The Herald

Dear Nova Classical Academy Upper School Families,

As we transition into the fall season, there’s so much to celebrate at Nova Classical! Unity Day brought our community together to champion kindness, acceptance, and inclusion, with students and staff proudly wearing orange in support. We also had the privilege of welcoming new members into the National Honor Society during a beautiful induction ceremony. Grandparent & Special Person Day gave students the opportunity to share their school pride with loved ones, and fun events like Homecoming Spirit Week and the SoL Movie Night brought joy and excitement to our community. Thank you for your continued support.

Important Dates:

• Thursday, 10/17: No School (staff workday)
• Friday, 10/19: No School (building closed)
• Monday, 10/21: No School (building closed)

Wishing you all a restful and rejuvenating break ahead!

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Paschall

In this section, Junior Henry Conlin, reflects on the impact of participation in extracurricular acitivities.

"Extracurricular activities at Nova have truly been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. The past three years participating in soccer, hockey, and lacrosse have taught me that extracurricular activities help improve nearly every aspect of my life. For example, during sports seasons, I find that I sleep deeper and eat healthier. I also notice that the large time commitment these activities demand causes me to be more productive in and out of the classroom. Introducing me to friends in other grades and schools, extracurriculars have improved my social life. It has been wonderful to see our extracurricular programs improve over the years I have been at Nova."

We are honored to celebrate these students for their achievements

Awards at the Upper School Assembly on Thursday, October 31.

September Students of the Month

Cordelia Cooke (6), Harvey Wolvin (7), Aislin Hierlmaier (7), Harper O'Brien (7), Griffin Webb (8), Alexis Olmstead (8), Suleyman Kofiro (10), Guled Ibrahim (11), and Asher Epstein-Ngo (12).

2024 AP Scholars

Fiona Arnold

Sean Borell

Silas Cole

Greta Fleischhacker

Sasha Fraser

Brendan Frost

Maria Heim

Emma Hintz

Hanna Johnston

Emily Kingston

Paris Lee

Rosalie Ramirez

Sonja Schweser

Carmela Shea

2024 AP Scholars with Distinction

Mason Engelking

Rachel Jeong

Sophia Lee

2024 AP Scholars with Honors:

Angelina Kabanuk

Lucia Luepker

Aarti Prochnow

Cecelia Roberts

Zenji Shiroma

2024 NHS Inductees

Alexandra Baker

Madeline Brazelton

Gain Choi

Omeed Church

Henry Conlin

Adeline Fitch

Lyle Gerber

Kincaid Gerber

Natalie Heidemann

Annabelle Hooge

Hanna Johnston

Emily Kingston

Olivia Kingston

Sophia Lee

Stephen Ma

Ayla Malberg

Sawyer Owens

Flannery Page

Tamrin Solomon

Nova NPTO Carnival T-shirt Design Contest Winner

Zana Miller

Congratulations to our Scholars! We are proud of you!

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.

We look forward to meeting with you at Parent-Teacher Conferences in November!

• Thursday, November 21, 2024, 4:30-8:00 PM, in-person only. Stop by the NPTO-Sponsored Parent Lounge in the Great Room between conferences for refreshments!

• Monday, November 25, 2024, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM, virtual only via Google Meet

• Please note that all Special Education conferences will be virtual

• All conference slots are 12 minutes long and are booked through PickATime

Look for a reminder about directions to sign-up in November's Nova News. Families will be individually emailed directions by early November.

Families with students in grades 8-12 are welcome to make a 20 minute virtual appointment with Ms. Voelker during conferences. If you feel that an in person meeting or more time is necessary, please reach out to Ms. Voelker directly to schedule an appointment during the regular school week. Please use this link: https://calendly.com/mvoelker-novaclassical/20min

SoR students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes will be given AP registration forms in House on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Registration forms will also be available on grade level Google Classrooms. AP Registration is due November 1, 2024. Changes to registration can be made (with an additional cost of $40 per change in registration) through March 14, 2025. Payment for AP exams are due May 1, 2025, but can be turned in with registration. Payment options and instructions can be found on the last page of the registration form.

