GRAMMAR GAZETTE
Back-to-School Edition!
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Dear Nova Classical Families,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! I hope your summer has been filled with opportunities to rest, explore, and enjoy time together.
As we prepare to welcome our scholars back to Nova Classical, I want to share how excited I am to begin another year with our incredible students, families, and staff. As I enter my second year as Lower School Principal, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue building the strong partnerships that make our school community so special.
Last year reinforced what makes Nova such a remarkable place with a shared commitment to helping children grow not only academically, but also in character. Together, we strive to cultivate the habits of mind and heart that prepare our students to live lives of virtue, responsibility, and purpose.
This year, I remain committed to fostering a joyful, safe, and engaging learning environment. Our dedicated teachers and staff have been working diligently to prepare welcoming classrooms and meaningful learning experiences, and we cannot wait to see our halls filled with the energy and curiosity of our students once again.
As we begin a new school year, we are excited to welcome both returning and new families to our school community. I am also excited to introduce you to our new Nova staff. Please welcome:
- Education Assistants: Sawyer French and Jessica Rosenbloom
- First Grade Teacher: Reyna Sotelo
- Third Grade Teacher: Matt Olson
- K-12 In-House Substitute: Chase Adelsman and Mary Kluznik
- Paraprofessional: Leo Wallach
- Due Process Coordinator: Amy Lucker
- Special Education Teachers: Debbie Conrad, Martin Foote, Jacob Larson, Cenneidigh Peters and Kaj Fjelstad
As the first day of school approaches, don't forget about our upcoming back-to-school events! These gatherings are a wonderful opportunity to meet teachers, reconnect with familiar faces, welcome new families, and start the year together:
- Kindergarten Picnic: Tuesday, August 25, at 5:00 PM & 6:00 PM
- Lower School Open House: Thursday, August 27, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Monday, August 31: First Day of School (Gr 1-5)
- Wednesday, September 2: First Day of School (KG)
This issue of the monthly Grammar Gazette is full of information you will need as we head into the new school year. Please read ahead for the latest news and views.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Farrell
School Supplies for the 2026-2027 School Year
Nova Classical is excited to share that we are now using TeacherLists as a convenient way to shop for school supplies. TeacherLists turns our approved back-to-school supply lists into easy-to-shop online lists. You can purchase the exact items your student needs from retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more. Items are shipped directly to your home, making it easier to label everything before the first day of school.
Highlights to Prepare for a Successful School Year
Attendance Expectations
Arrival and Dismissal Hours, and School Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM
Students are expected to arrive at school and be seated, ready to learn, by 8:40 AM. Arriving after 8:40 AM is considered a tardy. Three unexcused tardies count as one unexcused absence. For more information, see page 26 of our Student and Family Handbook.
Toys and Fidgets
Toys from home including Pokémon cards and stuffed animals ("stuffies") are not allowed during the school day, without special permission. Also, students are not allowed to bring fidgets from home. Fidgets may be used if your child has a preapproved specified documented school plan.
Items Perceived as Weapons
No person shall possess, use, or distribute any object, device, or instrument having the appearance of a weapon; and, such objects, devices, or instruments shall be treated as weapons including, but not limited to, weapons listed above which are broken or non-functional, look-alike guns, toy guns, and any object that is a facsimile of a real weapon. See 501 School Weapons Policy.
Important Links:
- School Uniform Guidelines
- Bus Information
- Silent Dismissal Process (end of day dismissal for ALL students)
School Uniform Guidelines
Check out our updated Uniform Policy for the 2026-2027 school year.
Personalized labels from namebubbles.com or mabelslabels.com are a great way to keep track of your scholar's belongings. A set of labels typically costs less than replacing one lost item. If you do not use personalized labels, clearly write your scholar's first name (or first initial) and full last name on all items. Many items include a "This Item Belongs To:" label for this purpose.
Clearly labeled items can usually be returned quickly. Unlabeled items are placed in the Lost & Found, where scholars must search for them. Uniform items are especially difficult to identify because they often look the same and may be the same brand and size as other scholars' items.
Summer Math & Reading Challenge Reminder!
At the end of the school year, we introduced our Summer Math Challenge and Summer Reading Challenge. The information was shared in print and by email, and you can find it again here. Students who complete either challenge will earn a certificate for a non-uniform day when school begins.
Lockdown Drills
The state of Minnesota requires that schools share the dates of their active shooter drills with parents and guardians. An active shooter drill is an emergency preparedness drill designed to teach students, teachers, school personnel, and staff how to respond in the event of an armed intruder on campus or an armed assailant in the immediate vicinity of the school. At Nova Classical Academy, we call these drills "Lockdown Drills."
Active shooter drills with PreK-12 students must be:
- Accessible, developmentally appropriate, and age appropriate, including using appropriate safety language and vocabulary
- Culturally aware
- Trauma-informed
- Inclusive of accommodations for students with mobility restrictions, sensory needs, developmental or physical disabilities, mental health needs, and auditory or visual limitations
Parents and guardians of students opting out of these drills will need to email their school Principal in advance of the drills. During the drills, your student will be kept safe and in an area of the school where they are not affected by the drill. The State of Minnesota will be providing an alternative safety education for students opting out.
