URBANA – Students, teachers, and parents at Urbana High School are remembering a beloved former principal, who died last week.
With his signature fedora hats, Taren Nance referred to himself as “Fresh Principal Nance.” The Maryland native was 41-years-old. Nance is survived by his wife, Jeneice, who is the school district’s family liaison.
In 2022, he was a featured guest in a discussion about local education during a ‘News, Brews and Beatz’ discussion hosted by Illinois Public Media. He explained his special nickname.
“It’s not just a moniker or a tagline or hashtag. My kids understand what that means. When they come in my office, and they know it’s ‘Fresh Principal Nance,’ they drop all their walls and all the bricks that they pull up. They come down immediately when they come in my office,” said Nance in 2022.
Listen to Nance explain his name here:
At the same event, Nance explained why he paid special attention to some students in hopes of preventing gun violence.
“I’ve cleared my schedule for four periods a day, canceled all the meetings, and any kids that walk the hall, any kids that are coming late to class and don’t want to be to class are disconnected, they can come to my lecture hall. And we talk about gun violence and love and trust and commitment.”
After Urbana School District 116 decided in 2023 not to renew his contract, Nance moved to Illinois Wesleyan University, where he was the director of Diversity and Inclusion.