NOVA Middle School 2022-23 Annual Report

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Hello NOVA Community, I am so grateful for being welcomed into the fold this year and for everyone that helped make the 2022-2023 school year a successful one. Celebrating our 30th anniversary as a school and 20 years in our current building has been an amazing opportunity to hear from and get to know our alums, their families, and past board members, as well as our current students and parents. We were so fortunate to celebrate NOVA and all its constituencies this year.

Throughout the 30 years, one thing has stayed the sameNOVA’s mission to be a safe haven for highly capable students in the greater Olympia community.

Thank you to everyone for their contributions to NOVA and for helping to make NOVA what it is today.

TIFFANY PRICE

OUR MISSION

Fostering the joyful pursuit of intellectual, social, and emotional expansion through a challenging curriculum that nourishes highly capable students to develop identity, self-empowerment, and community.

OUR VISION

Inspiring lifelong learning for a more compassionate, engaged world.

OUR VALUES CONNECTION

We embrace the power of care, compassion, and relationships.

COMMITMENT

We are passionately devoted to our work.

INTENTION

We design experiences based on expertise and reflection.

JOY

We celebrate and delight in learning and discovery.

WORKING ON DIVERSITY

2022 School-Age population by race 40 minute radius from NOVA

As a member of the Olympia community, I donated to NOVA Middle School because I believe in and have witnessed NOVA's ability to create an inclusive and safe environment for children of color. My daughter is a NOVA alum and as a military family, the difficulty for us has always been the uprooting of life that occurs.

It was at NOVA that my daughter found her voice within a community.

NOVA creates young enthusiastic scholars that learn to embrace their differences and those differences are showcased in education, art, sports and the social and emotional development. These incredible young people go out and make a difference in the lives of others after attending NOVA Middle School. Current NOVA Parent and Board Member

ALUM STORIES

When I was in 5th grade, school was already pretty disappointing. Pointless work and school was losing its meaning for me. Sixth grade at NOVA turned that upside down, and suddenly school was fun again and I couldn't wait to go to NOVA everyday. And the point of school was about being curious and learning new stuff. It was learning for its own sake, not just to please someone else or to be a good kid. When I left NOVA and entered high school, that sense of learning for myself was as strong as ever. I see it in my NOVA friends still. We're off in college and challenging ourselves, learning new things, figuring out the world...because learning is this journey and a gift and a puzzle all at once. I don't know what sort of student or person I would be if I'd gone to a different middle school—I'm sure thankful that I had NOVA.

NOVA really emphasized that individuals can make a difference, and I don't think I'll ever be satisfied unless I feel like I'm doing important work that uses my abilities to benefit others.

NOVA's academics and small classrooms provide you with a fantastic base for high school, and they provide you opportunities for independent growth. But for me the most important preparation was my sense of self. I think that because NOVA is such a small school, by the time you exit eighth grade, you have become the most concentrated version of yourself, meaning that all your personality traits are demonstrated at the extreme. I think because I spent so much time getting to know myself in middle school without worrying about fitting in, I was able to hold tight to a core vision of who I am.

NOVA Graduate, Class of 2015

NOVA Graduate

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

17% OF EXPENSES WENT TO FINANCIAL AID, HELPING MISSION-APPROPRIATE STUDENTS RECEIVE A NOVA EDUCATION

41%

OF NOVA FAMILIES RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID.

I transferred to NOVA during my last year of middle school. The students and teachers were all very welcoming. We all knew every classmate and lower classmate on a first-name basis. I very much recommend NOVA to those who are looking for schools aiming for high academic achievement, a close-knit community, and a fun, unique school.

NOVA Graduate

30

13%

NEW STUDENTS INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT

55

$53k

RAISED AT THE GALA NEW DONORS

42

CONSECUTIVE YEAR DONORS

$47k

RAISED FOR THE ANNUAL FUND

My child had the most amazing experience at NOVA. He came home everyday with a smile on his face, bursting with knowledge and excitement. Every teacher was fully committed to the learning experience and truly cared about each and every student.

Former NOVA Parent

OUR GALA SPONSORS Thank

OUR GENEROUS DONORS you!

