Nansemond-Suffolk Academy View Book

ENGAGE. INSPIRE. E M P OW E R .

NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK ACADEMY S

u f f o l k

,

V

i r g i n i a

O U R

M I S S I O N

At Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, students are engaged in personal growth, inspired to discover their passion and empowered to make a difference in the world.

O U R

S A I N T S

VA L U E S

c h a r a c t e r

commmunity

is our foundation

is our hallmark

NSA is committed to the social, emotional and physical development of each student. We are intentional in nurturing each student to reach his or her maximum potential. Our students feel safe, respected and connected to those around them allowing them to thrive academically, artisically and socially. Our faculty and staff embrace their responsibility as role models in setting high standards of character. Character is our foundation for Honor Above All.

NSA is a dedicated and supportive community joined

excellence

discovery

is our standard

is our passion

From our programs and pedagogy to our personnel and

NSA commits to providing our students with challenging

operations, NSA strives for excellence in all aspects of

and inspiring programs that support students in achieving

the Saints’ experience. All members of the NSA family

their potential in college and life. Our environment fosters

are committed to achieving their highest potential and

a love of learning and intellectual exploration, where

helping students to do the same.

students are not afraid to try new things.

by loyal faculty and staff, parents, alumni, trustees and friends. We are committed to one another, bound by our traditions and devoted to our belief in Honor Above All. With shared purposes and principles, we seek to improve our school, our society, our environment and our world through our compassion, philanthropy and leadership.

A COMMUNITY OF SAINTS At Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, students are engaged in a superior independent school experience where they are a part of a close-knit community. The environment of mutual respect and trust ensures that every student at NSA has that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a foundation for lifelong learning.

As a result of the safe and trusting environment, our students are comfortable taking chances in the intimacy of our classrooms, developing artistic talent and enjoying the camaraderie of being a valued member of one of our athletic teams. Given the broad range of opportunities available, NSA students obtain a holistic education in which each student has an opportunity to maximize his or her individual potential.

A COMMUNITY LIKE NONE OTHER

WHERE EACH STUDENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL

LIFELONG LEARNING The Helen B. Holland Early School The Helen B. Holland Early School provides a stimulating environment in which our youngest children can play, explore and learn. The curriculum includes literacy skills, mathematical concepts, language development and basic social studies. Students receive instruction in art, music, Spanish, library skills and physical movement. They also work individually on iPads to reinforce the concepts that they are learning in the classroom. Students begin to develop essential problem-solving skills and just as important, they learn how to get along with others in a safe and nurturing environment.

The Lower School Lower School students spend their days in a caring community where each child is known as an individual. Students hone the reading, writing, mathematical, scientific and social skills that will serve them well later in the Middle School and beyond. At NSA, we stress the importance of being a good citizen – through acts of kindness and service – as well as being a good student. We also encourage independent thinking, whether demonstrated through an interesting insight in class or a new idea for a community service project.

Harbour View Campus Serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3, the Harbour View Campus provides our youngest students with the option of benefiting from the same college preparatory program that is offered at our Main Campus, but in an atmosphere closer to home. Before and after-school care is offered, as well as various enrichment opportunities to address the needs of the whole child. Our Harbour View students participate in Saints traditions to make a seamless transition to the Main Campus at the end of their third grade year.

B U I L D I N G A F O U N D AT I O N FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

The Middle School The Middle School years are without a doubt the most influential times in a young person’s life. During this time, young adolescents push boundaries, try on new personalities and develop a better sense of self.

Students are supported by our Middle School faculty but are also challenged to grow, learn and discover their individuality as they navigate through the many changes that they will experience. Our highly qualified and caring faculty is there every step of the way to celebrate academic achievements, talents in artistic, musical or dramatic endeavors and successes on the athletic field.

The Upper School The Upper School program places a strong emphasis on intellectual, social and physical growth, so that graduates will not only move into rewarding careers but will also be confident in their ability to overcome life’s inevitable adversities. An advisory program fosters personal growth through a variety of one-on-one conversations, collaborative lessons and community events.

