A letter from Head of School, Erica Steakley, Ph.D.

Welcome to Templeton Academy Nashville!

As a parent, I've been part of Templeton Academy Nashville since its very first days, when my daughter entered as a newly minted 8th grader. Now, a couple of years after her graduation, I continue to feel profoundly grateful for this school and the community that nurtured her growth and ours. I often hear from families that they, too, wish a school like Templeton had been available when they were growing up—a sentiment that is at the heart of why Templeton exists.

Templeton is unlike any other school in Nashville or across the country. Our students are as diverse as their interests—extroverts and introverts, leaders and collaborators, explorers and creators, artists and scientists. Each has a reason for being here: a desire for self-expression, a love of hands-on learning, a connection to a close-knit community, or a space to pursue their passions.

Amid that diversity, one thing unites us: a community that invites students to show up fully as themselves—to take risks, ask hard questions, grapple with big ideas, and grow. Templeton is not just a safe space, but a brave space—one where being seen, supported, and challenged go hand in hand.

At Templeton, learning happens through The Templeton Way, a blend of Core Advisory, Project-Based Learning, and Fieldwork that together form our approach to Deeper Learning. Rather than separate experiences, these three pillars work together—each one informing and strengthening the others—to help students connect who they are, what they're learning, and how they engage with the world. Each pillar informs the others, reflection deepens inquiry, inquiry inspires action, and real-world experience brings learning full circle.

Our ultimate goal is to help students discover their own foundational purpose – what brings them joy, enables them to serve others, and guides the unique contributions they hope to make to their communities and the world.

We would be honored to show you around Templeton Academy Nashville and share how education as it should be comes alive here every day.

Erica Steakley, Ph.D. Head of School