Help us give the gift of warmth!

We, with the support of the NPTO, are collecting new and gently used winter clothing to be distributed to families within our Nova Classical community. From October 22, through November 9, donations of hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, coats, snow pants, and boots can be dropped off at Miss Stella’s office, Room 402 in the main office.

If your student is in need of winter clothing, please fill out this Google form. Donations will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. While we cannot guarantee that we will be able to fulfill all requests completely, we will do our best to help as many families as possible!

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.

• 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.

Slow Road Photo released student photo galleries on October 3. Each family should have received an email link to their gallery. Look for an email from Slow Road for instructions on ordering school photos.

Retake Day is scheduled for October 24. Any students who were absent on Picture Day will automatically be included on our list. Students who have a photo from Picture Day and would like to have a retake photo done can register register here for their retake. This link is also included in all of our email communications with the families.

If you have any questions or concerns about images or ordering, please contact Slow Road directly at hello@slowroadphoto.com or (612) 293-6327.

Thank you to our families for your attendance at our Information Night.

• Click here for the Washington DC Trip Enrollment Form

• Deadline: Friday, October 25, 2024

If you missed the presentation, please check your email for the details regarding this trip.

Questions? Please contact Mrs. Paschall at tpaschall@novaclassical.org

Libraries open doors for reading, research, and resources! Nova Classical Student IDs double as Library Cards again this year! Through our LibraryGo partnership with the St. Paul Public Library (SPPL), all students have active library cards that can be used to check out up to five (5) books and materials, and to access their online databases. Help your student use their account online or at checkout at one of the 14 SPPL branches.

• Account number: Nova Classical’s school number (2209190300) + (the scholar's 4-digit lunch PIN number)
• Password: Your child’s birthday written MMDDYY, for example, January 26, 2012 would be 01262012

If you have questions about this program, contact Ms. Gabor at vgabor@novaclassical.org.

If your child is absent and work has been requested to be picked up, it will be placed on the shelf in the vestibule for pick-up. Families are kindly asked to not enter the building if their scholar is too sick to be at school. This approach helps maintain a healthy environment for all students and staff. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Save the Date! Give to the Max, THE Minnesota non-profit giving event, is on 11/21 this year and Early Giving begins on 11/1.

There are so many ways to get involved: make a donation, help us spread the word, provide matching funds, or contribute via corporate sponsorship. Whichever way you choose, you'll be helping us make a BIG difference for our students. Contact our Community Engagement Manager, Ms. Gabor, with any questions about arranging a gift to support the mission at our school.

Parking and traffic around Nova Classical can be tricky, particularly at morning drop off and afternoon pick up. For the safety of our students, staff, and everyone in the Nova Classical community, please follow the rules of all posted street signs and any directions from staff, including if you are asked to move.

Please do not stop, park, or exit your vehicle in carpool lanes at drop-off or pick up, and move quickly and safely through carpool lines at dismissal.

Click here for Nova Classical Transportation and Silent Dismissal Information

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

9th Grade Field Trip to Trollhaugen

Thank you for Nova Classical's National Honor Society for sponsoring the Dimes for Disasters change drive benefiting the Red Cross. A grand total of $1,634.46 was raised. Thank you for your support!

Homecoming 2024

Winter after school club registration opens October 28, 2024. Check out all the offerings on the Extracurriculars page of the Nova website.

Save the dates! The fall upper school drama production of Little Women will be performed at the Neighborhood House November 15 and 16, 2024. Specific performance times and ticket information will be in the November Nova Newsletter.

K-12 Basketball information:

If your student is interested in basketball and you are not currently on the mailing list, please contact the coaches to be added.

• Boys Program Head Coach: John Carrier jcarrier@novaclassical.org
• Girls Program Head Coach: Mychal Morris mmorris@novaclassical.org

Last week marked the end of the season for both soccer teams, which faced tough challenges in the section playoffs during the first round. Despite their hard-fought battles and perseverance throughout the season, they were unable to advance.

