USJ VIEWBOOK 2026

USJBRUINS.ORG

MISSION STATEMENT “We instill a passion for academic, artistic, and athletic excellence while committing to personal integrity, mutual respect, and lifelong learning.”

IDENTITY STATEMENT USJ is a non-denominational, non-sectarian, college preparatory school dedicated to academic excellence and to our founding principles of faith, service, and scholarship. Based on a heritage grounded in Judeo-Christian values, we provide an educational environment where students of all ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds are valued and respected. The faculty, administration, and students are empowered to nurture and embrace the Judeo-Christian values and our operating principles. Through the fulfillment of our mission and adherence to these core principles and values, we prepare our graduates to be responsible and informed world citizens.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES I NTEG R ITY We are firm and compassionate as we build strong character.

We create an environment based on moral values and principles.

We are fair and consistent in the discipline and ethical development of each student.

H O NE STY We are truthful in all dealings.

We honor and keep our commitments.

We use facts as a basis for decision making and problem solving.

R E S P ECT We respect others and value each person’s self-worth.

We respect authority, the property of others, and the environment.

We value the diversity of our student body.

RES P O NS I BI L ITY We accept responsibility for our own actions and give credit to others for their accomplishments.

We develop good work habits by striving for academic excellence.

We encourage confidence and independence.

EXC E L L E NC E We hire and retain the best available faculty, consistent with our mission.

We set high standards and cultivate an environment of excellence.

We evaluate and pursue all alternatives for enhancing the academic strengths of the school.

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University School of Jackson

University School of Jackson is a non-denominational, non-sectarian, college preparatory school dedicated to academic excellence and to the founding principles of faith, service, and scholarship. Our mission is to instill a passion in our students for academic, artistic, and athletic excellence, while committing themselves to personal integrity, mutual respect, and lifelong learning.

Grounded in Judeo-Christian values, the University School of Jackson provides an environment that stresses a respect for one another and all religions.

Our focus on preparing our students for college sets us apart from other schools in West Tennessee. We offer our students a well-rounded education that starts with academics and includes athletics, fine arts, character education, and leadership opportunities.

A quality education is a wonderful gift to give your child.

We encourage you to consider that education at the University School of Jackson.

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The USJ Campus USJ’s campus sits on 130 acres in northwest Madison County. The campus features a Lower School for infants through fifth grade, a Middle and Upper School facility, and an extensive athletic complex.

The Middle School and Upper School building features two separate wings for sixth grade through eighth grade and ninth grade through 12th grade.

Both wings share a centralized library, media center, 500-seat performing arts center, four science labs, and extensive athletic facilities, including a multi-use turf football field and indoor turf strength and conditioning room.

The Lower School facility features extra large classrooms clustered by grade, two gymnasiums, two outside playgrounds, an eco-learning system that includes a pond and weather station, a cafetorium that doubles as a cafeteria and auditorium with a stage, and a library that features over 25,000 books. Students also have access to separate classrooms for enrichments including art, music, technology, world languages, character education/ guidance, and hands-on science and STEAM labs.

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INTEGRITY 6

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Character Development The teaching of character development, good citizenship, and leadership begins with the youngest students at USJ and is stressed at all grade levels.

Lower School students have character education classes as part of their curriculum. The Advisory System in the Middle and Upper Schools offers students academic and personal support and provides opportunities for discussion to promote good character and a greater sense of school community.

Students learn in an environment of trust and responsibility.

They do not need a lock on their locker, nor do they worry about leaving a book bag outside of a classroom.

Upper School students formed a student Honor Council to emphasize that student conduct is a matter of honor. Each year, students pledge to follow an honor code, which is predicated on the assumption that all students are honorable young men and women who have the right to be trusted.

Community involvement and leadership opportunities start in the Lower School. Students raise money for community needs, from collecting food for the needy to filling a local women’s shelter with supplies. Lower School students have earned national recognition for their biannual St. Jude Math-A-Thon, raising more money in this effort to fight childhood cancer than any other school Math-a-thon in the country.

Upper School students must have 50 hours of community service to graduate, and all Upper School clubs are expected to have annual service projects.

At USJ, we know that educating a child is more than teaching academics and developing good study skills. It includes the development of character — the ability to make good choices in tough situations.

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Early Childhood The Early Childhood program is a progressive, child-centered approach that lays the foundation for learning and prepares our students for Kindergarten. Each child learns from a curriculum that allows students to construct knowledge through exploration and discovery.

Our classes strive for optimum growth in each student in a positive learning environment.

A sense of community is instilled in all children through interaction with their peers and participation of service projects that provide an introduction to the world around them.

