NOVA NEWS - April 2026

Dear Nova Classical Community,

As we move into spring, we’re approaching an important milestone in our facility expansion. Construction is scheduled to begin in early April, with a small groundbreaking planned later today to mark this next phase.

In the coming weeks, families may begin to see construction fencing installed, followed by equipment arriving on site as excavation begins. We will keep our Nova Classical community and surrounding neighbors informed of any updates to traffic flow, pick-up and drop-off routes, and parking along the way. Our goal is to ensure students experience little to no disruption during the school day, with any updates to the existing building planned for the summer break.

We’ll continue to update the facility expansion webpage, and families are always welcome to reach out with questions.

While the building itself is fully funded, we’ll also begin sharing opportunities in the months ahead to support furnishings, equipment, and other elements that bring these new spaces fully to life.

This is an exciting step for Nova Classical and a meaningful investment in our students and community.

It’s a Great Day to be a Knight!

Dr. Brett Wedlund

All Nova Classical families are invited to attend this year's Family Multicultural Night on Thursday, April 16, from 5:30-7:30 PM! This is a night of celebration that thrives because of the involvement of our amazing community.

Visit this link RSVP, volunteer, and contribute to the potluck! Please note: This event is open to all members of the immediate Nova Classical community and their families! However, for the safety of the community, the event is not open to the general public. To ensure that attendees are members of the Nova community, families must RSVP to be allowed entry into the event.

Want to be even more involved?

• Host a Cultural Booth!
• Share a performance!
• Make a monetary donation to Multicultural Night!

Questions about Family Multicultural Night? Contact the Equity Team at equitycoordinator@novaclassical.org. Hope to see you there!

WHAT: Live film screenings and musical performances from Nova’s creative community. Open to anyone with a relative connection to Nova Classical Academy. Nova Alumni are encouraged to participate!
WHEN: Friday, May 1, 2026
WHERE: Nova Great Hall 4:00-9:00 PM

SUBMISSIONS: Accepting submissions here

TICKETS: Available on the NPTO store

Get ready — our Spring Boosterthon Fundraiser is almost here! This year, we’re aiming to raise $60,000 schoolwide to help sustain the strong, enriching programs that make our school such a special place for every student. From classroom experiences to extracurricular opportunities, these funds play an important role in supporting the full scope of what we offer and we’re counting on our community to help us reach this goal.

Upcoming Dates:

• April 23: Boosterthon website opens for family signups
• May 7: Official kickoff
• May 15: Celebration Day

This year’s theme is Star Quest 5: Space is the Place of Discovery! Students will enjoy exciting incentives along the way, all leading up to a Fun Run for Lower School and a Color Run for our School of Logic — a joyful celebration of our community and all we make possible, together.

Summer is just around the corner! Registration for summer activities will open March 30, 2026. Information coming soon on the Extracurriculars page of the Nova website for Fiber Arts Camp, SoL and SoR Strength and Conditioning, Summer Youth Soccer and more!

Save the Date for Upper School Drama's performance of Antigone

When: May 22 & 23, 2026

Where: Park Square Theater in St. Paul

Congratulations to our Mock Trial Team for winning the MSBA High School State Tournament and advancing to the National Tournament, May 7-9 in Iowa! We are incredibly proud of our students, coaches, and volunteers who dedicated their time and effort throughout the season to make this possible.

Team Members: Nina Aamodt, Grace Bayne, Violet Blood, Molly Faulken, James Garske, Alexander Hungs, Christine Ma, and Nicolas Odegard

Head Coach: Jeff Magnuson

Assistant Coach: Logan Juran

Volunteers: Liam Magistad, Israel Wilson, Damon Fraser, Jane Wegener-Venema, and Mike Unger

History Bee Winners

First Place: Liam Maresch Conley, Grade 8

Second Place: Elenanore Cooper, Grade 7

Third Place Tie: Seraphina Elverum Buxton, Grade 7, and Teddy Rauen, Grade 8

Seraphina Elverum Buxton and Cedar Shah both competed in the Minnesota Regional Qualifier History Bee in March and represented Nova Classical Academy admirably. Seraphina won the gold medal and Cedar the bronze medal. They have qualified for the IAC National History Bee in May, taking place in Orlando, FL.