Because graduates have absorbed the lessons of the past and prepared themselves for the changes of the future, they leave NSA ready to make their mark on the world.

Students routinely head off to the nation’s best colleges and universities with all of the knowledge, skills and habits they need to succeed.

P R E PA R I N G F O R COLLEGE AND BEYOND

T H E A N N S . P OW E L L O F F I C E OF COLLEGE COUNSELING The Ann S. Powell Office of College Counseling educates students and families about the college admissions process and assists each student in finding a college or university that is the right match for the student. Through a series of seminars and workshops such as discussion panels with college admissions officers, families experience individualized guidance through the complexities of the highly competitive college selection process. Our college counselors stay current on trends in the admissions world by attending professional conferences, as well as visiting individual colleges and universities on a regular basis throughout the year.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy graduates have recently been accepted at these – and many more – highly regarded colleges and universities: Boston College Bryn Mawr College Clemson University College of William & Mary Duke University Elon University Emory University Florida State University Georgia Institute of Technology George Mason University George Washington University Hampden-Sydney College James Madison University Longwood University Louisiana State University New York University North Carolina State University Pennsylvania State University Purdue University Royal Holloway, University of London The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of Texas at Austin Tulane University University of California, Davis University of Florida University of Mary Washington University of Maryland, College Park University of Miami University of Mississippi University of Notre Dame University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of Virginia United States Air Force Academy United States Military Academy at West Point United States Naval Academy Vanderbilt University Virginia Military Institute Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Washington and Lee University Washington University in St. Louis

[ F A C U LT Y ]

WHERE IDEAS COME TO LIFE

S T E M I N N O VA T I O N L A B The STEM Innovation Lab is a central maker-space for all students to develop and grow their natural curiosity through hands-on projects focusing on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math). Our STEM learning and innovation specialist collaborates with students and faculty members from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 to provide resources to build on the concepts learned in the classroom.

Through the design thinking process, students are identifying solutions to social, environmental and personal problems to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subject area that they are studying.

Translating an idea into another medium requires them to gain a true understanding of a project’s complexities and its parts, resulting in a higher level of understanding. With encouragement to create and construct solutions to real-world problems, students are learning to invent and inventing to learn – all while developing important skills like brainstorming, critical thinking and collaboration.

P R E PA R I N G A N D E M P OW E R I N G S T U D E N T S

S A N D R A F. B I R D S O N G C E N T E R FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE The Sandra F. Birdsong Center for Academic Excellence is designed to lessen the gap between a student’s achievement and ability level through explicit, responsive teaching and targeted research-based interventions. Funded by the TowneBank Foundation, the center provides supplemental learning support for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 students to ensure the success of all students in a challenging environment.

The center also provides professional development opportunities to faculty and staff to further their understanding of learning differences and differentiated instruction, which includes utilizing student’s strengths, learning styles and interests to provide the appropriate level of challenge for each student. The center’s coordinator works collaboratively with administrators, teachers, parents and students to develop a plan for increased student learning. By offering individualized support, The Sandra F. Birdsong Center for Academic Excellence prepares and empowers students to pursue a challenging curriculum in preparation for college and beyond.

O P P O RT U N I T I E S F O R SELF-EXPRESSION

T H E F I N E A RTS On canvas, in a concert hall or on stage, we celebrate students who pursue artistic excellence. From Pre-Kindergarten onward, students attend music and visual arts classes in which they are inspired to create, perform and express themselves. Viewed as an integral part of a complete education, the arts can greatly enhance a child’s self-esteem and overall academic performance. From our musicals and dramas to our holiday and spring concerts, the entire school community enjoys the remarkable talents of our students and their teachers in a variety of annual fine arts events.

M A X I M I Z I N G INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL

AT H L E T I C S – G O S A I N T S !