We help our students to develop as thinkers, problem solvers, and explorers. Our daily experiences promote hands-on learning and encourages independent thinking.

HONESTY

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RESPECT

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Lower School At the University School of Jackson, teachers recognize the importance of establishing a strong foundation in the lives of our youngest students. Our program is educationally stimulating and exemplifies practices that are developmentally appropriate and responsive to the individual needs and talents of our students. Our curriculum is sequential as each lesson builds on what the child has already mastered. Our focus is the whole child—as an academic, emotional, social, physical, and civic-minded person. Through team teaching, self-contained classes, and flexible grouping, students are taught in language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. Students learn in a loving environment that encourages self-discipline, respect, participation, communication, and trial and error. Enrichment programs include art, music, library, technology, world languages, character education, physical education, and a hands-on STEAM lab. Spanish begins with the two-year-old Jr. Cubs program. French is introduced in second grade and continues through fifth grade when students have one semester of French and one semester of Spanish. Opportunities for age-appropriate participation in after-school sports and fine arts further enhance the program.

The after-school care program and summer daycare program (Camp Bruins) are designed for working parents who need extended care for their children. These programs, which are available for children in Jr. Cubs through fifth grade, offer our students a safe, loving, relaxing, and enjoyable environment for after school and summer vacation. The students enjoy scheduled activities in athletics, fine arts, and general playtime as well as special programs offered each week in the library.

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RESPONSIBIL

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Middle School Students in USJ’s Middle School are directed through a challenging, yet nurturing program to meet their distinct needs as they progress from the Lower School’s developmental approach to learning to the content-based curriculum of the Upper School.

Students rotate through classes and teachers who teach a core curriculum of mathematics, history, language arts, and science. Seventh and eighth grade students choose between a full year of French or Spanish. Additional learning opportunities include art, music or band, technology, and physical education classes. Learning is extended beyond the classroom through annual, grade-level educational trips, which include the eighth grade’s capstone visit to New York and Washington, D.C. The Middle School curriculum is intentionally designed to prepare students for the academic rigors of the Upper School by focusing on essential knowledge, skills, and study habits. To ensure a smooth transition, course sequences are strategically planned; for example, all eighth graders take physical science to establish a firm foundation for freshman biology. To provide an appropriate level of challenge, honors classes are introduced progressively: beginning with math in sixth grade, followed by language arts in seventh, and finally world language in eighth.

At USJ, we know the Middle School years are a time of tremendous academic, emotional, and physical growth. We love, engage, and challenge every student to embrace our mission as they grow and prepare for the challenges of the Upper School and beyond.

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EXCELLENCE

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University School of Jackson

Upper School With a strong preparation in the lower and middle grades, Upper School students are provided a curriculum that prepares them for success beyond USJ. All of USJ’s graduates meet college entrance requirements. Our college advisors work individually with students to help them gain admission into their colleges of choice.

The Upper School curriculum offers college prep, honors, and Advanced Placement courses in a challenging and supportive educational environment. We also offer support for dual enrollment coursework. All courses in the curriculum prepare students to do well in college and demand a strong and consistent work ethic. Students are required to take six classes during their first three years (core classes in mathematics, English, science, history, world languages, and an elective) and five classes during their senior year, including one in math and English.

Foreign language students can travel abroad for language-immersion instruction.

These trips take place every other year.

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College Advising USJ’s College Advising Office offers individualized advising to help each student attain his/her college admissions goals. In the ninth and tenth grade, we direct our students in choosing course selections that best suit their interests and future goals. In early high school, we encourage our students to pursue their extracurricular passions and find activities in which they love to be involved. In junior and senior year, we begin helping students develop a list of prospective colleges that best suit their career interests. In addition, we work with each student on achieving his/her personal best on college entrance exams. The goal of the USJ College Advising Office is that each student will receive personal attention in finding the best fit school for his/her specific career goals.

We want USJ to be the first step in the pursuit of lifelong learning.

THE CAMILLE AND RALPH JONES

Academic Center The Camille and Ralph Jones Academic Center (JAC) at the University School of Jackson strives to provide quality prevention, intervention, and supplementary academic services to USJ students with slight learning differences. Its services assist the University School of Jackson community in maintaining a standard of excellence in USJ’s highly competitive academic atmosphere.

Academic support services for qualifying students range from managing and updating appropriate classroom accommodations to temporary support, in the form of small group instructional services. These services are in addition to the student’s daily classroom instruction. The JAC services provided during the school day are free and are included within the cost of the qualifying student’s tuition.

Our instructors are committed to helping students reach their highest academic potential by considering and teaching to each student’s unique circumstances.

