The Herald

Dear Nova Classical Academy Upper School Families,

As the third quarter draws to a close and spring break approaches, time seems to fly by at an astonishing pace. Our students and teachers consistently demonstrate excellence in their engagement. Our seniors are impressing us with their thesis defenses, demonstrating the culmination of their time of focus and learning at Nova Classical.

As we enter the second half of the semester, there are numerous exciting events on the horizon, and we hope you can join us at one or all!

• Friday, March 29: No School
• April 1-5: Spring Break
• Wednesday, April 10: No School
• Thursday, April 11: Family Multicultural Night, 5:30-7:30 PM
• Friday, April 12: Upper School Assembly, 3:15 PM; Upper School Spirit Wear Day
• Friday, April 12: SoL Spring Fling Dance, 6:30-8:30 PM
• Thursday, April 18: SoL Choir Concert, 7:00-8:30 PM
• Friday, April 19: Fine Arts Fair, 6:00-8:00 PM
• Saturday, April 20: Earth Day Cleanup at Nova Classical and Victoria Park, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Friday, April 26: No School
• Friday, May 10: SoL Boosterthon Color Run. More info to come

For additional news and updates from the Upper School, please continue reading below. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Paschall

Charter School at the Capitol Day

On Wednesday, March 13, the Minnesota Association of Charter School Day at the Capitol took place, providing our Board Chair, Nova Classical Students Simon Gebremeskel, Rachel Jeong, and Marcos Odegard, and me with a valuable opportunity for engagement. Throughout the day, we met with three representatives, actively participating in discussions surrounding charter school matters. This engagement was part of a broader initiative, with representation from over 30 schools and meetings held with more than 70 legislators.

Hats off to The Mock Trial Team for an outstanding season! Sonja Schweser was awarded first place as the Top Artist in the MN State Bar Association's Trial Artist Contest, while Maya Tadmor and Oliver Hungs were lauded as Team Best Attorney and Best Witness, respectively.

Has your student achieved something remarkable beyond the classroom? Have they been honored with a special medal or award? Have they made a positive impact in their community or achieved something else extraordinary?

Kindly provide us with the details by completing and submitting this form. Your student could be recognized in our morning announcements, student assembly, staff newsletter, or in The Herald.

School Counselor (Grades 8-12), Ms. Voelker will be visiting the classrooms of rising 9-12th graders on March 27 and 28 for a short pre-registration presentation. Students will receive a hard copy of the 2024-2025 SoR Course Guide to bring home and review with families. Ms. Voelker's presentation for all grades will include information on what classes they can expect to take for the 2024-2025 school year, elective options, and a review of graduation requirements.

Ms. Voelker will be visiting classrooms to do registration with students April 8 - April 17. See the below dates for specific registration dates. If your student is going to be absent during their registration day, please reach out to Ms. Voelker (mvoelker@novaclassical.org)

• Rising 9th grade - Friday, April 12
• Rising 10th grade - Thursday, April 11
• Rising 11th grade - Monday, April 8
• Rising 12th grade - Wednesday, April 17

ACT district testing for 11th grade students will take place during the school day. 11th graders will be registered for the ACT test by Nova Classical. There is no fee for 11th grade students who participate in district testing on March 26. 10th grade students who are interested in testing may register for an open site at www.act.org.

Registration fees apply to open testing sites. Contact Ms. Voelker with questions.

The National Honor Society and Nova Classical Equity Team invite you to join us at this year's Family Multicultural Night on Thursday, April 11, from 5:30-7:30 PM. All are invited to a night of celebrating our families and our exciting diversity of cultures through delicious food and good conversation!

RSVP: Everyone planning to attend is asked to RSVP here, where you are also encouraged to sign up to contribute to the community potluck! The RSVP deadline is Monday, April 8.

Interested in hosting a Cultural Booth?

We are looking for families who are willing to showcase their cultures more formally through a Cultural Booth! Hosting a Cultural Booth will be a bit more intensive, as it will require more food and information preparation. If you are interested in hosting a Cultural Booth, please fill out this form. The Cultural Booth Interest Form deadline is Friday, March 22.

Questions?

We welcome any questions at equitycoordinator@novaclassical.org! We hope to see you there!

SoL students are invited to dance the night away at the Spring Fling Dance on April 12 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. The Spring Fling is hosted by the SoL Senate. Cost is $5 and doors will open at 6:20. Concessions will be available for purchase.