Darishma Alphonse

Nick Amin

Rick and Sue Anderson

Gustavo Aviles-Espinosa and Rosann Fitzpatrick

Isa Bella

David Bjornson

Paula Bjornson

Victoria Book

Donald and Janet Boyle

Julie Buck

Troy and Carie Bussey

David Campbell

Skye Campbell-Ragsdale

Carla Carter

Samantha Chandler

Andrea Chartock and Damir Ribic

Ernesto & Julia Chavez

Aaron Coby and Teresa Winstead

Andrea and Rob Cornfeld

Bonnie Cotton

Heather Cushing and William Nevue

Trina Delaney

Josh DiStefano

Brian Diveley and Millie Piazza

Jesse Driskill and Charisma Scheffer

Nancy Dwyer

Shoshana Eisenberg

Jack Fallat and Christine Nettle

Jessica Ferlo

Sydney Forrester

David and Jennifer Wiliamson Forster

Nathan and Erica Frost

Andrew Frostholm

Dave Fuller

Ellen and Charles Fuller

Jason Gacek

Susan Gacek

Anne and Ron Gajadhar

Carlos and Veronica Garcia

Mark & Sam Golliet

David and Julie Hankins

Jo Marie & Steve Hansen

Katherine and Luke Hansen

Scot Harrison and Rebecca Bolles

Bette Hatcher

Austin and Betsy Hildreth

Yun-yi Ho

Brandon and Rita Homan

Rita and Brandon Homan

Meghan and Doug Hopkins

Colonel Al and Lynn Hoppe

Travis Hoppe and Juliette Erickson

Jim Howeth and Rod Andrada

Grace Huang

Brian and Kat Husted

Anne and Howard Jess

Barbara Jones

Nathalie and Karl Jones

Muriel Jorgensen

Elisa and Ryan Kappedal

Elisabeth Kingsbury and Antonio Ginatta

Jasmit Singh & Molina Kochhar

Elona Sanamyan and John Kuczynski

Linda and Carl Manning

Carrie Matyac and Joseph Ho

Brenden McFarland and Alison Campbell

Robert and Marion McIntosh

Lauren McMason

Tara McQueen

Robert & Susan Meenk

Vivian Merker

Ben and Sarah Merrifield

Carly Michael

Raymond and Ruth Miles

Nicole Miller

Nicolina Miller

Barbara Mitchell Hutton

Anne Montgomery

Charlene and David Moore

David and Samantha Munnecke

Rich Nafziger and Kristin Swenddal

Emily and Geoff Nisbet

Edward and Patricia O'Brien

Jeffrey Olfson

April Oultaw

David and Inger Owen

Jeff and Vanessa Palensky

Vanessa and Jeff Palensky

Aristides and Jane Pappidas

Lowell Park and Emily Hitchens

Sallie and John Parr

Kylie Phillips

Kylie and Drew Phillips

Mary Piskorowski

Steffani Powell and Scott Richards

David and Midge Price

Tiffany Price

Mircea and Corina Rachita

Vel Rajagopalan

Mark and Kazuko Rosen

Katie and Stephen Russell

Stephen Russell

Tom Wright & Therese Saliba

Kate and Todd Scriven

Jason Selwitz and Rebecca Rutzick

Beth and Kris Shera

Clara and Ki Shin

Joshua Shin

Joe & Bonnie Shorin

Marilyn Showalter

Kelli and Keith Sigg

Carrie Smith

Ted Spealman

Jessica Starr

Geoff and Colleen Swett

Carrie and Gary Swindler

Gabriel and Cynthia Taylor

Katherine Taylor and Jeremy Morris

Wendy and Stephen Taylor

Erin and Ian Timms

Angela Tobias

Allyson and Jason Tucker

Greg Tudor and Kate White Tudor

Julia VanDerslice

Anne Weldon

Jacob Wilson and Teva Grudin

Sherrie Wilson

Jocelyn and Kelly Wood

Wendy and Lars Wulff

Fengmin Yang and Xiaowei Liu

Kristine Zhang and Aric Kollmyer

Key Peninsula Firefighters Local 3152

Anonymous

This list reflects the support of donors from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 If you find an error, please notify us at development@novaschool org and we will make a correction

At NOVA, my child wasn't just another kid in a sea of students. NOVA restored her brilliance in mind and spirit.

Connection

Former NOVA Parent

Commitment

There is so much amazing interaction with teachers. It makes it feel like we're on a team—for the success of one child.

Intention

Our child is thriving at NOVA! He's treated with dignity and respect. What got him into "trouble" in a traditional school is met with acceptance and care.

My child woke up excited to go to school and came home excited to to do her homework. She was learning with a voraciousness that I hadn't seen from her.

Joy!

Former NOVA Parent