A year of transition, challenges concludes with good news

Director Amani Reed shares end-of-year updates as security improvements are being made to our facilities and a look at the 2023-2024 academic year, including the appointments of three administrators.
By Amani Reed, Director

I would like to begin by simply saying thank you. It has been quite a first year, and I am so proud of all we were able to accomplish. Having the opportunity to experience USN as a parent as well as Director, has provided an insight that will forever be a gift for me and my family. This year has brought its share of unexpected challenges for our school community and Nashville.

Security update
The second phase of our security assessment by Vanderbilt University Public Safety has been completed. The feedback has been thorough, and we are looking at ways we can incorporate these improvements.

As soon as crews remove the Commencement tent, risers, and chairs from our Back Field, the fence surrounding the playground and field will be replaced with a more durable wrought iron fence. Our Operations staff will spend the summer months retrofitting all interior door handles with locks, adding cameras, and treating our exterior windows with ballistic film. 

Over the course of the summer, we will assess and implement an overall safety and security staffing plan and further strengthen our relationship with VUPS. One example of this is the inclusion by Vanderbilt University of USN in its “Secure Dores” program, which oversees building access. During emergency situations such as fires, floods, or active intruders, VUPS and USN must possess the capability to remotely lock down or unlock individual doors, buildings, zones, or entire campuses at a moment's notice. Furthermore, monitoring the status of doors (locked, propped, forced open) is vital to ensure that all entrances are properly secured. All exterior doors at Vanderbilt and USN will be brought onto this platform this summer.

Administrative new hires
This academic year also brought the opportunity for several transitions with the Administrative Team. After conducting three national search processes for the past several months, I am pleased to make the following announcements.
  • Shavon Davis-Louis, Ed.D. will join USN on July 1 as Head of Middle School. The breadth of her background spans PreK through high school, from teaching in the first grade and middle school math to leading school operations at the administrative level. Dr. Davis-Louis joins USN from Metro Nashville Public Schools, where the district named her Middle School Principal of the Year in 2021-2022 and she led her school to gain the most significant academic improvement in literacy and math scores among MNPS middle schools. Dr. Davis-Louis holds a Doctor of Education with a concentration in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University, a Master of Science in Instructional Design & Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a Bachelor of Science: in Elementary Education from Alcorn State University. She also earned her Educational Specialist in Instructional Leadership & Supervision at Middle Tennessee State University.
  • Scott Collins ’05, Ed.D. will assume the position of Director of Enrollment to lead our Admissions Office. In addition to being an alumnus and Assistant Director of Admissions for 11 years, Dr. Collins has served our students as a High School advisor and Head Coach of the boys tennis team. Additionally, he helped found the Asian American Pacific Islander affinity groups in our Middle and High Schools. He has continuously proven his ability to make prospective families and students feel welcome and through the interview process demonstrated he was most knowledgeable not only of the independent school landscape but also could best carry the significant weight of our mission in striving to reflect the diversity of Nashville in our classrooms. This academic year, Dr. Collins has presented his doctoral research at conferences for the National Association of Independent Schools, the Southern Association of Independent Schools (which accredits USN), and the Association of Independent School Professionals. He earned his Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Policy and Master of Education in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University and his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a business minor from Wofford College, where he played D-I tennis. As a side note, USN coaches selected Dr. Collins as Tiger of the Year, our highest award given to student-athletes, in the spring of 2005. 
  • Kate Pritchard will continue as the Director of Library Services, a position she has filled on an interim basis for the past year. She joined USN in 2013 as the Middle and High School Librarian and has helped bridge curriculum with research projects and led book clubs. Her work with students spans most of our school community. In Middle School, she has helped students come to love the library and what it can mean in terms of access to information and possibilities for exploring questions and ideas. For High School students, she has helped further sharpen their research skills and hone in on what it means to be a young scholar pursuing learning and inquiry. Ms. Pritchard has also been helpful in curating summer reading lists for the school, continuing the author-in-residence program, and encouraging faculty to share their own love of reading with the broader community. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and a master’s in library science from Simmons University. 
Strategic planning as a community
In the fall, the Board of Trustees will lead the USN community through a strategic planning process to inform our next goals and perhaps capital campaigns as the leading K-12 academic institution in our state. I’ve spent the past 10 months listening to and learning from many of you to better understand school culture, history, and traditions, which will not be lost as we move forward in best educational practices. There will be opportunities for each student, family, faculty, staff, and alumnus to share their voices as we look forward to building our future together. 

Whether returning to USN for summer camp, traveling across the country on vacation, or embarking on adventures between pages, I hope you and your family find the time for joy and recreation you need this Summer Break.
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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

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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.