NOVA NEWS - August 2026

Dear Nova Classical Community,

Welcome back! Whether this is your scholar's first year with us or their thirteenth, there's a special energy that comes with a new school year: new teachers, new routines, and that first-week buzz you can feel across campus. We hope this year is filled with growth, curiosity, and connection for every Knight.

There is also a lot of positive momentum across our campus on the new building expansion. You'll notice a huge amount of progress has been made since the last day of school in the spring, and we will continue to share key milestones and let families know about anything that may affect the school day, including changes to traffic flow around campus for drop-off and pick-up times.

Students, families, alumni, and members of the surrounding community will also have opportunities to help equip our school for its next chapter and make their mark on Nova history. In addition to our annual fundraising events, you may see new ways to support the expanded campus and the experiences it will make possible.

Thank you for being part of this exciting moment for Nova Classical. We will continue to share updates directly with families on our landing page.

Welcome back, Knights. We can't wait to see you all soon!

Dr. Brett Wedlund

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!

Welcome to our 2026-2027 school year! All the information you need is updated on our website. We can't wait to see you soon.

As we prepare for the new school year, we have openings in Grades 10, 11, and 12, and possible openings in Grade 9 as enrollments shift before the first day of school.

If you have friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family members with high school students who may be interested, we encourage you to share this opportunity. Interested families are welcome to submit an application here.

The strongest endorsement of an education at Nova Classical Academy comes from our own families. Word of mouth is our most effective form of advertising, and personal recommendations from our community help other families discover what makes Nova such a special place to learn and grow.

Please see our Nova Classical Academy Calendar to add our Parent Education Nights to your family’s schedule. These virtual Parent Education Nights are entirely optional and a great way to deepen your understanding of classical education and our commitment to habits of learning and mastery. These are adults only event on Zoom from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. We are looking forward to learning together with our Nova Classical Community!

Thursday, September 17: Reading, Grades K-2 | Passcode: 322769

This virtual Parent Education session will focus on Reading in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade, so is intended for parents of scholars in those grades.

Tuesday October 6: Singapore Math, Grades K-5 | Passcode: 987102

This virtual Parent Education session will focus on Singapore Math in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade, so is intended for parents of scholars in those grades.

Thursday, October 22: Reading, Grades 3-5 | Passcode: 755742

This virtual Parent Education session will focus on Reading in grades 3rd through 5th grade, so is intended for parents of scholars in those grades.

Thursday, November 17: Latin and Study Skills, Grades 5-12 | Passcode: 223001

This virtual Parent Education session will focus on Latin and Study Skills in grades 5th through 12th grade, so is intended for parents of scholars in those grades.

Thursday, December 10: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Habits of Learning | Passcode: 328066

This virtual Parent Education session will focus on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Habits of Learning in grades 5th through 12th grade, so is intended for parents of scholars in those grades.

Check out our updated Uniform Policy for the 2026-2027 school year.

Personalized labels from namebubbles.com or mabelslabels.com are a great way to keep track of your scholar's belongings. A set of labels typically costs less than replacing one lost item. If you do not use personalized labels, clearly write your scholar's first name (or first initial) and full last name on all items. Many items include a "This Item Belongs To:" label for this purpose.

Clearly labeled items can usually be returned quickly. Unlabeled items are placed in the Lost & Found, where scholars must search for them. Uniform items are especially difficult to identify because they often look the same and may be the same brand and size as other scholars' items.

Beginning in June 2026, Nova Classical Academy's IXL program is focused on students in grades 6 and 7, where IXL is used as part of the Study Skills curriculum. Students who attend Scholar Zone, our before- and after-school care program, will also continue to have access to IXL throughout the school year and the summer.

Families who would like to continue using IXL at home can purchase an IXL Family Membership to maintain access to the platform beyond the school's current program. Families interested in continuing IXL at home can view membership options and pricing on IXL's Membership page.

After creating a Family Membership, you may transfer your child's existing IXL progress from their school account to the new family account. To request the transfer, email help@ixl.com with:

• Your child's school IXL username
• Your new Family Membership username
• The following statement in your email:

"Admin permission has been provided by Nova Classical Academy to swap student data to the new account: case number 09324628."

This process allows your child to keep their existing IXL history and continue learning without starting over. We expect the transfer to be straightforward. If you have questions after contacting IXL, please reach out to Dr. Johnson, Academic Director (K–12), for additional assistance.

If you are interested in participating in a fall sport or competitive club at Nova Classical this fall, start your registration before 4:00 PM on August 7, here. Registration closes tomorrow!

Athletic and Competitive club registrations are now done through Bound. An Infinite Campus Student ID is required to register, so look yours up and have it ready. High school sports require a current physical exam to be uploaded at the time of registration as well.

Registration is still available for:

• Girls Volleyball - Middle School and High School
• Boys Soccer - High School
• Girls Soccer - Middle School and High School
• Cross Country - Middle School and High School
• First Tech Challenge (Robotics) - High School
• First Lego League (Robotics) - Middle School
• Debate - High School

Families who qualify for Educational Benefits will be required to enter a code when registering in Bound to receive the discount on the registration fees. The code will be included in your benefits confirmation notice. It will be needed each time you register in our new system, so hang on to it!

