The NOVA Experience
School and community service
Service to the school and to the community are simply part of the cultural
expectations of the NOVA experience. This begins on the first day of
school, when 6th graders learn that they are members of a Closing Crew that
meets every day to clean their portion of the building at the end of the
school day. Fond rivalries between Closing Crews develop as students spend
the last 10 minutes of every school day with a mix of 6th,7th and 8th graders
working to vacuum, recycle, empty garbage, pick up litter, straighten,
clean and organize the hallways and classrooms.
In 7th grade, students are expected to participate in more formal community service projects, choosing between efforts that match their interests, but always in service to the greater good of the community. We have on-going relationships with the Thurston County Food Bank, Hands on Children's Museum, Left Foot Organics, several residential homes for the elderly, and various other agencies.
Martin Luther King Day is promoted school wide as a possible day of service, and teams of students participate throughout the greater Olympia community in organized projects.
Parent Service to the school is also a long standing part of the school culture. All NOVA families are asked to plan on a minimum of 30 hours of service to the school per year. This service is reported on an honor's system and tracked in the office. We make every effort to connect parents' talents and skills with school needs, but parents need to also be proactive to volunteer as school needs arise.