NOVA NEWS - January 2026
Dear Nova Classical Community,
As we begin a new year, I want to thank our families for the trust and partnership that make Nova Classical such a strong community. It’s always energizing to reflect on the work behind us and look ahead to what’s next for our students and school.
After more than a year of careful planning, we secured financing for our facility expansion in December 2025. This milestone allows us to move confidently into final design and pre-construction planning, with construction anticipated to begin in spring 2026, weather permitting. We’ll continue to share updates as the work progresses, while keeping our focus on providing a strong, steady learning experience for students each day.
Thank you for being part of Nova Classical as we move into the year ahead.
It’s a Great Day to be a Knight!
Dr. Brett Wedlund
Lower School's Book Character Week
LEGO League Challenge 3rd place
5th Grade Aesop's fables skits
Now Open: 2026-2027 Enrollment Applications
The enrollment application for the 2026-2027 school year is open. Please visit our website for more information. Any applications submitted by January 31, 2026, at 4:00 PM will be included in the February 2026 lottery. After the lottery, we will email parents and guardians with any offers or waitlist updates. Current students do not need to reapply. Click here to Apply Online for 2026-2027 enrollment.
Family Multicultural Night
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!
Spring Sports
Registration opens on January 12, 2026.
Spring After School Cubs
Registration opens January 26, 2026.
Home Basketball Games
Basketball game season is almost here! 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.
Nova Knights at the Target Center! 🏀
Join us on January 15, 2026, as our Varsity Girls and Boys Basketball teams take on Mounds Park Academy at the Target Center.
One ticket gets you into the high school games and the Minnesota Timberwolves game that night. Come cheer on your Knights in an unforgettable venue! Full details and Tickets are located here.
Please note: Nova family passes will not be accepted. Tickets must be purchased by January 13.
Nova Classical's four mock trial teams have been working hard since October. All of the teams did very well at the annual Golden Gavel Invitational Tourney at the University of Minnesota on December 13. Team A took second place overall. Congratulations to Tulla Wallace who won a best witness award, and Ophelia Peklo, Molly Faulken, and Christine Ma who all won best attorney awards.
In December our third, fourth, and fifth graders put their reading knowledge to the test during a schoolwide Battle of the Books competition, hosted by Ms. Buri and Ms. Heirlmaier! With 20 teams competing, students showed incredible teamwork, focus, and love for reading. After an exciting round of competition, 10 teams advanced and will move on to Round 2 in April. The winners of that round will then represent our school in a final competition against other Friends of Education schools in May. Great job to all of our readers for their hard work and dedication—we’re so proud of you!
Congratulations to Johann Winter, Nuree Wong, and James Hayton for an outstanding showing in the LEGO League Challenge! The team competed at Regionals in Woodbury, where they had a great time and demonstrated impressive teamwork and problem solving skills. They earned third place in the Lakes Division robot game and were honored with the Engineering Excellence Award. We are so proud of their hard work and achievements and the way they represented our school!
Thank you for showing up, Nova community! The 2025 Nova Classical Family Carnival welcomed 1,100 people of all ages, raised important funds to support our students and staff, and—best of all—we had an amazing time together!
We would love your feedback and photos:
A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and to Siiri Davidson, who is stepping down as Carnival Chair after two wonderful years. The Nova Family Carnival thrives because of the many hands and hearts involved.
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.
We still need help to run this Sunday's free NPTO community ice skating event. Sign up to volunteer.
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.
- The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM.
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 PTO Zoom Meeting: Tuesday, 1/6 at 7:30 PM. Join us as we kick off planning for next year and review feedback and financial results.
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!
Free Events:
Sunday, 1/11: Nova Skating Party - free event - RSVP here. Volunteer here.
Friday, 3/13: Lower School Family Game Night - Save the date -
Ticketed Gatherings: Click here for tickets.
Saturday 1/24: Poker Night: Learn & Play
Friday 2/6: Family Cocoa at Crosby Farm
Saturday, 2/7: Valentines for 2nd Graders
Saturday, 2/7: Nowhere to Wear it Party
Friday, 2/13: Grade 5 - Grade 12 Epic Nerf Battle
Saturday, 2/21: Nova Ladies Cocktail Social
Wednesday, 2/25: Intro to Irish Dance
Saturday, 2/28: 3rd Grade Winter Bonfire & Play
Friday, 3/13: Favorite Things Party
Sunday, 3/22: Nova Family Open Gym
Find Gatherings Tickets, connect to the Family Directory, and get involved at notapto.org.
DATES TO REMEMBER
January:
1-2: No School (Building Closed)
5: Classes resume
6: NPTO Meeting at 7:30 PM on Zoom
16: No School (Staff Work Day)
19: No School (Building Closed)
26: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
February:
13: No School (Building Closed, Staff Professional Development Day)
16: No School (Building Closed)
23: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
March:
6: K-12 Conferences (No School for students)
19: End of Quarter 3 for LS, Midterm for Semester 2 for US
20: No School (Staff Work Day)
23-27: No School (Building Closed)
30: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