NSA has a thorough athletic program, offering a wide array of sports for students in the Middle and Upper Schools. While we have earned numerous state championships and a well-deserved reputation for fielding highly competitive teams, plenty of opportunities exist for students of all ability levels to play on a team. Multiple levels of teams in every sport are offered, so all students can experience what it means to put on a blue and gold uniform and compete for their school. The practices, the camaraderie and the relationships are what ultimately count. If our students learn how to compete and how to cooperate, they will be further prepared to be productive citizens of the global world.

E N R I C H M E N T O P P O RT U N I T I E S NSA’s size allows students to participate in and make meaningful contributions to many aspects of campus life. In each division, enrichment opportunities are available.

Students are able to gain valuable leadership experience through student government, clubs or interest groups, such as theater, LEGOÂŽ Robotics or Helping Hands, while connecting with peers with similar interests and building friendships for a lifetime.

UNIFIED BY TRADITIONS NSA has established many cherished traditions that help promote a sense of community and provide continuity from one generation of students to the next. From Convocation to Commencement, the year is filled with events and celebrations in support of our students’ artistic, athletic and academic achievements.

A S T U D E N T- C E N T E R E D A S T U D E N T- C E N T E R E D L E A R N I N G E N V I RO N M E N T

L E A R N I N G E N V I RO N M E N T

G R O W T H - M I N D E D F A C U LT Y Our faculty and staff are committed to their learning, too. To offer a more studentcentered learning environment, they continually explore the latest trends in teaching.

All of our faculty participate in professional learning communities on a regular basis to refine classroom strategies and pedagogy. In addition, at the start of each new academic year, faculty members participate in a goal-setting process to make a commitment to their own individual growth in the classroom, to implement best practices and to further meet the needs of our students.

EXCELLENCE I S O U R S TA N D A R D

C A M P U S S E RV I C E S At NSA, excellence is our standard. From our programs and pedagogy, to our personnel and operations, we are committed to helping our students achieve their maximum potential with the support of additional campus services. From promoting student wellness and providing healthy food, to extended day and summer programs, we’re committed to making sure our students get the most out of their education.

Health Services Our Health Clinics are staffed by registered nurses to ensure a safe and healthy school environment. Our goal is to provide a continuum of care for a successful transition from school to home to health provider and back.

Dining Services At the Main Campus, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy partners with Flik Independent School Dining to manage our food service needs. Their philosophy, “Eat. Learn. Live.” is to provide wholesome, nutritious meals in conjunction with nutrition education.

Flik prepares meals from fresh, whole ingredients, limiting the use of frozen, canned or processed foods and focuses on local, sustainable and responsibly sourced ingredients.

From the colorful salad bar to soups made from scratch, our menu is customized to meet the needs of our students, including considerations for allergies and food sensitivities.

Transportation Nansemond-Suffolk Academy operates its own fleet of school buses to assist with the transportation needs of our families. Certified commercial bus drivers transport students throughout Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina. Two activity routes are also available for students involved in after-school activities.

Counseling The Lower, Middle and Upper Schools each have counselors who specialize in dealing with different types of social and developmental issues specific to each age group. As students prepare for an ever-changing world, they face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally that impact academic achievement.

In collaboration with the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy community, the school counselor supports the development of well-informed, responsible and compassionate students who are prepared to think and act constructively.

Technology We acknowledge and embrace the increasingly complex role that technology plays in our lives and celebrate the worldwide connectivity that it brings. Technology is used as a powerful aid to learning, expanding possibilities for both students and teachers.

Classroom teachers use a variety of tools – from laptops and iPads to interactive whiteboards and projectors – to assist them with presentations, pedagogy and productivity, to access the Internet, to exchange papers with students via the Google drive, as well as to post resources on class websites.

Lower School students work with technology to build on the concepts that are taught in the classroom. In the Middle School, a 1:1 Program enhances the course of study and encourages responsibility and independence, as well as lessons in cyberethics.

Students are encouraged to bring their own device (BYOD) in the Upper School.

