We’re so glad you’re considering our school.
The NOVA student body is an engaged, unique, fun group of middle-school students who get excited about learning together. At NOVA, many students who want to thrive and challenge themselves find a cohort of like-minded peers and enthusiastically explore new topics, absorb information, and celebrate the fascinating world we live in. If you think you’d like to be part of our school community, this is the place to start.
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Who thrives at NOVA?
At NOVA, we serve highly capable (gifted) students who would benefit from an accelerated and individualized school program. “Twice exceptional” students—those who are both gifted and neurodivergent—have experiences that are distinct from those of their peers and have also been successful in our middle school.
Many of our students are a complex blend of personality traits and competencies that can be perceived as idiosyncratic.
A NOVA student can be:
- Highly creative, quirky, and perfectionistic
- Sophisticated and naïve
- Hyper-focused and disorganized
- Thirsty for knowledge and lacking self-confidence
- A confounding mix of developmental levels
- High achievers in some academic areas and under-performers in others
- Smart and spacey
- Bright, curious, and easily frustrated
- Independent and insecure
Many different types of students, with a mix of complicated experiences, thrive at our school.
One NOVA Family’s Story: From Disengaged to All-in
Despite interventions throughout elementary school, one student’s parents said their daughter entered NOVA as a seventh grader who was “withdrawn and dissatisfied.”
“We enrolled in NOVA for seventh grade based on an accidental, random chat with an acquaintance. Honestly, we didn’t really know of any good school options by then, but we were looking for something that might make a difference for our daughter. Going to NOVA for us involved a one-hour commute each way, 6:00 a.m. wake-up times, and a lot of carpooling and planning...But, wow, the effect was almost immediate. Her smile came back! That spark in the eyes and her interest in new things returned!”
On the first snow day of the year, when their daughter found out that the school was closed, she tried to get her parents to take her to school anyway. “That’s what NOVA meant to her. It was her school, it was her time, it was her place. It was offering something so special, something so worthwhile, that she was willing to go even on a snow day!”
Our Approach
To determine whether or not we believe a student will thrive at NOVA, we interact with applicants on many different levels—using a whole-student approach—so we can get to know them and understand as much as we can about the way they think and interact with people.
As we meet students and review their applications, we work to determine who we think will flourish under our rigorous academic curriculum, robust social-emotional program, active support for neurodiverse students, and leadership development.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiverse individuals think and process information differently than the majority of their peers. Neurodiverse students include, but are not limited to, those along the autism spectrum, those with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or tics, or those with processing or emotional disorders. These differences can make it challenging to learn, communicate with others, and express themselves.
What does “twice-exceptional” mean?
“Twice-exceptional” or “2e” students are neurodiverse learners who are highly capable and have learning challenges. That is, they have at least two “exceptionalities.”
Because NOVA focuses on meeting the needs of highly capable learners, we’re uniquely positioned to embrace neurodiversity in its many forms and to address the learning challenges that come along with it. We help students understand themselves so they can navigate the high school years with confidence.
The NOVA School believes that every person has the right to educational and workplace surroundings that are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. It is the NOVA School Association’s policy that no person will be subjected to unlawful discrimination based on race, color, gender, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. NOVA School’s non-discrimination policy applies to all facets of its administration.
Need help with your application?
NOVA Staff is here to answer your questions and to guide you through the admissions process. Please call our office or send us a message and we'll answer any questions you may have.
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