NOVA NEWS - February 2025
February 6, 2025
At the January meeting, the Board approved moving forward with a facility expansion plan for Nova Classical Academy, developed in response to a comprehensive facility needs analysis. This analysis identified over $31 million in proposed projects from our community. While not all can be addressed due to financial limitations, the approved plan prioritizes impactful improvements that will enhance the experience of students, families, staff, and the broader Nova community.
Prioritizing Safety Enhancements
One of the biggest drivers behind Nova’s expansion is ensuring student safety, particularly in response to a 2020 code change requiring a storm shelter for 1,550 people—something Nova does not currently have. This new space will provide essential protection during severe weather. Additionally, a redesigned bus drop-off area will help reduce congestion and improve pedestrian safety, while an updated front vestibule will require all visitors to check in at the main office, reinforcing campus security.
Creating Purpose-Built Learning Spaces
Within the expansion plan, student support services will soon have dedicated areas, with eight new academic spaces designed for interventions and occupational therapy. These upgrades will eliminate the need for makeshift learning spaces in stairwells, hallways, or on the stage, ensuring students receive support in a quiet, structured environment while staying close to their classrooms.
Enhancements for Both Lower & Upper Schools
Lower School: The storm shelter will double as an indoor space for recess and physical activities on days when outdoor play isn’t possible.
Upper School: The third-floor Exhibition Hall will be reconfigured to create a more functional space. One section will remain open for seminars and extracurricular activities, while the other will be transformed into a locker bay for 150 students, reducing congestion in high-traffic areas.
Expanding Spaces for Extracurriculars
Performing Arts: With student services moving to new academic areas, the stage will no longer need to serve multiple functions, giving theater programs the ability to keep their sets intact between rehearsals and performances.
Athletics: The storm shelter will house two full-size courts, allowing for expanded practice times and additional programming for younger students. New locker rooms and a dedicated workout facility will provide student-athletes with better training resources.
Activity Storage & Multi-Use Spaces: Moving the facilities department will open up additional storage for extracurricular programs, ensuring clubs and teams have space for equipment and props. A second seminar room will also be added, providing more options for both academic and extracurricular gatherings.
What’s Next?
This expansion marks an exciting leap forward in enriching Nova’s academic programs, extracurricular activities, and student support services. While we can’t address every request, these enhancements will have a lasting impact on our students and community. Stay engaged by visiting our Expansion Plan landing page, where you’ll find the latest updates, timelines, schematics, and ways to share your input. We’re thrilled to take this next step together and can’t wait to see the positive changes ahead!
It’s a Great Day to be a Knight,
Dr. Brett Wedlund, Executive Director
2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Academic Calendars are now on our website!
Get involved in this year’s Family Multicultural Night!
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 5:30-7:30 PM, Nova’s NHS and Equity Team will be hosting the third annual Family Multicultural Night. As we plan for this night of celebration, there are several ways to get involved early.
Sign up to:
Information about RSVPing, volunteering, and contributing to the potluck will be coming soon! Questions or concerns? Please reach out to equitycoordinator@novaclassical.org.
Thank you to Nova's Black Student Union for enriching school lunch sharing your research highlighting prominent Black leaders.
Exciting news from the Nova Green Team! We now have Ridwell recycling in the Upper School for plastic film for the rest of the school year!
Basketball Captain and Junior Varsity Guard, Caleb Taylor, achieved 1,000 career points in January. Way to go, Caleb!
Youth in Government Delegation: A huge shoutout to our civic-minded students who represented Nova Classical at the YMCA Youth in Government Conference in January. Your passion for leadership and policy-making is shaping a brighter future!
Eagle Scout Project Recognition: We’re proud to honor senior Jean-Luc DuBois his outstanding Eagle Scout project building an organizational construction for our school. Your commitment to service and the community is truly admirable.
Bravo, SoL Science Olympiad Team, for representing Nova Classical Academy at the Regional Science Olympiad in February competing in 14 STEM events and proceeding to the state competition in March. Special Kudos to 7th graders, June Smith and Sophie Gabor, for taking the gold medal in the technical writing event, "Write it, Do it" and to 6th graders, Nathan Sun and Vincent Hansen, placing 3rd for building a power-generating wind turbine!
January is School Board Recognition Month! Thank you to our incredible School Board Members for their dedication, leadership, and service to our students, staff, and community.