Google’s G Suite for Education provides the latest in cloud-based educational tools, allowing Middle and Upper School students to easily collaborate with one another in the classroom or at home. Our goal is for all students to have the tools to better understand how technology works, to think computationally and logically and to work collaboratively. Resources are continually updated as technology evolves.

Extended Day Program Our before and a­fter-­school programs provide careful supervision of children in a setting that fosters self-­esteem and friendships, while providing enjoyable social play and study activities. Fresh fruit is served daily, along with a nutritious snack. The program is available to students in Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade at the Main Campus and students in Pre-Kindergarten through Third Grade at the Harbour View Campus.

Summer Programs Nansemond-Suffolk Academy offers several programs throughout the summer to inspire children to be creative and curious as they explore their interests and build relationships and confidence. Multiple enrichment opportunities are available, such as swimming, sports, science, art and cooking. Each themed-week is filled with educational exploration and fun, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Our academic programs empower students to feel confident in their abilities in an environment that is both challenging and encouraging. Students are able to focus on one class to prepare for the next year or to get ahead. We also offer several STEMthemed programs to allow students to explore subjects that pique their natural curiosity. From designing engineering solutions to creating smartphone apps, there is something for everyone. The hands-on courses build essential problem-solving skills in a collaborative environment that is fun and challenging.

O N C E A S A I N T, A LWAY S A S A I N T There is something significant about attending NSA, and if you ask our alumni, they will tell you that their time at NSA was special. But not merely special in the sense that it was “different,� but special in the friendships that were forged. Recent graduates frequently return to campus to reconnect with teachers or friends, and alumni from various decades connect through our On the Road Reunion program held in various cities from Maryland to South Carolina. Our alumni provide invaluable mentorship opportunities to share stories of their experiences, paths taken and lessons learned, providing a nurturing network far beyond the Upper School years. This impressive network of Saints spans the globe and includes many individuals who are making a great impact in their fields and on society.

CONNECTED FOR LIFE

For more than 50 years, NSA has partnered with families to prepare graduates to lead productive, informed and principled lives. Our graduates are effective communicators who think independently, globally and collaboratively to take on challenges and uncover innovative solutions. They demonstrate integrity and character, value diversity and strive to understand, cooperate and empathize with others.

NSA graduates have learned how to seek and embrace opportunities for personal as well as professional growth to lead a life of passion and purpose. The diverse career paths of our alumni show the numerous possibilities of where an NSA education can lead.

PORTRAIT OF AN NSA

ANNA CAIT WADE ’11 Associate Director of Donor Relations and Special Projects, Mariposa DR Foundation

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NSA taught me the power of story, and I have been using my words to create change ever since.

Anna Cait Wade ’11 has always wanted to give back what she has received – love, support and an excellent education. She is a self-proclaimed girl champion who began working with the Mariposa DR Foundation as a summer volunteer after completing her third year at the University of Virginia. Located in the Dominican Republic, the foundation is a nongovernmental organization working to end generational poverty by empowering adolescent girls. After her life-changing summer, her heart never really left the Dominican Republic. In her fourth year at UVA, she was awarded a Davis Projects for Peace Award and was able to return to the Mariposa Center in the summer of 2015 to implement a leadership and development component for the foundation’s day program for girls.

Today, she is working to integrate mindfulness and social-emotional wellness programs into the curriculum, as well as building and cultivating relationships with key supporters of the foundation. Anna Cait credits her time at NSA for better preparing her for this role.

G R A D U AT E

“Community, fostering important relationships and staying connected are at the center of everything NSA stands for. Learning all of the girls’ names at the Mariposa Center and knowing their mothers and fathers is important to me. I hope that wherever I find myself in life, I maintain this value for appreciating others.”

“

MARY SHAFFER GILL ’04

SUDIPTA “NILA” DEVANATH ’06

Director of Marketing, CivicSolar, Inc.

