The Herald

Dear Nova Classical Academy Upper School Families,

As the new school year is underway, I’m excited to share some updates from the Upper School. Our students have returned with a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm. It’s been inspiring to see how quickly they’ve engaged in their studies and immersed themselves in school life. Whether in academics or extracurriculars, they’re approaching each day with dedication and determination.

Our extracurricular programs are also in full swing, offering a wide range of activities for students to explore their interests, collaborate with peers, and build leadership skills. We encourage you to attend upcoming events—whether it’s a game, a performance, or another school gathering. Your presence means so much to our students, and it’s always great to strengthen the bond between families and the Nova Classical community.

Be sure to check out the latest newsletter for details on upcoming activities and ways to get involved. Your engagement truly makes a difference! Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to celebrating the achievements—big and small—throughout the year.

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Paschall

Ms. Briana Beatty: We welcome Ms. Briana Beatty as our newest addition to the Science Department in the Upper School. Ms. Beatty has earned her B.A. in Plant and Microbial Biology from the University of Minnesota and is currently working on her Master's degree from the University of Minnesota. She also brings valuable experience as a researcher and teaching assistant. Please extend a warm welcome to Ms. Beatty!

Ms. Aimee Gatti: You may know Ms. Gatti for her work in Special Education but did you know she is also a licensed Science teacher? She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Pennsylvania Western University and a Master's Degree in Environmental Education from the University of Minnesota. Ms. Gatti has many years of teaching experience in both the middle and high school levels prior to coming to Nova Classical last year. She also has a wide variety of experiences as a Naturalist having worked at the MN Zoo, The Raptor Center and Dodge Nature Center. Ms. Gatti will be teaching part-time in the Science Department during the 1st semester as well as continuing to provide student support in Special Education. Please welcome her to her new role!

In this section, Senior Emily Kingston, reflects on the powerful influence teachers have had on her academic journey. From offering guidance in the classroom to encouraging her personal development, her reflection highlights the lasting impact of a dedicated educator.

"I have been attending Nova for twelve years now, and the support I have received from the teachers and staff here is unmatched. Each day I am astonished by the responsibilities our teachers take on. They are dedicated not only to providing knowledge, but also to creating a welcoming learning environment. I would like to highlight that this compassion has been the root of many students’ success, including my own, and I owe it to their reliability that I feel comfortable reaching out at any time with questions or concerns. I appreciate having such a supportive staff accompany me on my academic journey, and am grateful to be part of a community where our teachers go above and beyond to work with their students. The title of “instructor” will never encapsulate the extent to which they educate." ~Emily Kingston, Nova Classical Academy, Class of 2025

We are honored to celebrate these students for their achievements:

National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists

• Sophia Lee
• Sean Borell
• Rachel Jeong
• Thomas O'Keefe

~These Nova Classical Seniors scored in the top 1% of the state on their 2023 PSAT/NMSQT and are eligible to apply to become a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.

National Merit Scholar Commended Students

• Mason Engelking
• Zenji Shiroma
• Anne Tsai

~These Nova Classical Seniors placed among the top 50,000 students, nationwide, who took the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT.

Congratulations to our Senior Scholars! We are proud of you!

As we settle into the school year, it's a good time to gently remind everyone of our uniform expectations. We appreciate your support in helping students follow the guidelines, particularly with ensuring shirts are tucked in, a polo or oxford are worn under sweaters/sweatshirts, etc. and uniform bottoms meet the required length and material. Your partnership helps maintain the high standards we all value at Nova Classical.

Nova Classical Academy’s uniform policy supports student success by helping them focus on learning, rather than attire. It promotes a unified, neat appearance that reflects the importance of being prepared to learn. Additionally, the policy encourages character development, fostering values like simplicity, dignity, and respect, while also helping students understand the connection between principles and rules. It is the responsibility of the students and their parents to ensure that the student adheres to the uniform expectations. Uniform guidelines for each school can be found on our school website.

Monday-Friday, September 23-27

• Homecoming House Activities, (SoR)
• Spirit Week Dress Days, Monday-Thursday -- SoR Only Out of Uniform day guidelines apply
• Monday: Comfy Day (Sweatshirts/sweatpants/jeans, no pajamas)
• Tuesday: Music Genre Day (Country-Western, Rock, etc.)
• Wednesday: Squad Day (Dress as a group/theme/team)
• Thursday: Hollywood Day (Red-carpet attire or dress as a movie character)
• Friday, 9/27 SoG/SoL/SoR Spirit Wear Day
  
• Students wearing Nova Classical Spirit Wear may wear jeans or uniform bottoms
• Students who choose not participate are to be in uniform

Friday, September 27: Parade at 2:00 PM. Parents/Guardians and Alumni are welcome to attend!

