street to one of our partner publicschools to work with children.
Kindergarten through twelfth grade students use our 80-acre River Campus, fifteen minutes from Edgehill Avenue, for fieldsports and outdoor environmental education. USN students begin interscholastic competition in fifth grade, with 20 teamsin middle school and 27 in high school. The River Campus includes a wetland used for science and environmental study.
photo by Aerial Innovations
Students find joy in learning at USN. This joy may lie in the quiet pleasure of intellectual discovery in a classroom, inchallenges met on the athletic field, in visions realized in the studio, or in new skills acquired in the outdoors program.
Came to USN in 1989
From York, Pennsylvania and “still a Yankee”after more than 40 years here
Has taught Western Civilization, AP Art History,Social Conscience, Italian, and many historyindependent studies, but it’s her AP EuropeanHistory course that has become a legend
Paints in oils at every opportunity; has lovedcooking northern Italian food since shelearned it while living in Bologna in college
Fluent in Italian, reads French and German
Has taken 13 trips to Italy, one to Japan, andone along the Great War’s Western Front
Worked in two political campaigns and wasGovernor Alexander’s ombudsman and staff aide
What does she love most about teaching atUSN? “The level of intellectual curiosity andthe variety of experiences that students bringto my classes.”
Marc Lavinehigh school history teacher
Came to USN in 9th grade
Born in Nashville
Plays Ultimate Frisbee and belongs to theAmerican Cancer Society Club, the Fly-fishingClub, and Student Council
Plays the trombone in the Pep, Concert, andJazz Bands, competes in the Science Olympiad,and writes for the school newspaper
Loves fishing, swimming, and baking, alsoplaying pickup soccer, basketball, and videogames
Enjoyed hiking Cold Mountain in the Smokieson the sophomore retreat
What does he love most about USN? “Myfriends. I only came to school here last year,but I’ve already made best friends with someof the people who have been going to USNsince kindergarten. It’s a very welcoming andfriendly environment.”
Hayden Roche
Our students feel valued and inspired at USN, partly because we have such exceptional teachers. Students, alumni, andcurrent parents consistently rank our faculty as USN’s greatest strength. In a recent survey by the National Associationof Independent Schools, an amazing 99% of our high school students agreed with the statement, “I feel supported byteachers at this school.”
From our nurturing and joyous kindergarten to our high school preparing young adults for the challenges of college,USN is a journey toward maturity. Dedicated teachers foster the skills and strengths that students need to becomeincreasingly independent and critical thinkers. Our alumni say that they are exceedingly well prepared for the demandsof college, and not merely the academic ones.
n Typically a third of the senior class receives recognition in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
n More than two-thirds of the seniors at USN are offered merit scholarships to college.
n In recent years the average Advanced Placement score has been 4 and the most frequent 5, the highest possible score.
n Nine out of ten seniors take at least one AP exam.
Our Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that representsthe cultural and ethnic composition of greater 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 Nashville2000 Edgehill Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37212615/321-8000
www.usn.org
Photography by Kimberly Manz, except where indicated
University School of Nashville2000 Edgehill AvenueNashville, Tennessee 37212615/321-8000www.usn.org