Harvard Law School, J.D., 2015 University of Pittsburgh, M.D. Candidate, May 2017

“ ”

”

In a safe and structured environment, NSA helped me focus and better understand my potential.

NSA allowed me to find out who I was in my own way.

Mary Shaffer Gill ’04 still remembers being told in the tenth grade that success is relative. “There is no right or wrong path, no ultimate achievement. We can all contribute, make an impact and be successful.”

She credits NSA with instilling confidence in her and providing her with the opportunity to develop leadership skills through roles and responsibilities beyond the classroom. Today, she is definitely making an impact. At 26, she founded a renewable energy business in Tennessee and began advocating for favorable solar policy. The business was successfully acquired just three short years later, allowing her to explore other opportunities and markets. She is currently living in San Francisco, California, where she manages the marketing team at CivicSolar, an innovative solar distributor that provides equipment and services to meet the unique needs of solar installers and developers.

A lifelong learner, Nila Devanath believes that community and public service is the driving force in her life. After graduating from NSA in 2006, Nila earned degrees in neuroscience, psychology and sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she was actively involved in student government and received numerous accolades and scholarships. After completing two years of medical school, she decided to pursue a law degree from Harvard University to bridge the gap between medicine, law and epidemiology. Her goal is to enhance policies to provide comprehensive medical care to low-income patients, including representation in cases where legal issues can determine medical outcomes. She is currently licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and New York and recently returned to medical school to finish her clinical years.

“NSA gave me a strong foundation to pursue entrepreneurship and opportunities outside of my comfort zone. I enjoy knowing that what I do is making a positive impact for all.”

Nila described NSA as her “second home” and said that her years here not only prepared her for the rigor of higher education, but they also gave her the confidence to lead, prepared her for the art of presentation and taught her how to think critically.

CHUCK CULPEPPER ’80 Sportswriter, The Washington Post

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My journalism teacher gave me the invaluable space and encouragement from which to evolve.

Loving, nurturing and evolving is how Chuck Culpepper ’80 would describe NSA if he was limited to only three words. The many authentic and memorable teachers that he encountered provided him with an invaluable sense of foundational support. “I have never been a person rich in confidence, yet I knew that my journalism teacher believed in me even then.”

Chuck became a member of the NSA family in the fourth grade and at the age of 10, stated in an interview for a student newsletter that he would like to become a sportswriter or announcer. While at NSA and at the University of Virginia, he walked the sidelines and wrote about sports for the student newspaper, an activity that he continues to do today as a sportswriter for The Washington Post. In the autumn months, Chuck covers college football, producing a weekly Sunday wrap-up of Saturday events and also visits college campuses to profile players or coaches. In the off-season, he writes about tennis, horse racing and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, as well as various foreign projects. His work has enabled him to travel all over the world, covering events such as Wimbledon, the French Open and the 2014 Olympics in Russia, while also writing features from destinations such as Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya and Egypt.

He has been nominated for numerous awards and “loves the horrible burden of choosing words.”

A F F O R D I N G A N N S A E D U C AT I O N A commitment to make Nansemond-Suffolk Academy affordable to all qualified students is an essential element of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s mission. To make our college preparatory program accessible to a wider range of families, we offer a tuition range (based on demonstrated financial need) to provide talented, ambitious students and their families an opportunity to become a part of the Saints family. In fact, we awarded more than $1.6 million in tuition assistance to new and returning students last year. To learn more about our generous tuition assistance program, please visit the affordability page on our website.

Experience What It Means to Be a Saint‌ Visiting campus and experiencing a campus tour are the most meaningful and comprehensive ways to understand what NSA offers. We encourage all families who are interested in learning more about our school to schedule a tour with the Office of Admissions. We look forward to welcoming you. Go Saints!

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy

@NSACADEMY @NSAthletics

nsasaints

www.nsacademy.org

NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK ACADEMY

Office

of

A d m i ss i o n s

3373 P ru d e n B o u l eva r d Suffolk, Virginia 23434

(757)539-8789 |

www.nsacademy.org

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