- Colleen Hanson, Parent Member
- Shannon Hooge, Teacher Member
- Becky Lund, Teacher Member
- Heather Meeker, Parent Member
- Suzanne McInroy, Parent Member
- Todd Sample, Parent Member
- Chris Shepard, Parent Member
- Bavi Weston, Parent Member
Your hard work and commitment make a lasting impact on our school and the future of our students. Thank you for all you do!
Parents and Community Members:
Apply to become an active volunteer to help support our scholars and school community! Click here to view the always-current list of opportunities and links to sign up. Sign up to help make our upcoming community events a success! We need volunteers and food donations for our Lower School Family Game Night and Multicultural Night. Please contact Ms. Gabor, Community Engagement Manager, for any questions about volunteering or background checks.
SoR Volunteering Network:
Our School of Rhetoric Students (Grades 9-12) 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.
Highlights from the January 27 Nova Board Meeting:
Chris Knopik from the accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen presented Nova’s FY24 financial audit. Nova Classical has an unmodified (clean) opinion for the June 30, 2024, financial statement audit. The Board accepted the FY24 financial audit.
The Board approved the appointment of Nova alumnus Teo Flesher to the open community member seat with a term to begin as soon as he has completed the state-mandated board training. His term will last until June 30, 2025.
The Board approved the school calendars for FY26 and FY27. The Board will now review and approve the school calendar a year and a half before the calendar would take effect to provide more time for families to plan for upcoming school years.
The Academic Excellence Committee requested the Board task the Governance Committee to include the updated Academic Excellence Committee charge in the next Bylaws review, to be completed by the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The Board approved the motion.
The Board further discussed the Building Expansion Project for the land owned by Nova to the north of the building between Kay Avenue and Mercer Street, and passed four motions to continue moving the project forward. The Board approved a Design Development Service proposal from BloomHayDobbs architecture firm to provide Design Development Documents, including drawings, plans, construction details, and diagrammatic layouts of building systems. The Board next approved an agreement for the investment bank PiperSandler to be Nova’s underwriter placement agent for the bonding process for the project. The Board then approved a communications plan agreement with CEL Public Relations, Inc., for the duration of the project. Finally, the Board approved changes to the Facilities Manager contract, increasing the salary to compensate for the new responsibilities added to the position with the project.
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, February 24, 2025.
For meeting minutes and agendas for upcoming meetings, visit the Board section of Nova Classical's website.
Here are some upcoming Great Gatherings you don’t want to miss!
- Feb 14: Epic Nerf Battle! Nova Grades 5-12. Purchase Ticket.
- Feb 14: Chuck E. Cheese Gaming & Pizza Nova Grades K-8. Purchase family ticket.
- Date TBD: Oula Dance Fitness With Ms. Tousignant. Purchase ticket, Adults Only.
- More gatherings, visit our store!
Next PTO Meeting:
The next Nova PTO Meeting is on Tuesday, March 4, from 7:30-8:30p via Zoom.
- Meeting ID: 842 4045 9837
- Passcode: enrich
Lower School Advisory Council:
Save the date for the Lower School game night on Friday, March 14, 2025.
Volunteer Opportunities:
There are several ways you can volunteer with NovaPTO here.
Save the Date:
- All School Family Ski Day: February 14 at Welch Village Ski Area. Details and tickets coming soon.
- PTO Meeting: March 4, 7:30-8:30 PM via Zoom
- Lower School Game Night: Friday, March 14, 5:30-8:00 PM
- PTO Meeting: April 8, 7:30-8:30 PM via Zoom
- PTO Meeting: May 6, In person only with Pizza! Dinner 5:30-6:00 PM. Meeting 6:00-7:00 PM
- PTO Meeting: June 3, 7:30-8:30 PM via Zoom
Click here to see the many ways you can volunteer with NovaPTO.
Follow NPTO on Facebook, Instagram, or visit their website for more information and get in touch with Nova Classical families when you sign up for the Family Directory!
DATES TO REMEMBER
February:
4: NPTO Meeting from 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Zoom)
6-7: One Act Play Festival
14: No School (Staff Professional Development Day)
17: No School (Building Closed)
24: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
March:
4: NPTO Meeting from 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Zoom)
7: No School (K-12 Conferences and Staff Work Day)
10: No School (Staff Work Day)
24: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
28: No School (Staff Work Day)
31: No School (Building Closed)
April:
1-4: No School (Building Closed)
8: NPTO Meeting from 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Zoom)
10: Multicultural Night (5:30 PM - 7:30 PM)
18: No School (Staff Work Day)
28: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
