NOVA NEWS - February 2026

Dear Nova Classical Community,

Although recent events in the Twin Cities community have not directly impacted the physical safety of our school, they have affected the physical safety of some members of the Nova community outside of school and the overall well-being of students, families, and staff.

Early in my career, when I was a high school and college football coach, I was taught to focus on the things we can control, especially when facing uncertainty or unknown variables. As a school leader, I often return to that approach when circumstances feel uncertain or unsettled.

I believe it is clear that students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and respected, both physically and emotionally. One thing we can control is how we create and maintain those conditions within our school. As part of that work, we are introducing a new confidential reporting tool for harassment, bullying, student well being and safety related concerns. This tool provides an additional way for students, families, and staff to share information when something does not feel right, allowing us to respond consistently and appropriately.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting a safe and supportive school community.

It’s a Great Day to be a Knight!

Dr. Brett Wedlund

Mark your calendars! This year's Family Multicultural Night is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 5:30-7:30 PM. We hope to see everyone there as we come together for this wonderful celebration of Nova Classical's community!

SUBMISSIONS: Accepting submissions here

TICKETS: Available on the NPTO store

The following spring after school clubs still have openings. Register here. Registration closes February 13, 2026 @ 4:00 PM. Don't miss out on the fun!

• Chess Club: Grades 2-8
• Dungeons and Dragons: Grades 6-12
• Fly Fishing: Grades 6-8
• Intermediate Needlework: Grades 4-6
• Kidcreate Studios: Grades K-2 and 3-5
• Music on Grand: Band and Orchestra
• Nature Club: Grades 2-5
• Writing Club: Grades 7-12

Spring sports are open on the Extracurriculars page of Nova's website.

REMINDER: Students in Grades K-8 MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian to attend all home athletic events. This includes middle school games. Students in Grades 9-12 may attend events without a parent/guardian present, but must purchase an annual student pass for $10. The student pass will get an individual student into any regular season contest hosted on campus. Family passes are also available to purchase.

Passes and can be purchased online in advance, with a credit card at the door, or with Apple Pay on your mobile device. The ticketing site is located under "Tickets" in the bottom toolbar of the extracurriculars page.

Youth in Government (YIG) Conference

We proudly commend our Nova Classical student representatives for their dedication and engagement at the January conference: Alia Delgado, Greta Gerber, Elwen Hage, Elliot Lynch, James Olson, Henry Page, Gavin Ralston, Sylvia Ralston, Nicole Schuester, Sam Shepard, and Sequoia Sweere. The Youth in Government program gives students hands-on experience in civic engagement by simulating real government roles, including legislators, judges, and journalists. Through conferences and events, participants strengthen leadership, public speaking, and critical-thinking skills, while exploring how democracy works in action.

Spelling Bee Winners - Congratulations to all of our Spelling Bee participants for an impressive competition! Well done to every student who participated.

• First Place: Tyler Peters, Grade 5

• Second Place: Neel Vijay, Grade 7

• Third Place: Jonah Varghese, Grade 4
  

Robotics News

The Argonauts didn’t just shine as a team—they earned top honors! Our team received the Gear Up Award for the best video highlighting gracious professionalism, as well as 1st Place for the Think Award, recognizing excellence in engineering, coding, and design processes. Judges praised the team’s Engineering Portfolio for clearly showcasing how they overcame obstacles, developed innovative solutions, and applied logical, consistent coding to solve game challenges. Way to go, ducklings—sailing strong aboard the ship of Argus!

AP® School Honor Roll Recognition

We are proud to share that our School of Rhetoric has earned a place on the AP® School Honor Roll for the 2024-25 school year. This recognition honors schools that excel at expanding access to AP courses and supporting students on their path to college success.

Parents and Community Members:

Apply to become an active volunteer to help support our staff and scholars! Click here to view the always-current list of opportunities and links to sign up.

SoR Volunteering Network:

Nova Classical Families, do you know of a non-profit that needs help in our community? Do you need help in your research lab or hospital this summer? Do you have a connection with an animal shelter, museum, or park cleanup group? SoR Students are required to log 80 hours of community service to graduate. Please help us connect our students with opportunities in the community. Please contact Ms. Landrum (Voelker), School Counselor, Grades 8-12, with questions or ideas.