Our seniors recently gathered for the annual Senior Retreat and an opportunity to slow down, step away from usual routines, and spend meaningful time together. Through conversation, reflection, and shared moments, the Class of 2026 continued building memories that will mark their final year at Nova. We’re grateful for the parents and staff who helped make this time possible and for the seniors who made the most of it.

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.

• April 16: NCA Family Multicultural Night
• May 1: Supernova Music + Film Fest
• May 2: Prom Decorating Committee
• May 4-8: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week:
• Volunteer Sign up
• Wishlist Sign up
• May 11-15: Boosterton Prize Distribution and Fun Run
• May 31: Graduation Reception

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 March 30 Nova Classical Board Meeting:

• The Board celebrated Dennis Barker with the Spotlight Award. Dr. Wedlund shared that when Coach Barker started coaching our varsity cross country team—he didn’t just build a program—he built a culture. His steady and purposeful development of students helped the team reach our first state championship and continues to foster an enjoyment of running in numerous students. The Board commends Coach Barker's work.

• The Board completed the second half of the “Is It Virtuous” training, analyzing a case study aligned with ongoing staff cultural competency work.

• Dr. Wedlund provided background on a forthcoming athletic conference decision. The Board will consider a proposal next month to leave the Skyline Conference and join the MCAA. He also reported that Nova Classical’s Mock Trial team won the state tournament and will compete at nationals in May, and he shared updates from the Minnesota legislative session.

• The Board approved the FY27 budget, which is based on the revised FY26 budget reviewed at the March 19, 2026 special meeting. That meeting also authorized spending for critical expansion components. Key highlights included the new expansion lease, state funding adjustments, increased spending for the compensation model, higher compensatory aid, and increased athletic fees.

• The Board received an expansion update. An informal groundbreaking for the new expansion was held April 2. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in mid-April, with excavation completed by mid-May, pending final permits. The current timeline projects completion of the skyway by mid-December, with tentative building occupancy at that time.

Elections for new Board Members are underway and nominations are being accepted for Board members for the July 2026 board cycle. Four parent seats are open. Feel free to join a meeting or connect with a current Board member if you would like more information on what Board service is like.

Upcoming Meetings:

• The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 6:00 PM. Please join virtually or at school.

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.

Nova Classical Academy is seeking candidates to run for the Board of Directors. Please consider running for or nominating someone to run for one of the following FOUR seats up for election this year:

• 3 parent seats for a parent of currently enrolled Nova students, each for a three-year term
• 1 additional parent seat for a parent of currently enrolled Nova students, for a two-year term

The Candidate Questionnaire Form is available online only and must be submitted electronically by the candidate no later than 4:00 PM on April 10, 2026. Other nominations may be made by emailing the Nova Classical Governance Committee (governance@novaclassical.org). All nominees must complete the Candidate Questionnaire to be considered for candidacy.

If you have any questions about board service or the election process, please contact the Nova Classical Governance Committee.

Volunteers Needed! Check out the open positions open positions here. Choose from short-term, long-term or one-time commitment).

In-Person PTO Meeting in April

Join us in person on Tuesday, April 7, from 6:00-7:00 PM, in the Great Room at Nova. Snacks will be provided. Topics of conversation include: Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, Community Support Fund and Family Carnival. All staff and parents are welcome.

2026 Teacher/Staff Appreciation

Nova PTO will show our appreciation and gratitude towards the teachers and staff May 4-8, 2026. We are accepting monetary donations here to help with the costs of the festivities.

Upcoming Gatherings & Events.

• Thursday, 4/30: Kindergarten Movie Night. Click here for tickets.

• Friday, 5/1: Super Nova Music and Film Festival. Click here for tickets.

• Tuesday, 5/4: May PTO Meeting via Zoom

• Monday to Friday, 5/4-5/8: Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week

• Friday, 5/22: Family Dance Class. Click here for tickets.

• Sunday, 5/31: Grades 2-5 Kickball Game. Click here for tickets.

• Thursday, 7/16: Historic Hill Garden Party & History Walk (adults only). Click here for tickets.

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

Find Gatherings Tickets, connect to the Family Directory, and get involved at novapto.org.

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

May:

1: No School (Building Closed)

4-8: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

15: Boosterthon Fun Run and Color Run

18: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

22: No School (Staff Work Day)

25: No School (Building Closed)

June:

3: Last Day of School

19: No School (Building Closed)

Summer Office Hours:

M-Th, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, from June 5-August 14

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!