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.
By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications
Before we leave 2000 Edgehill for the summer, USN will celebrate the extraordinary careers of MS/HS Art Teacher Delia Seigenthaler, Operations Staffer Don Brown, and Head of LS Amy Woodson.
Delia Seigenthaler
MS/HS Art Teacher Delia Seigenthaler joined USN in 2001. During her 24 years at the school, Seigenthaler nurtured many artists through their creative journeys, spearheaded several art projects on campus, including a beloved mail art project, and helped curate many projects for the Tibbot Gallery. “My favorite memory from USN has to be curating the Christine Tibbott retrospective in the gallery after she died,” said Seigenthaler. “Having students return to school and honor her with their artwork will always be special to me.”
Don Brown For more than 21 years, Don Brown has been a member of USN’s security team. Brown, often spotted during dropoffs at the 19th Ave. entrance, welcomed students to the building every day and kept USN students and staff safe throughout his tenure. “The thing I’ll miss the most is talking with the students every day and giving them advice,” said Brown.
Head of LS Amy Woodson
Woodson joined USN in 2014 and has led the Lower School through critical times, including four months of remote learning during the pandemic and the gradual transition back to the classroom amid health protocols and outdoor lunches to mitigate virus spread. Over the last decade, she grew student support from a full-time and a part-time position to a robust team of six faculty who take a cohesive approach to meet the diverse learning and social-emotional needs of students, cultivated USN’s Naturalist Program to take place daily with full-time support, and provided opportunities for school spirit and relationships to grow through Wednesday morning Community Meetings with all Lower Schoolers gathered in Durnan Auditorium.
"There are so many wonderful memories I have of all sorts of different occasions, but I thought of a couple that are linked together because they were exceptional experiences I have had with students," said Woodson. When Olivia Barbieri '25 was in 4th grade, she wrote to author Stuart Gibbs as a part of an assignment, and in her letter, she invited him to visit USN. He said yes and helped organize an author visit there, and Olivia introduced him that evening."
"This is one of many examples of LS students finding their voice and speaking up about something they cared about. I was able to walk into a teachable moment/experience with them for something I hope they remember."
Join us in celebrating Brown and Woodson during a retirement reception held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 10 in the Gordon Multipurpose Room. Seigenthaler is unable to attend this event.
The boys and girls cross country teams have earned Distinguished Team Academic Awards from the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association for their high GPAs.
USN debaters claimed another championship at their first in-person tournament of the year at the Peach State Classic in Carrollton, Georgia. Congratulations to third-place speaker Madeline Shinohara ‘28, sixth-place speaker Eesha Nachnani ’28, and solo Varsity debater Charles Cook '27.
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.