The Herald

Dear Nova Classical Families,

As we head into Winter Break, we want to pause and express our appreciation for the collective efforts of our students, staff, and families. The perseverance, curiosity, and care shown throughout these past months have made this a strong and meaningful start to the school year.

Thank you to our NPTO for bringing some seasonal cheer to today with festive winter treats. It was a wonderful way to send our students and staff into Winter Break. We wish you all a restful and refreshing Winter Break, filled with time to recharge, connect, and enjoy the season.

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Paschall

Important Dates:

• Thursday, December 18: We will have a festive sweater day and hot chocolate day. Students are encouraged to wear festive/winter sweaters to kick off our winter break. Students can also wear spirit wear on top. Students must be in Uniform bottoms. If students are not wearing spirit wear or school colors, they are required to be in uniform.
• Friday, December 19: Staff Workday
• Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2: Winter Break

We are honored to celebrate these students for their achievements!

November Students of the Month

Congratulations to our Students of the Month, recognized for their commitment to temperance and nominated by their teachers for consistently demonstrating respect, kindness, and generosity.

✨Emerson Wooster (7), Venus Winworldsi (9), Charles Meeker (10), Abubakar Hirsi (11), Christine Ma (12)

Extracurriculars

Congratulations to Ava Winslow on reaching an incredible milestone, 1,000 career points in basketball! This achievement reflects Ava's hard work, dedication, and commitment to the game. Well done on this outstanding accomplishment!

Please mark your calendar for the 2025-26 Upper School Spirit Wear Days!

• Wednesday, January 14, 2026: SoL Spirit Wear Day
• Thursday, January 15, 2026: SoR Spirit Wear Day
• Wednesday, March 18, 2026: SoL Spirit Wear Day
• Thursday, March 19, 2026: SoR Spirit Wear Day
• Wednesday, May 27, 2025: ALL Upper School Spirit Wear Day

To show their school pride, Upper School students are invited to wear Nova Classical Spirit Wear with uniform bottoms or jeans. Please note, ripped/torn clothing is not allowed. Out of uniform guidelines can be found on our school website. Students who choose not participate are to be in uniform.

All students and staff are invited to wear festive sweaters on the day before winter break, Thursday, December 18! Students should wear uniform bottoms. We will also have our annual all-school sing-a-long during morning arrival in the Great Room.

SoL Senate is excited to host the annual Black and White Dance for grades 6-8 on Friday, January 30.

For everyone's safety and to ensure our carpool lines move smoothly, please remember to pull all the way forward when dropping off or picking up. We have had an increasing number of instances with folks on their cell phones not notice that the line is moving forward. This impacts the flow of the line and is a safety concern for pedestrians. Thank you for helping us keep the line moving efficiently for all families.

Homework Club is offered for Upper School students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00–5:00 PM, led by an Upper School Teacher and Educational Assistant. There is no fee for this academic support program.

• Students should arrive by 4:00 PM, and be picked up promptly at 5:00 PM.

• Supervision is not available for SoG siblings; please consider registering for Scholar Zone if needed.

Although students are not required to attend every session in order to participate, this is a great way for students to receive extra support and stay on top of their school work! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Paschall.

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!

Scholar Zone is offering S.O.S activities for students in Grades K-6.

Click the photo below to select your days. Each day is hyperlinked to RevTrack for easy signup. You can also see what we have planned for each day. Please email scholarzone@novaclassical.org with any questions.

Spring After School Cubs

Registration opens January 26, 2026.

Home Basketball Games

Come out and support your classmates at any of the upcoming events. Events are found here.

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.

Check out our offerings on the Extracurriculars page of Nova Classical's website.

Trying to connect with Nova PTO? Our best email is novapto@gmail.com. It has been listed in various places as npto@gmail.com, which is incorrect.

Click here to answer 4 questions about the carnival. Planning for 2026 begins at the next Nova PTO Zoom Meeting on Tuesday January 6, at 7:30 PM. We’ll share feedback and kick off the planning for next year. Be there to help shape the next chapter.

New this winter: Nova Parent Book Club fosters meaningful connection among parents and supports our children’s classical learning journey. Please email pmathews@myctl.net for more information.

• Readers & hosts welcome.

• Reading selections and groups will be announced in January.

• Ideas, suggestions, and offers to help are always appreciated.

Upcoming Events:

• Thursday 12/18: Winter Treats for Scholars and Staff.

• Tuesday 1/6: Nova PTO Zoom Meeting at 7:30 PM

• Sunday 1/11: Nova Skating Party. RSVP for this free event here, or to volunteer here.

• Saturday 1/24: Poker Night: Learn & Play. Click here for tickets.

• Friday 2/6: Family Cocoa at Crosby Farm. Click here for tickets.

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

Parents and Community Members:

Apply to become an active volunteer to help support our staff and scholars! Once you're active in our volunteer system, sign up for opportunities such as helping out with the NPTO's All-School Ice Skating Party or our All-Night Senior Retreat in March. 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.

If your family could use extra support this month, there are caring local organizations ready to help.

Open Door Pantry and 360 Communities Food Shelves

• Offers free groceries and household items
• Located in Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Farmington, and Rosemount
• Call: (651) 686-0787

Hastings Family Service

• Assists with food, clothing, or utility needs
• Call: (651) 437-7134

Dakota County Employment and Economic Assistance

• Provides information about public aid and emergency help
• Call: (651) 554-5611

Ramsey County - Keystone Community Food Center

You can visit Keystone’s Community Food Center located at 1800 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104. The center is between the Wendy’s and Arby’s on the corner of Fairview and University. No appointment or advanced registration is required. Food shelf participants are served on a first come, first served basis during the hours listed below. Please call (651) 917-3792 if you have any questions.

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM & 2:00-4:00 PM
• Wednesday: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM & 4:00-6:00 PM

**Please note, there is no morning service on the following dates:

• Wednesdays: March 4, June 3, September 2, 2026, and December 2, 2026.

December:

18: NPTO treats and Festive Sweater Day

19-31: No School (Building Closed)

January:

1-2: No School (Building Closed)

5: Classes resume

6: NPTO Meeting at 7:30 PM on Zoom

14: SoL Assembly during House

15: SoR Assembly during House

15: End of Quarter 2/Semester 1

16: No School (Staff Work Day)

19: No School (Building Closed)

26: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

30: SoL Black and White Dance 7:00 - 9:00 PM

See Full Calendar

Athletics Calendar