Understanding that all students are different, we consider the needs of the whole child. Our multi-disciplinary team collaborates to meet each student’s social/ emotional and academic needs.

To help our students succeed, the center utilizes a comprehensive, prescriptive instructional design that helps each student achieve their highest academic potential effectively and efficiently. Our center designs each student’s academic action plan based upon preliminary parent/student interviews, classroom teacher input, initial academic assessments, and when necessary, outside professional evaluations and recommendations.

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Technology Our faculty and students use technology at all grade levels as tools to enhance learning. Google Classroom is integrated into the learning environments of our students starting in the Lower School, and students continue to use Google Classroom more independently as they progress through Middle and Upper School.

Teachers in grades Kindergarten through 1st Grade have iPads in their classroom that are used for research, videography, and many other purposes.

Students in 2nd and 3rd Grade are provided Chromebooks to use in class.

Teachers in the Cubs through Jr. Kindergarten classes can bring a mobile iPad cart into their classroom when needed. Starting in fourth grade, students are introduced to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environment that gives them the opportunity to communicate directly with their instructors and collaborate with their peers on projects, mimicking a college environment.

All classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards/Apple TVs and whiteboards so teachers can visually instruct the entire class at one time.

The STEAM Lab The Lower School STEAM Lab is a space for exploring, making, and trying things in a different way. Students are encouraged to take on unfamiliar and challenging projects in teams as they utilize their critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. Projects include the following: - Coding on Code-A-Pillars (Kindergarten), Ozobots (1st-5th), and Dash and Dots (3rd-5th) - Computer programming - Robotics - 3D Printers and 3D Pens - Engineering design and build-outs - Google classroom - Scratch Coding summer camps

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Athletics The athletic program at University School of Jackson is a member of TSSAA’s Division II-A. USJ’s Middle and Upper Schools currently field 37 teams in 13 different sports. USJ has won State Championships in girls’ soccer, girls’ softball, girls’ tennis, girls’ track, boys’ baseball, and boys’ tennis. Each year, USJ teams are well represented in regional and state tournament play. Our sports complex and athletic facilities are among the finest in the state.

USJ focuses on overall wellness by offering a strength and conditioning coach and facilities for our athletes and students. Physical education classes start as early as two years old in the Lower School, which serves as an introduction to organized sports. USJ Lower School students have the opportunity to participate in a number of sports programs including basketball, football, tennis, soccer, and gymnastics.

The school’s commitment to athletics results in high sports participation at all grade levels. Lower School students join community recreation leagues. Students have physical education classes through eighth grade.

Varsity coaches offer camps and after-school instruction for Lower School students.

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Fine Arts USJ’s extensive fine arts program begins in the Lower School with visual arts and music enrichment classes. Starting in Jr. Kindergarten, classes stage annual musical productions.

The visual arts department challenges our students’ artistic talents and showcases them throughout our school and the community through art exhibits and competitions.

Middle School students take classes in band, vocal music, and visual arts. They also have the option to participate in musicals each year and have the opportunity to perform in Upper School theatrical plays and musicals.

In the Upper School, the fine arts curriculum includes drama, band, chorus, and visual arts classes. USJ is one of a few schools in West Tennessee to offer AP Studio Art and AP Music Theory. Each year, Upper School productions include band and vocal concerts, two musical productions, two dramatic productions, and a schoolwide art exhibit and talent montage. Many efforts cross the spectrum of the arts. Band students, for example, make up much of the live orchestra for musicals, visual arts students help with sets and posters for theater productions, and choral students perform at visual arts events.

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The USJ Community At USJ, a quality education is a commitment of the entire school community — our faculty and staff, our parents, and our larger community of alumni and friends. When you become a part of USJ, you become a part of a school family that believes in the importance of a quality education and knows that a well-rounded education involves academics, character education, and a host of extracurricular activities to meet the needs of each child.

The support of our parents through fundraisers and annual giving enables USJ to be affordable to more families. Parents are great volunteers both inside and outside the classroom.

The school prides itself on our diverse student body. Our students represent many ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. Each candidate for admission is evaluated on the basis of a personal interview, admissions tests, academic record, and personal record. Students travel from communities across West Tennessee to attend USJ. An education at USJ is as individual as each child we teach.

We invite you to discover the possibilities for your child.

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USJ 232 MCCLELLAN ROAD | JACKSON, TN 38305 731.664.0812 | USJBRUINS.ORG

To learn more about the University School of Jackson contact our Admissions Department at admissions@usjbruins.org or call 731.660.1692 The University School of Jackson admits students of any race, color, nationality and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.