The Herald

Dear Nova Classical Families,

As the fourth quarter begins and warmer days are on the horizon, it's hard to believe how much we've accomplished together this year. Last weekend, we had the privilege of gathering with our seniors for the annual Senior Retreat, a meaningful time of connection, fellowship, and looking forward to the exciting road ahead. Adding to that milestone, thesis defenses are well underway, offering a remarkable glimpse into the knowledge and virtues our students have developed throughout their time at Nova Classical.

The home stretch of the school year brings with it a full calendar of memorable events, and we look forward to celebrating with you. Your presence and support of the Nova community continue to shape the experience of our scholars. Thank you!

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Paschall

Important Dates:

• Friday, March 20: No School (Staff Work Day)
• Monday, March 23 - Friday, March 27: Building Closed - Spring Break
• Monday, March 30: Classes resume
• Monday, March 30: Start of Quarter 4

• Friday, April 3: No School (Staff Work Day)

• Tuesday, April 14: SoL Choir Concert, 7:00 PM

• Friday, April 10: SoL Spring Fling Dance, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

• Thursday, April 16: Multicultural Night, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
• Visit this link to RSVP, volunteer, and contribute to the potluck!
• Friday, April 17: No School (Staff Work Day)

We are honored to celebrate our students for their achievements!

February Students of the Month

Congratulations to these scholars, nominated by their teachers for demonstration of excellence in fortitude. Blake Cegla (6), Amisa Mariana (6), Felipe Rojo (6), Nathan Safo (6), Arsema Tadele (7), Adam Garske (7), and Davis Rovn (12). We celebrate your displays of virtue!

Mock Trial Team

Congratulations to our Mock Trial Team for winning the MSBA Mock Trial State Tournament! Team members competing at the State Tournament are James Garske, Christine Ma, Violet Blood, Nina Aamodt, Alexander Hungs, Grace Bayne, Nicolas Odegard, and Molly Faulken. Best wishes as they prepare for Nationals in May! Congratulations to Jeff Magnuson, Nova's Mock Trial coach, for being named Coach of the Year by the MSBA Mock Trial Advisory Committee.

History Bee Winners

First Place: Liam Maresch Conley, Grade 8

Second Place: Elenanore Cooper, Grade 7

Third Place Tie: Seraphina Elverum Buxton, Grade 7 and Teddy Rauen, Grade 8

Seraphina Elverum Buxton and Cedar Shah both competed in the Minnesota Regional Qualifier History Bee in March and represented Nova Classical Academy admirably. Seraphina won the gold medal and Cedar the bronze medal. They have qualified for the IAC National History Bee in May, taking place in Orlando, FL.

Nordic Ski Team

Five Nova Nordic skiers ended their season and participation in the Mounds Park Academy Co-op with strong showings in their races. The IMAC Conference JV, Middle School and 6th Grade Championship races took place on February 6, 2026 at Elm Creek. Both Isabel Pass (9) and Eleanor Sample (8) won their respective races, with Isabel winning the JV Classic race and Eleanor winning the Middle School Skate race. Eva Sample (6) took 3rd place in the 6th Grade Classic race. Archer DeHoskins (12) took 2nd place in the Boys High School Beginner race. Eli Andre (Senior) placed 7th overall in the Pursuit competition on February 12, 2026. Congratulations, skiers!

Science Olympiad

Congratulations to the Educated Guesses, Nova Classical’s Science Olympiad team! They earned an incredible 4th place at State Tournament, bringing home medals in six events.

3rd Place – Metric Mastery: Graham Lohse and Michelle Liang

2nd Place – Circuit Wizardry: Nathan Sun and Nuree Wong

2nd Place – Code Breakers: Vera Delgado, Eleanor Sample, and Nuree Wong

2nd Place – Experimental Design: Sophie Gabor and Johann Winter

2nd Place – Meteorology: Sophie Gabor and Eleanor Sample

2nd Place – Scrambler: Gus Lapham and Jacob Shishkin

What an outstanding showing at State! We are so proud of your hard work, teamwork, and dedication. Way to go, Educated Guesses!

As part of our commitment to maintaining a focused and supportive school environment, Nova Classical Academy continues to uphold a uniform policy that reflects both the practical needs of our learning environment and the virtues of our classical tradition.

This year, we’re pleased to share that students from both the School of Logic and the School of Rhetoric contributed meaningful input to the updated Upper School Uniform Guidelines. Their feedback helped shape the policy. Here are the key uniform requirements:

• Polo or oxford (SoR) shirt required under logo sweaters or logo fleece zip jackets
• Uniform bottoms must meet required length and material standards
• Shirts must remain tucked in or have a banded bottom
• Shoes must be primarily one solid color (black, white, brown, gray or burgundy)
• Slides, crocs, and slippers do not meet uniform guidelines
• Out of Uniform Guidelines apply on Spirit Wear/themed dress-up days

Spirit Wear Days

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

• 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. 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.

It has been fun to see our scholars embracing a new Nova tradition--Fun Sock Fridays! Upper School students and staff are invited to wear socks with patterns or fun colors every Friday. Show off your style and join in the fun as we celebrate this colorful tradition.

Guarantee a 6th-12th grade yearbook for your student. Place your order now!
The order link will remain open until May 22, or until yearbooks sell out.

Not sure if you already placed an order? Please contact Mrs. Tetmeyer at yearbook@novaclassical.org.

The SoL Senate is hosting the Spring Fling Dance for students in grades 6-8. The dance will take place at Nova Classical on Friday, April 10, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

The SoL Senate is conducting a Hygiene Product Drive, with a goal to help local families in need by collecting new hygiene products like: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotions, and hairbrushes. Note: Unscented products are often best. Donations will be collected from March 30 to April 16. Thank you for your support!