Saturday, September 28: SoR Homecoming Dance 7:00 to 10:00 PM

• Guest Permission Slips (Link HERE) are due Wednesday, September 25.

Homework help is available for Upper School students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Homework support is provided by an Upper School Teacher and Educational Assistant.

Students may report to Room 326 at 4:00 PM. Students should be picked up from school at 5:00 PM.

Please mark your calendar for the 2024-25 Upper School Spirit Wear Days!

• Friday, September 27
• Thursday, October 31
• Thursday, January 16
• Thursday, March 27
• Thursday, May 29

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.

Current 8th students and their families who are interested in learning more about the June 2025 to Washington D.C. are invited to attend an information session at Nova Classical on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:30 PM.

Our NHS will again be sponsoring a Dimes for Disasters change drive. The drive will run September 16-24 and will benefit the Red Cross. NHS members will be providing envelopes for donations, and will be collecting donations and providing updates. Thanks for your support of these efforts

Parents and Guardians are invited to join the Upper School Parent Advisory Committee! This committee will play a vital role in fostering communication and collaboration between parents/guardians and the school administration. Members of the committee will meet regularly with Mrs. Paschall to share ideas, provide feedback, and discuss ways to enhance the educational experience for all students.

Additionally, we are seeking interested parents/guardians of current 9-11th grade students to join our Senior Celebration Committee. This group will be assist in supporting the legacy events that celebrate our senior class (Senior Retreat, Last Day of School Breakfast, Graduation, etc.), ensuring a memorable experience for them as they prepare to graduate.

If you are interested in joining either committee or would like more information, please email Mrs. Paschall at tpaschall@novaclassical.org. Your involvement is greatly appreciated and will make a lasting impact on our school community.

Has your student accomplished something exceptional outside of the classroom? Have they earned a special award, been recognized with a medal, or made a significant impact in their community? We’d love to hear about their achievements!

Please share the details by filling out and submitting this form. Your child might be featured in our morning announcements, celebrated during a student assembly, highlighted in our staff newsletter, or noted in The Herald.

School of Rhetoric students in 10th and 11th grade will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT Exam on Thursday, October 10, during 1st-4th periods. Below are a few links with the student guide, resources with practice tests, information on materials that are allowed in the testing room, and information on why students should take the PSAT/NMSQT. Additional information about this test is available to students through their grade-level Google Classroom, posted by Ms. Voelker.

Helpful Links:

Why take the PSAT/NMSQT?

PSAT/NMSQT Test Day Instructions

Kaplan Study Resources

Fall activities and athletics are off to a flying start! Come out and support your classmates at any of the upcoming events. Events are found here.

Students in Grades K-8 must to be accompanied by a parent/guardian to attend all home athletic events. 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 contest hosted on campus for either, volleyball, basketball, or soccer. 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 at the GoFan link in the tool bar of the extracurriculars calendar or by the Quick Links on the extracurricular page of Nova Classical's website. Please contact Activities Director, Mr. Rovn with questions.

The following activities open for registration during the month of September. Check out specific dates on the Extracurriculars page of the Nova website.

• Mock Trial
• Speech
• Boys Basketball
• Girls Basketball
• Boys Hockey

Boys Basketball Information

Nova Knights boys basketball will be starting up fall activities soon for students in Grades K-12. If your son is interested in basketball and you aren't on our mailing list, please email Coach Carrier at jcarrier@novaclassical.org to be added to our mailing list. We will be sending out details on fall workouts, as well as information for the upcoming winter basketball season. Please reach out to Coach Carrier with any questions.

Be on the lookout for Winter Registration in the coming weeks.

Registration Opens: Open NOW

Registration Closes: September 25, 2023 @ 4:00 PM
Weekday/Time: Saturdays, September 21 & 28, and October 5, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Grades: 3-8
Cost: $75
Location: Nova Soccer Field
Description: Come work on skills and enjoy the beautiful Fall weather! Run by Nova Knights head coach Scott Lindholm.

Register here!

Upper School students who would like to get involved in creating the yearbook, may contact Ms. Tetmeyer at ktetmeyer@novaclassical.org. Yearbook photos may also be submitted at yearbook@novaclassical.org

Please join us for Parent Education Night on Tuesday, October 8, from 5:30-7:30 PM. We'll be having mini-learning sessions on subjects such as classical education; how to help your child at home with Latin, math, and reading; best practice for studying and organization; and more!

This is an in-person event that will begin on the 3rd floor Exhibition Hall at 5:30 PM. We will be serving a pizza dinner at 5:30 and then start our informational programming at 6:00 PM.

We are also gathering RSVPs for potential childcare needs, so please indicate those needs in your RSVP. To RSVP for this event, please click here.