Registration opens August 10, 2026. Registration is located on individual club pages on the Extracurriculars page of Nova Classical's website. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Registration".

Options include:

Middle School Football Co-op with St. Croix Lutheran. Registration opens August 6, and ends August 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM. See the flyer for more information.

Ultimate Frisbee is one of the fastest growing youth sports in Minnesota, and Nova Classical offers two after-school opportunities for students in grades 3-8 to join in this fall! Both clubs will tie the Ultimate Frisbee Spirit of the Game principles to Nova Classical's virtue education, and interested students are encouraged to register, regardless of experience.

• Grades 3-5 focus on an introduction to the basics of Ultimate Frisbee as well as in-house scrimmages on Thursdays.

Our talented student artists created a stunning AP/Creative House Art Mural! This collaborative piece celebrates the rich literary journey our students take during their time at Nova Classical Academy. From ancient epics to classics, each section of the mural brings to life the texts that have shaped their understanding, inspired deep thinking, and sparked timeless conversations.

Congratulations to the Nova Classical Academy Class of 2026! Our incredible graduates tossed their caps high in front of our school as they marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next.

Many of our 8th grade scholars explored our nation's history in Washington, D.C. Our students explored some of the most iconic and meaningful landmarks in American history, Capitol Hill (where they met with Senator Tina Smith), Arlington National Cemetery, and George Washington's Mount Vernon. We were also honored to have Nova Classical scholars place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This trip also included visits to the Gettysburg Memorial and Battlefield, the African American History & Culture Museum, the American History Museum. It was an unforgettable experience as our 8th grade scholars dove deep into honoring our nation's past and celebrating our shared history.

Nova Classical's Fiber Artists just completed two weeks of camp, with a lot of fabulous project finishes. Now, it is time to invite you to cheer us on! We have many students who will be entering their embroidered, knitted, and crocheted pieces at the Great Minnesota Get Together, the Minnesota State Fair! If you are heading to either fair, check out the K-12 Creative Arts building and cheer on our artists.

Thank you to all of our summer facilities staff for making our building beautiful--from fresh paint to reorganized rooms and newly waxed floors, the maintenance of our building helps to set the stage for a great start to the new school year!

Thank you to our teachers and staff who have hosted enriching academic programming this summer including our Summer Boost, Extended School Year, and Kinder Academy!

Parents and Community Members:

Apply to become an active volunteer to help support our staff and scholars! Consider being a Lower School Room Rep or handing out NPTO's Welcome Back Frozen Treats at our Open Houses. 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, School Counselor, Grades 8-12, with questions or ideas.

Highlights from the July 27 Board Meeting:

• We welcomed our newest Board Member, Brandon Supernault. He is serving a three year parent seat.

• The Board reviewed enrollment numbers for the next academic year. In a previous meeting, overage enrollments were approved so that, at some critical entry grades, we could make offers earlier and have more students start at the beginning of the year than later throughout the academic cycle. So far, acceptances are on track for full classes at each grade level.

• The Board received updates on the expansion project. Roofs, floors, plumbing, and electrical are underway. Families can expect some changes to drop off and pick up plans as the academic year begins so accommodate construction. Those plans are underway and will be communicated out to families in August.

• The Board approved the goals for the Executive Director for the next academic year.

The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, August 24, 2026, which is a week earlier than usual to avoid meeting on the first day of school. Details can be found here.

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

Please complete the 2026-2027 Educational Benefits application which is now available in Infinite Campus. If you prefer, you may also download the application on Nova Classical's website. While you're there, please pay any outstanding balances in your student's food service account.

Did you know? Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, K-12. Milk is included with meals served at school. Milk is .45¢ with meals sent from home.

Why is completing an application still important?

Educational Benefits provide a variety of benefits to your student(s) and to our school, including important funds that provide programs and services to all of the students in our school community. Our school benefits only when applications are completed by the families of enrolled students, regardless of benefit status. Complete your application today!

August:

24: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

26: Upper School Open House at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

27: Lower School Open House at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

31: 1st day of school for Grades 1-12

September:

2: 1st day of school for Kindergarten

7: No School (Office Closed)

11: Student Picture Day

17: Parent Education Night: Reading Grades, K-2 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM

21: No School (Staff Work Day)

28: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

October:

2: No School (PD, Office Closed)

6: Parent Education Night: Singapore Math, Grades K-5 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM

10: K-12 Barnes & Noble Book Fair

14: Grandparents/Special Persons Day

15: No School (Staff Work Day)

16: No School (Office Closed)

19: No School (Office Closed)

21: Unity Day

22: Parent Education Night: Reading, Grades 3-5 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM

23: Picture Retakes

26: 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!

FERPA NOTICE to Parents

In compliance with the US Department of Education, Nova Classical will post FERPA Privacy of Student Records each year. This information will also be available on the Nova Classical's website under Resources > Important Information > School Policies > Other policies.

If you do not want Nova Classical to disclose, you must notify the Lower School or Upper School principal (per child first/last name) in writing by September 11, 2026.

Lower School Principal, Mrs. Farrell

Upper School Principal, Mrs. Paschall

Thanks! For more information on FERPA, please click here.

Student Photo Opt-Out Form (Optional)