Dates of Lockdown Drills:
Lock Down #1: September 29
Lock Down #2: October 22
Lock Down #3: November 10
Click the photo below to select and register for S.O.S. Days. Each day is hyperlinked to RevTrack, for easy signup. You can also view the activities planned for each day. Questions? Email scholarzone@novaclassical.org.
Click the links below to navigate directly to registration for each specific day or click here for the main registration page. For a list of all dates and activities, click here.
2026 S.O.S. Dates:
MEA Weekend
2027 S.O.S. Dates:
Spring Break
Free Breakfast and Lunch (Includes August Menus)
Nova Classical continues to participate in Minnesota's Free School Meals program. This means that all students can receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. There is no application or income requirements. There is no preordering of food necessary. We work with CKC Good Food to cook and deliver our meals.
Please see August menus linked here, on our Food Service Website.
Fall After School Activities
School is starting soon and with that comes volleyball games, soccer games, and a host of exciting sports events to attend throughout the year! Passes 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.
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.
Want to know what's happening after the school day ends? Check out the Extracurriculars page of the Nova website to find out about clubs and sports. Fall clubs are currently taking registrations. Contact activities@novaclassical.org or athletics@novaclassical.org.
Families who qualify for Educational Benefits will be required to enter a code when registering in Bound to receive the discount on the registration fees. The code will be included in your benefits confirmation notice. It will be needed each time you register in our new system, so hang on to it!
Nova PTO’s sole purpose is to provide resources to Nova Classical’s staff, students and their families in ways that the school cannot. Each family is encouraged to volunteer 20 hours per school year-what a fun way to help support our Nova Community!
Help needed!
NPTO is looking for a few awesome people to help:
- Spirit Wear Coordinator, to order, design, and manage spirit wear throughout the year
- Great Gatherings Event Planner (plan the event on 11/7)
- Vice-Chair, leadership role
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, 9/1, 7:30 PM-8:30PM: Nova PTO Meeting via Zoom
Wednesday, 9/2, 8:15 AM-9:30 AM: First Day of Kindergarten Coffee/Donuts--ALL PARENTS ARE WELCOME.
Saturday, 10/10: Book Fair at Barnes & Noble at HarMar Mall Roseville
Saturday, 11/7: Great Gatherings Fundraiser Event
Saturday, 5/8: Nova Family Carnival at Nova Classical 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Share your time and talents with Nova PTO, we are always looking for helpers. Single event, short term and long term roles, click here for a current list of volunteer opportunities.
Meetings:
The next PTO meeting is Tuesday September 1, 2026, at 7:30 PM via Zoom. Everyone is invited!
Meeting ID: 842 4045 9837 Passcode: enrich
Visit novapto.org for more about what Nova PTO does and SAVE THE DATE(s) for the fun we have planned!
Parents and Community Members: Join Our Team: Become a Room Representative!
We are looking for parent volunteers to serve as Room Representatives for each classroom this school year! As a Room Rep, you will play a vital role in building a vibrant school community by supporting our teachers with appreciation efforts, helping class families connect through social activities, and streamlining communication between the teachers, NPTO, and parents. This is a flexible yet high-impact role that can easily be shared between a few people to fit any schedule. Ideally we would love to see a couple of people per grade! Interested in learning more or signing up? Please reach out to Holly Walker Kim at hollywalkerkim@gmail.com
Educational Benefits Application
Please complete the 2026-2027 Educational Benefits application which is now available in Infinite Campus. If you prefer, you may also download the application on Nova Classical's website. While you're there, please pay any outstanding balances in your student's food service account.
Did you know? Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, K-12. Milk is included with meals served at school. Milk is .45¢ with meals sent from home.
Why is completing an application still important?
Educational Benefits provide a variety of benefits to your student(s) and to our school, including important funds that provide programs and services to all of the students in our school community. Our school benefits only when applications are completed by the families of enrolled students, regardless of benefit status. Complete your application today!
Volunteers - We Need You!
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 being a Lower School Room Rep, handing out the NPTO's Welcome Back Frozen Treats at our Open Houses, or helping out at the September Great Gathering Kickoff Party or October B&N Bookfair.
Click here to view the always-current list of opportunities and links to sign up.
Upcoming Lower School Events!
August:
24: Board of Directors Meeting 6:00 PM
25: Kindergarten Picnic 5pm and 6pm
27: Lower School Open House 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
31: First day of school for Grades 1-12
September:
2: First day of school for Kindergarten
7: No School (Office Closed)
11: Student Picture Day
17: Parent Education Night: Reading Grades, K-2 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM
21: No School (Staff Work Day)
28: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM
October:
2: No School (PD, Office Closed)
6: Parent Education Night: Singapore Math, Grades K-5 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM
10: K-12 Barnes & Noble Book Fair
14: Grandparents/Special Persons Day
15: No School (Staff Work Day)
16: No School (Office Closed)
19: No School (Office Closed)
21: Unity Day
22: Parent Education Night: Reading, Grades 3-5 (Virtual) at 5:30 PM
23: Picture Retakes
26: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM