The NOVA Experience
Specialist classes
All students at NOVA experience a wide range of Specialist classes, most of which meet 2 days a week. These courses are not electives. This makes it possible for our students to be exposed to many means of expression without having to specialize too early. Specialist classes generally mix students from all three grade levels together, thus widening the mix of social connections between classes.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts is a class where all students can
utilize their creativity, improve their technical skills, and develop themselves
as artists on a regular basis, using a wide range of media over the three
year curriculum. All students at NOVA take Visual Arts two days a week
for all three years. Art classes meet in our dedicated Art Studio known
as The Mod.
Physical Education
Physical Education classes emphasize individual fitness and sportsmanship while encouraging lifelong recreational interests. Physical education meets twice a week. (See PE and Sports)
Computers
Computer technology classes occur in a fully equipped computer laboratory.
The entire building is networked and wi-fi is used around the building.
Students first learn the skills necessary to use the equipment and software
applications in their other classes and activities, and then move on to
more complicated endeavors. This curriculum is constantly evolving as technology
advances rapidly and our students’ incoming skills advance even more
quickly! Much of the computer curriculum is individualized.
Current topics include
- Keyboarding
- Office software (Word processing, spreadsheets & graphing, and databases)
- GIS software
- Graphics
- Web page design
- Programming
- Animation
- Internet safety and ethics
String Ensembles
String Ensembles are offered two days
a week for students who are already playing stringed instruments. This
gives music students the opportunity to improve their skills playing
together in an ensemble and encourages them to continue with their instrument
throughout the middle school years.
22nd Street Jazz Band
Our 22nd Street
Jazz Band is an ensemble band experience for students who already play
a jazz band or percussion instrument. Jazz Band meets twice a week during
the school day and also rehearses one morning a week before school.
The instrumental music groups are the only electives offered in our program. Students who choose Band or Strings do not take Silent Reading.
Silent Reading
Silent Reading provides a quiet restful time in an otherwise very fast paced day, giving our busy students recreational reading time. They are encouraged to open their minds to various genres. For students who are avid readers this is a gift of time; for those who are not recreational readers by choice, it encourages practice.
Drama
All students at NOVA
have the opportunity to learn and practice the rudiments of basic drama
and theater skills in a safe and fun environment where it is okay to
take risks. Experienced and talented thespians enjoy further building their
skills; those who have never done anything of this kind are stretched to
try something new. All students benefit from the regular encouragement
to develop speaking skills and comfort in front of an audience, and most
students love the “out-of-the-box” thinking
required of creative improvisation games.
Life Skills and Exploratory
Life Skills for 6th graders and Exploratory for 7th and 8th graders is an experiential, once a week class that emphasizes practical skills that are simply “good to know” and health related topics that are not sufficiently covered in other areas of our program.
Advisory
Advisory classes are a weekly discussion and support group designed to explore social and emotional issues common to young adolescents and to give the students a voice regarding school climate. Students have the opportunity to share their feelings and explore personal values in a safe and trusting group environment. School problems and issues also get problem-solved in this class meeting type of discussion, and students receive social and emotional guidance on many important topics. Students also have the opportunity to get to know the school counselor as well as a trusted and respected Advisory teacher in this informal setting. This class is a vital piece of our program, and we are proud of how it has developed into such an integral piece of the NOVA Experience.
Types of topics covered:
- Stress management
- How to get along with friends
- How to get along with parents
- Bullying and harassment
- Cliques and peer pressure
- Playground issues
- How to treat students in other grades
- Transitions to the next grade
- Behavioral expectations
- Personal safety
- Human sexuality
- Drug and alcohol awareness
Grade Level Seminars
Grade level seminars meet once a week to reinforce and guide experiences that are designed for each grade level.
- 6th grade- Study skills
- 7th grade- Service
- 8th grade- 8th grade project and World of Work