Highlights from the January 26 Nova Classical Board Meeting:

• The Spotlight Award was given to Mikayla Landrum, School Counselor for Grades 8-12. Mikayla supports students’ academic, emotional, and social development with positivity and care. She brings warmth, calm, and clarity to all that she does; students trust her, families rely on her, and staff know they can count on her. Thank you, Mikayla, for all your work to support our students and families.
• Dr. Wedlund highlighted the completion of the bond sale. He also spoke about work connected to the Strategic Plan and ensuring that Nova Classical is inclusive to all members of our community, and briefly about the events happening in our broader community. Dr. Wedlund shared that the school continues its work to ensure the safety of our students, noting that there are systems in place to support physical and psychological safety.
• The Board had a presentation of our unmodified fiscal audit from Roby Thomas from Thomas and Company. The Audit was approved at a prior board meeting. Nova Classical has no findings for this year. Mr. Thomas complimented our administrative and financial team and the detailed work they do, as well as our prudent budgeting.
• The Board discussed the FY27 Enrollment plan. The overage targets are based on enrollment held from previous years. The Board and School want to do our best to ensure students can start the year at Nova and minimize mid-year transfers.
• The Board had an update from Jesse Prins, as the expansion continues to progress. The City of St. Paul is currently reviewing our Final Site Plan. We are excited to break ground when it is fully thawed this spring and look forward to its completion in early 2027.

• The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM.

For meeting minutes and agendas for upcoming meetings, visit the Board section of Nova Classical's website.

Board meetings are open to the public. All are welcome to attend meetings. We are also open to having Nova family members join our work groups. If you are interested in attending or joining a board committee those can be found here.

Four Parent Seats on Nova Classical's Board of Directors are up for election this spring. The Governance Committee will be seeking candidates and nominations for potential candidates beginning March 1. In the meantime, we encourage people to learn more about the work of the Board and to consider parents who would be an excellent addition to it.

Nova PTO Zoom Meeting: Tuesday, 3/3, at 7:30 PM. Join us as we kick off planning for next year and review feedback and financial results.

Nova PTO has established the Community Support Fund to raise separate funds to support members of our community in need. Click here to donate.

Upcoming Events

• Saturday, 2/7: Valentines for 2nd Graders - Click here for tickets

• Saturday, 2/7: Nowhere to Wear it Party - Click here for tickets

• Friday, 2/13: Grade 5 - Grade 12 Epic Nerf Battle - Click here for tickets

• Friday, 2/13: Nova PTO Family Ski Day - Click here for more information

• Saturday, 2/21: Nova Ladies Cocktail Social - Click here for tickets

• Wednesday, 2/25: Intro to Irish Dance - Click here for tickets

• Saturday, 2/28: 3rd Grade Winter Bonfire & Play - Click here for tickets

• Friday, 3/13: Favorite Things Party - Click here for tickets

• Sunday, 3/22: Nova Family Open Gymnastics - Click here for tickets

February:

13: No School (Building Closed, Staff Development Day)

16: No School (Building Closed)

23: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

March:

6: K-12 Conferences (No School for students)

19: End of Quarter 3 for LS, Midterm for Semester 2 for US

20: No School (Staff Work Day)

23-27: No School (Building Closed)

30: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

April:

3: No School (Staff Work Day)

16: Multicultural Night from 5:30 - 7:30 PM

17: No School (Staff Work Day)

27: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

Did you know that you can follow Nova Classical Academy on social media? Stay in the loop by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!

We invite our community members and students to share their stories, achievements, and upcoming events for a chance to be featured in Nova News! Whether it's highlighting a student group, activity, or special event, we welcome your submissions.

To ensure a smooth process, we've developed some guidelines for coaches, advisors, teachers, staff, students, and parent volunteers. These guidelines are designed to help streamline submissions and ensure we capture the best of what Nova Classical has to offer.

Please see the attached guidelines for more details on how to submit your items. Remember, you can also have your events or activities considered for our social media channels by emailing them to socialmedia@novaclassical.org and contact@novaclassical.org.

We look forward to showcasing the amazing things happening in our community!