Please join us for our spring SoL Choir Concert on April 18, from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Students will perform a variety of music styles all having to do with the theme of water. We look forward to seeing you then! Questions should be directed to Jeanie Anderson at janderson@novaclassical.org

The National Honor Society invites you to see a showcase of visual arts, photography, sculpture, writing, readings, and classical music performances presented by SoR students. Please join us from 6:00-8:00 PM to celebrate their creativity!

Nova Classical Academy is seeking nominations for candidates to serve on our Board of Directors. We will be filling the following TWO seats:

• 1 parent seat for a parent of currently enrolled Nova students for a three-year term
• 1 teacher seat for a licensed faculty member currently employed by Nova Classical for a three-year term

The nominating period begins on March 1 and ends at 4:00 PM on Friday, April 5. People may email nominations to governance@novaclassical.org or complete the online Candidate Questionnaire if they wish to run for a board seat.

More information about the election process is available on Nova Classical's website at https://www.novaclassical.org/about/board/#elections.

The SoR Student Senate will be hosting the Junior/Senior Prom at 413 on Wacouta from 7:30-11:00pm.

Nova Classical is excited to announce upcoming virtue assemblies and non-uniform days:

~Friday, April 12: Upper School Assembly - Spirit Wear Day

Nova Classical Upper School students may wear Spirit Wear tops and uniform bottoms. If students are not wearing spirit wear, they are required to be in their uniform.

Need spirit wear? Nova Classical works with the following vendors:

• Game One (password: novaknights)
• Sideline Store by BSN Sports

Senior Retreat

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a part in making our inaugural Senior Retreat and Overnight at Nova Classical a resounding success! The seniors relished every moment, creating cherished memories together. Your invaluable support is deeply appreciated!

May1: Decision Day

May 2: Senior Cap and Gown Pictures

May 10: Senior Cap and Gown Make Up Pictures

May 23: Ascot Day

May 31: Graduation Rehearsal

June 2: Graduation 2:00 PM. Order tickets.

June 3: Senior Picnic 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM at the Highland Park Pavilion

Spring Clubs run Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Please visit the out the Extracurriculars page of our website for registration information.

Check out the spring basketball camps being offered. More information on the flyer and on the Extracurriculars page of Nova Classical's website. Click on the Camps/Clinics tab. Summer camp information coming soon!

• Sign up for the Nova Classical Family Directory at novapto.membershiptoolkit.com. This is a great resource for families to connect with each other!
• There are still lots of Great Gathering spots available! Connect with community by joining us at these fun events! You can view and purchase remaining gatherings here.

PTO Meetings

Tuesday, April 9 - Virtual Only PTO Meeting (4:15-5:15pm) via Zoom

Tuesday, May 7 - Last PTO Meeting of the 2023-2024 School Year. Special Guests, Dinner and Kid Activities (more details to come).

• Check out all of NPTO's dates and information here!
• Follow NPTO on Facebook, Instagram, or visit their website for more information.

Volunteer to help support spring school and NPTO events including Multicultural Night in April, Teacher Appreciation Week in May, 8th-Grade Promotion, and Graduation! Please click here to browse and sign up for opportunities. All adult volunteers must have an up-to-date background check on file. Apply to volunteer with us, today!

SoR Students who are working towards their 80-volunteer hours Graduation Requirement must complete this form and return it to Ms. Voelker. For tips on scouting out volunteering options, check out some resources linked here.

Have you ever wondered if it is an A, B, or C Day? Can't remember when picture day is? Subscribe to our calendar to always be in the know! Click the link here for instructions to add our calendar to your personal calendar.

March:

25: Board of Directors Meeting @ 6:00 PM

26: ACT District Test (Junior Class)

28: Semester 2 Midterm (US)

29: Staff Work Day (No School)

April:

1-5: Building Closed (Spring Break, No School)

8: Start of Quarter 4

9: NPTO Meeting 4:15 - 5:15 PM

10: No School (Staff Work Day)

11: Multicultural Night 5:30 - 7:30 PM

12: SoL Spring Fling Dance 6:30 - 8:30 PM

18: SoL Spring Concert 7:00 - 8:30 PM

19: Fine Arts Fair 6:00-8:00 PM

26: No School (Staff Work Day)

29: Board of Directors Meeting 6:00 PM

May:

3: No School (Staff Work Day)

6-10: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

10: Boosterthon Color Run

20: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

24: No School (Staff Work Day)

27: No School (Building Closed)

See Full Calendar