Nova Classical Academy is pleased to invite the special people in our students' lives so that they can experience the unique nature of our learning community. Grandparents and special persons will be greeted in the Great Room at a welcome table for check-in and refreshments and then escorted to classrooms.

All guests must RSVP at this link, so we can be well prepared to welcome all of our guests. The last day to RSVP is Saturday, October 5, 2024.

We are offering time to visit during three different class periods to reduce crowds. Please sign up for only one visit per scholar. Due to space issues in the classrooms and in the parking lot, we ask that only Grandparents and/or Special Persons (and not Parents) visit on this day. Parents, we also need help to run this event; please sign up here to volunteer. Feel free to contact Ms. Gabor at vgabor@novaclassical.org with any questions.

Please visit the MN Classical Education Conference website to learn more about this event on Wednesday, October 16, from 6:00-7:30 PM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Minneapolis Airport.

On Unity Day, October 16, students may wear orange shirts/tops to show their support and to make a powerful statement, helping inspire everyone to act with kindness, acceptance, and inclusion on Unity Day, during National Bullying Prevention Month, and EVERY day. Students are expected to to wear uniform pants/skirts. Students and staff will have the opportunity to sign the Unity Banner during lunch.

Slow Road Photo was excited to capture this year's scholars at our annual student Picture Day. Students who were absent willbe able to have their photos taken on October 24. Look for an email from Slow Road for instructions on ordering school photos. If you have any questions or concerns about images or ordering, please contact Slow Road directly at hello@slowroadphoto.com.

Directory/Nova PTO Website

The Nova PTO website is getting a makeover! Stay tuned to novapto.org

NEW Feature—opt in to carpooling! Stay in touch with Nova families. Sign up for the Family Directory to get connected!

Nova PTO Pledge Partners Give Back

Nova PTO will receive a percentage from the sales at this event:

• Saturday, Sept. 28, Bookfair at Barnes & Noble in HarMar Mall, Roseville, throughout the day. More info to come via social media/ flyers from your student.

Upcoming Fall 2024 Events:

9/28: Book Fair Barnes & Noble in Roseville

10/1: NPTO Meeting 7:30 PM-8:30 PM on Zoom (Meeting ID: 842 4045 9837 Passcode: enrich)

Follow NPTO on Facebook, Instagram, or visit novapto.org for more information!

Nova Classical’s annual Great Gatherings Gala is becoming a family-friendly carnival event. This whirlwind of fun is your chance to mingle with school families, enjoy family-friendly games, and sign up for future Gatherings held through the rest of the school year, and all for a good cause!

Great Gatherings Family Carnival Team Planning Calls

Bring your questions and ideas to the next Carnival Team Planning Calls!

• Wednesday, Sept 25, 2024 7pm ID 772 7927 3112 password: letsgo Topic: Let’s Talk Silent Auctions and Prize Drawings
  

T-Shirt Design Contest!

All students were encouraged to submit a design for the Nova Family Carnival Student T-Shirt Design Contest. Students will vote for the winning design during homecoming week. The winner will work with a professional designer to prepare their design for printing. For more information, please email novagreatgatherings@gmail.com

Parents and Community Members:

Apply to become an active volunteer to help support our staff and scholars! We still need help to run the NPTO Bookfair on 9/28 and Grandparent and Special Person Day on 10/11!

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. Voelker, School Counselor, Grades 8-12, with questions or ideas.

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

September:

23-27: SoR Homecoming Spirit Week

27: Upper School Spirit Wear Day

27: Homecoming Parade

28: SoR Homecoming Dance

28: Book Fair (NPTO)

30: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

October:

1: College Visit for SoR students (during House): Hamline University

1: NPTO Zoom-only Meeting at 7:30 PM

2: College Visit for SoR students (during House): Hobart and William Smith Colleges- and Vanderbilt University

3: No School (Staff Work Day)

4: No School (Staff Professional Development Day)

8: Parent Education Night

9: College Visit for SoR students (during House): St. Olaf University

9: 8th Grade DC Trip Information Night at 6:00 PM

11: Grandparents/Special Persons Day

15/16: Fall Drama Production-Little Women

16: Unity Day

17: No School (Staff Work Day)

18: No School (Building Closed)

21: No School (Building Closed)

24: Picture Retakes

28: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

31: End of Q1 (LS) / Midterms (US)

November:

1: No School (Staff Work Day)

7: Enrollment Open House from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM

7: NPTO Meeting from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM (Zoom)

9: Great Gatherings (NPTO)

21: Give to the Max Day

21: Evening K-12 Conferences from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM

25: K-12 Conferences from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

26: No School (Staff Professional Development Day)

27-29: No School (Building Closed)

See Full Calendar

Athletics Calendar