University School of Nashville
Horizons at Home – Summer Impact Report Pandemic Posed Challenges Students are likely to return to school in fall 2020 with 63 to 68% of the learning gains in reading relative to a typical school year and with only 37 to 50% of the learning gains in math, according to the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University.
Advisory Board Cassidy Bentley Walter Clair Kim Dano Charlene Dewey Frank Dobson Eddie Hamilton King Hollands Sam Jackson Vincent Jackson Florence Kidd Keith Meacham Kristen Neal Sherleta Sanders Inta Sandford Patrice Stewart Perian Strang Gail Williams Shelby Woods
Ex-Officio Members Kim Avington, Executive Director Amy Woodson, Head of Lower School Roderick White, Director of Diversity and Community Life Vince Durnan, USN Director
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In some grades, students may return to school close to a full year behind in math. What’s more, this lost ground will not be equally distributed. While students who are already performing above grade level might make potential gains, students performing at or below grade level are more likely to experience many months’ worth of learning loss. With many students facing a semester’s worth of learning loss and unequal access to school year distance learning, Horizons needed to find a way to provide students with the best possible opportunities to learn in summer 2020. And Horizons teachers and staff stepped up, surveying and collaborating with families to understand their remote learning experiences, providing meals and supplies, and supporting each other as they delivered Horizons programming in new ways. Despite being unable to gather together each day to learn, the Horizons at USN community creatively adapted to provide students with engaging educational and enrichment opportunities in a remote format. Teachers gave a particular focus to the social and emotional well-being of Horizons families this summer as they checked in frequently to help parents and students process the unrest occurring across our city and country. We are grateful to our donor community who made this summer a success through their continued dedication to Horizons at USN.
Aspiring to our Mission Horizons continued to provide uniquely creative summer experiences to 95 students in first through seventh grades from public and charter schools across Metro Nashville. o 100% of Horizons students returned to attend Horizons at Home this summer. o 94% of students logged on each week to participate in synchronous learning with peers and teachers. o 95% of parents picked up academic boxes each week.