Click here for important information about the School of Logic spring choir concert, taking place on Tuesday, April 14, at 7:00 PM in the school gymnasium. The concert includes a variety of pop songs from different decades around the theme of “The Wonderful Lyrics of Life.” The link also includes arrival times and concert attire information. We look forward to seeing you on April 14! Mrs. Anderson

Get ready! It's almost time for this year's Boosterthon Color Run on May 15, 2026. More information will be available soon.

Green Team-Plastic Film Collection

The Green Team will be collecting plastic film from March 2 to the morning of April 27. Collection boxes will be put in US locations, with collections occurring a few times a week, based on need. There will be posters displayed to explain what can and cannot be donated. Thank you!

ACT Testing for Juniors, ​April 7

Click here for Nova Classical District Testing ACT Information regarding the 2026 District testing for the ACT. Juniors will be taking the ACT on Tuesday, ​April 7, from 8:40 AM until approximately 12:30 PM. All students must create their MyACT account prior to taking the exam.

If students plan to take the ACT more than once, it is recommended that they schedule it for a date before the ACT is taken on April 7 at Nova Classical. Summer national testing sites fill up quickly. Click here for information on how to sign up for ACT testing at other sites.

Date: Saturday, May 2

Where: Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102

Time: 7:30 PM-10:00 PM. Doors close at 8:30 PM

Tickets and discounted parking passes for the attached garage can be purchased on Nova's Ticket Page

Bringing a high school student from another school? Student guest permission forms are due to Mr. Heidemann at the end of the day on Tuesday, April 28.

More detailed information to follow!

We are grateful to our families, staff chaperones and the NPTO for their support in making the Senior Retreat a meaningful and memorable experience. Your generosity and involvement help create these lasting experiences for our students. Thank you!

We would love your help making this year's graduation reception a special celebration! If you're interested in volunteering, please sign up. Every helping hand makes a difference. Thank you for supporting our graduates and their 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.

On Thursday, April 16, 2025, from 5:30-7:30 PM, Nova Classical’s NHS and Equity Team will be hosting the fourth annual Family Multicultural Night. As we plan for this night of celebration, there are several ways to get involved early:

Information about RSVPing, volunteering, and contributing to the potluck will be coming soon!

Questions or concerns? Please reach out to equitycoordinator@novaclassical.org.

Ivy Camps is BACK!

We’re excited to announce that Summer Scholar Zone registration is now open — and even more excited to share that we’ve secured Ivy Camps once again, bringing back our favorite programs from last summer along with brand-new offerings your students will love!

• Summer Scholar Zone is available to current Rising 1st–7th grade students. Please note that we are unable to accept incoming kindergarten students or students who did not attend Nova Classical Academy during the 2025–26 school year.
• Families can register and manage payments online at novaclassical.revtrak.net. We encourage you to select your desired days of care as soon as possible, as spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and some days may fill quickly. All registrations must be completed by May 26, 2026.
• A $50 non-refundable registration fee per student is required and does not apply toward session fees. Day fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Enrollment in the regular before- and/or after-school Scholar Zone program is not required to participate in Summer Scholar Zone.

Enrollment Options:

• Daily Rate (1–3 sessions per week): $70/day

• 4 sessions per week: $65/day

• 5 sessions per week: $60/day

We can’t wait to welcome your students for another fun-filled, enriching summer with Scholar Zone and Ivy Camps!

Save the Date for Upper School Drama's performance of Antigone

When: May 22 & 23, 2026

Where: Park Square Theater in St. Paul

Summer Activities open for registration March 30, 2026. Check out descriptions of what is being offered under the Camps/Clinics tab on the Extracurriculars page of the Nova website.

Volunteers Needed

Check out the open positions, here. Short term, long term, and one time commitment opportunities are available.

In-Person PTO Meeting in April

Join us in person on Tuesday April 7, from 6:00-7:00 PM, in the Great Room at Nova. Snacks will be provided. Topics of conversation include: Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, Community Support Fund, and Family Carnival. All staff and parents are welcome.

2026 Teacher/Staff Appreciation

Nova PTO will show our appreciation and gratitude towards the teachers and staff May 4-9, 2026. We are accepting monetary donations here to help with the costs of the festivities.

Upcoming Gatherings & Events

• Sunday, 3/29: Nova Family Open Gymnastics–Click here for tickets

• Tuesday, 4/7: In-person PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 PM

• Sunday, 4/12: Mother-Daughter Afternoon Tea–Click here for tickets

• Thursday, 4/30: Kindergarten Movie Night–Click here for tickets

• Friday, 5/1: Super Nova Music and Film Festival–Click here for tickets

• Monday-Friday, 5/4-5/9: Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week

Nova PTO has established the Community Support Fund to raise separate funds to support members of our community in need. Click here to donate.

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

Hennepin County Emergency General Assistance: Offers support for rent, utilities, and temporary shelter.

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 2026 dates:

• Wednesdays: June 3, September 2, and December 2.

WHAT: Live film screenings and musical performances from Nova’s creative community. Open to anyone with a relative connection to Nova Classical Academy. Nova Alumni are encouraged to participate!

WHEN: Friday, May 1, 2026
WHERE: Nova Great Hall 4:00-9:00 PM

SUBMISSIONS: Accepted here

TICKETS: Available on the NPTO store

March:

19: SoR Spirit Wear Day and SoR Assembly (during House)

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

April:

3: No School (Staff Work Day)

10: SoL Spring Fling Dance 6:30 - 8:30 PM

14: SoL Choir Concert 7:00 PM

16: Multicultural Night from 5:30 - 7:30 PM

17: No School (Staff Work Day)

27: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

See Full Calendar

Athletics Calendar