On a brighter note, the cross-country teams wrapped up their regular season with impressive performances. The girls' team secured a close second place overall in the conference, highlighted by three runners making the Top Ten all-conference list. Notably, 8th grader Isabel Pass clinched the title of overall Champion, alongside her teammates Lucia Luepker and CeCe Roberts, both seniors.

The boys' team continued their dominance by winning the Skyline Championship for the sixth consecutive year. They placed five runners in the Top Ten-All Conference, with Benaiah Mathews earning the title of overall Champion. Congratulations to Eli Andre, Silas Cole, Thomas O'Keefe, and Patrick O'Keefe for their outstanding performances. Overall, it was a season of resilience and achievement for our athletes!

A reminder as basketball season is almost 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 volleyball, basketball, or soccer. Family passes are also available to purchase. Events are found here.

Passes and individual game tickets 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 toolbar of the extracurriculars calendar or by the Quick Links on the extracurricular page of Nova Classical's website.

Everyone is welcome at Nova PTO meetings! The next virtual meeting is on Thursday, November 7, 2024 from 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM via Zoom (moved to Thursday due to the election).

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 842 4045 9837

Passcode: enrich

JOIN US! The Great Gatherings Family Carnival is on Saturday, November 9, at Nova Classical from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Nova Great Gatherings Family Carnival Event Details Click the "Carnival Details" button

TICKETS: Carnival RSVP REQUIRED by October 31

VOLUNTEER:

• Carnival Day Volunteer Slots
• Carnival Planning Committee

Save the Dates!

1. Great Gatherings Family Carnival on Saturday, November 9, from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, at Nova Classical
2. Nova PTO Meeting: December 3, from 7:30-8:30 PM, on Zoom
3. Free Ice-Skating Event: Sunday, December 15, 3:10-5:10 PM at Schulz Area in St. Paul

Follow NPTO on Facebook, Instagram, or visit their website for more information!

RSVP NOW: Admission is FREE through October 31, or $10 at the door.

VOLUNTEER: Sign up NOW

Learn More or 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 11/9 Carnival.

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.

Save the date! This year's Nova Classical's Family Multicultural Night is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, from 5:30-7:30 PM.

Family Multicultural Night is an event hosted by Nova Classical's National Honor Society students and Equity Team and is centered on celebrating the wide and rich cultures of each and every member of our community. We will again be inviting community members to host booths spotlighting your culture! We are also asking every family that attends the event to contribute to the community potluck, so consider what dish, snack, or treat is special to your family that you might want to share. We are looking forward to gathering with the community in April!

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!

October:

17: No School (Staff Work Day)

18: No School (Building Closed)

21: No School (Building Closed)

22: Winter Gear Drive begins

23: 11th Grade to the NACAC College Fair

24: Picture Retakes

24: College Visit-during House: Trinity College (Hartford, CT)

25: College Visit-during House: Vassar

28: After School Winter Clubs Registration Opens

28: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

31: End of Q1/ Midterms (US)

31: Upper School Awards Assembly (during House)

November:

1: Enrollment Application Window for 2024-2025 Opens (for new students only)

1: No School (Staff Work Day)

4: Start of Q2

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 Family Carnival (NPTO)

15-16: Nova Classical Drama Production: Little Women

19: SoR Choir Concert 7:00 PM

21: Give to the Max Day

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

22: Winter Gear Drive ends

25: Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 PM

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

25: No School

26: No School (Staff Professional Development Day)

27-29: No School (Building Closed)

December:

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

15: All School Ice Skating Party 3:10-5:10 @ Schulz Arena in St. Paul

17: SoL Choir Concert at 7:00 PM

19: Festive Sweater Day for K-12 students

20: No School (Staff Work Day)

23-Jan 3: No School (Building Closed)

See Full Calendar

Athletics Calendar